E30 Zone

Hi

Recently acquired a 88’ 320i auto which just failed NCT/MOT for small amount of play in steering rack.
Car is tracking well with no pull left or right and not vibrating at motorway speed.
Advised to tighten rack and possibly replace inner tie rods.
Can the rack be tightened without replacing parts?
If inner rod/s need replacing, is it better to replace the full assembly and on both sides?
I’m no mechanic but will take on a job if it’s not too tricky.
Any suggestions appreciated

Dub71 wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 22, 2020 11:36 pm

Hi

Recently acquired a 88’ 320i auto which just failed NCT/MOT for small amount of play in steering rack.
Car is tracking well with no pull left or right and not vibrating at motorway speed.
Advised to tighten rack and possibly replace inner tie rods.
Can the rack be tightened without replacing parts?
If inner rod/s need replacing, is it better to replace the full assembly and on both sides?
I’m no mechanic but will take on a job if it’s not too tricky.
Any suggestions appreciated

Try tightening first but if not, then a tie rod replacement on both sides might help... I’d also consider replacing the knuckle/guibo joint (you can see the linkage from the engine bay).

From what I’ve seen, orignal E30 racks are harder to find and quite expensive - so if that’s an issue, you could look into the cheaper E46 Purple Tag rack which are tighter and more modern feeling due to quicker ratio. You might have to buy new tie rods and make adjustments to the steering linkage (check the e30zone was wiki for all the swap details)

Whatever you choose to do, there are many guides on various forums and youtube so you could defdo do DIY if you feel comfortable.

First step is to be sure, all the mounting hardware (bolts and nuts) are correctly torqued down.

The steering rack can be resealed, it is not just for leaks, but they are designed to require that kit after a certain age/milage. The reseal kit and mounting kit contain bushings and large teflon o-rings that are designed to be in continuous contact with the pinion and shaft. Overtime they wear down causing wobble and play, every person i have spoken to that resealed their E30 and E36 steering rack with all new seals and bushing reported that the play was eliminated completely.

The key is to be sure, that there are no scratches on the shaft ends (which cause a leak) and no teeth on the pinion and shaft are worn down.

Firstly determine if its the rack or the ball joints on the steering arms that is the problem, usually described as 'inner steering joint' or similar