E30 Steering Rack

Post Wed Oct 12, 2005 10:00 pm

My E30 track day care does not have power steering. did the original road version have PAS ?? i assume for weight saveing that my car used to have PAS but it was removed. How easy do you reckon it is to convert back to PAS ?

Also been advised to put an E36 rack on it (with PAS) to give me quicker steering. Has anyone done this / got any comments on this.

I am quiet short in the arm and do find on tight bends that i have to revert to road driving style steering i.e i can keep my hands in the racing position as i do actually cross over - also it is knackering as the steering feels heavy ising my short arms and sticky tyres.

any advice welcomed please

cheers
Jonathan

Post Fri Oct 14, 2005 7:04 pm

The non power racks suck ass they are over 4 turns lock to lock

what were bmw thinking

only option is the e36 rack conversion which has been done by a few here

Post Fri Oct 14, 2005 7:05 pm

The non power racks suck ass they are over 4 turns lock to lock

what were bmw thinking

only option is the e36 rack conversion which has been done by a few here

Post Fri Oct 14, 2005 7:15 pm

duncan!

who you been chatting to???? havent heard from you for a while!

Post Sun Oct 16, 2005 8:33 pm

What size steering wheel do you have? Increase the size to decrease effort.

Many Milltek cars have PAS racks with the hydraulics disabled. Personally, I've found that it improved steering feel an awful lot and didn't increase steering effort too much when driving, even on sticky Kumhos. It's only a pain when manouvering.

Post Mon Oct 17, 2005 10:28 pm

i think it more the number of turns lock-to-lock that is a problem. just my luck to get a pre PAS car - think they only made them for a year or two back in 86/87 !!!! never mind i did get a good deal on the car so i guess i can spend a bit making it just as i want it !!. new pics loaded on website - www.greenbmw.co.uk

my BMW guy that i use locally has an e36 he is breaking for bits - might be a chance of the rack coming my way !

Post Sun Oct 23, 2005 10:03 am

We never used PAS, if you get the car light enough then it really isn't needed, but the rack is slow but gives lots of feedback, an E36 conversion will help but i believe the Z3 rack is a straight swap for the E36 so maybe this is the route to go?

Post Mon Oct 24, 2005 5:34 pm

Taffy wrote:We never used PAS, if you get the car light enough then it really isn't needed, but the rack is slow but gives lots of feedback, an E36 conversion will help but i believe the Z3 rack is a straight swap for the E36 so maybe this is the route to go?

Taffy,

What are we talking about Ãƒ”šÃ‚£Ãƒ”šÃ‚£Ãƒ”šÃ‚£Ãƒ”šÃ‚£ wise for a Z3 rack? (roughly will do!

)

Post Mon Oct 24, 2005 5:43 pm

taffy - did you mena the Z3 is a straight swop for the E36 or E30. are you saying that if i want a z3 rack i would need to convert to an e36 set up first. ??

i have looked at a technical article re the e36 conversion and it would seem the rack is a straight swop but there are mods to the steering column UJ that are needed which involves getting some parts machined. I have given the article to my local BMW man and he is having a look

cheers
JCB

Post Tue Oct 25, 2005 9:55 pm

What i'm saying is that the E46 & Z3 racks are direct fit for the E36, so if the E36 can fit I can't see why the E46 or Z3 rack also can't be adapted, but, i'm not an engineer so more than likely I got it wrong. I paid Ãƒ”šÃ‚£200 for my new M3 rack on exchange basis, Z3 is the same i believe