Quick racks,Z3 conversion-now with pics! for 4 and 6 cyls

[stuartgallafant]

im gonna use the E30 PAS pipes and try and bend them to shape. hoever, if they break, does anyone know where i can get some made up? i live near SE London

[handpaper]

I recently fitted one to an m20. Didn't have to cut anything off to install it, and no manifold issues. The only thing I did do is remove the metal pipes on the rack,to help get it into position, and then reinstall them afterwards. No need to bend the metal mounting tabs, as some people do.

Flappy, are you saying the Z3 rack is a bolt-in using the original hoses on an M20?

[FlappySocks]

No, the metal pipes I was referring to, were two pipes that are on the rack housing, not the pipes that go to the pump. For those, I used flexible hoses as supplied in a group buy not long ago. Made the job a lot easier.

[DRIFTBOY]

I went for a Z3 rack, but I would have liked to have tried an E36 rack to see if the Z3 rack justifies the extra expanse.

It does!


I've had both on my car, and if for any reason I needed to replace it, I would get another Z3 rack without question!

E36 rack is a very good improvement over the E30 one and well worth the money and effort.
But if you can find and afford a Z3 rack then I thoroughly recommend you fit that!

[stuartgallafant]

right, i tried to fit mine and i was unsuccessful unforetunatly

when i came to putting the rack my iS, i used the rear holes in the subframe but the pinion on the rack was too long to get the UJ on. even too long on the front holes

did any of you thats put it on the iS have to remove the steering UJ bush?

[Kedge]

right, i tried to fit mine and i was unsuccessful unforetunatly

when i came to putting the rack my iS, i used the rear holes in the subframe but the pinion on the rack was too long to get the UJ on. even too long on the front holes

did any of you thats put it on the iS have to remove the steering UJ bush?

Nope, mine all went on fine. probably the best thing to do though is get the UJ all connected before mounting the rack.

[stuartgallafant]

tried that kedge and still wouldnt have it

where can i get some custom pipes made?

[stuartgallafant]

Right, im still struggling a bit with this Z3 rack business!

can anyone confirm the part number of the rack that im supposed to be using? Im at work at the moment and the rack is at home so i cant look at the part number on the one i have but i'll get it later

also, for the 3rd time, does anyone know where i can get some custom high-pressure hoses made up?

[geoffrey]

You will deffinately struggle getting the UJ on if the rack is mounted. Get the UJ on and then try and get the rack bolted to the subframe. This usually has to be done with standard racks on most cars.

[oze30]

I'm going to have fun then! I Have to connect everything from the underside!!! Stupid manifolds are in the way!

[DHFiS]

also, for the 3rd time, does anyone know where i can get some custom high-pressure hoses made up?

Look up 'hydraulic hose supplies' in your yellow pages or go to Pirtek.co.uk

[oze30]

Got it fitted up. but had to raise the M60 on the drivers side by about an inch to help clear the manifolds. Need some new manifolds i think.

Does anyone have an is manifold off the car they could take pictures of?

[Stevin]

Quick question...

I want to run my rack as a manual? I was thinking of just leaving the fluid in the rack and blanking the PS up.

I really dont have a need for the PS, as the car is going to come in way under 1000kg.

[mikekean]

no reason why you shouldnt be able to. somebody i know has done that same. id start going to the gym though as the steering is stupid heavy without it.

[Stevin]

Haha, good thing I gym already

What I hear about using the manual rack is that it's only heavy at low speeds ? once on the track is gives the car a solid feel through the wheel ?

Which sounds good to me as the PS on the std e30 rack made it feel like there wasn't as much feedback as I would like... incredibly dull.

[mikekean]

yeah its fine when your up to speed. just a bit crap like 15mph or bellow.

[Stevin]

Thanks guys... will give feedback as soon as the car is on track.

[Alburglar]

Just fitted an e36 rack today using kit from Dave_M3.
http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... ic&t=91188
(my pics are on page 5)
The hoses save a lot of headaches.

[Dave_M3]

Glad it got to you in time
Good luck with it on the 'Ring

[Silverfang]

Doing an E36 rack conversion on mine next week, would have liked to get a Z3 rack but couldn't find one locally still, getting some bits made up at my local machine shop and I'll pop up the pictures and installation when I get started on it

[punk_sy]

hi just wondering looking at doing either the z3 or e36 soon but im also putting either a m50 or m52 in it ! would any of them fit as the standered rack you have to modify the manifold ?

[Silverfang]

And so after 2 days.... Ugh I loath this car so much however...



One new hose from Pertec, good for 5000psi : though cost me £80!!!!

New rack in place, after having to space it out with washers , drill out the holes to 11mm on the forward mounting points on the cross member and jacking the engine up to slip the new rack in.

The return line is still E30 but was duely 'tweeked' to the right point in a vice but still needed some more in siture, real swine of a job to be honest!



Mounting point on the E36 rack that needed cutting back to not foul the sump



Got it all in, fired up and put some fluid in..... NO LEAKS and she's still bleeding the air out of the system, but it's got all in and seems alright

More fun tomorrow resealing the fannymould... and then MOT cruch time

[Silverfang]

Well, finally finished. Just need to get the car tracked up and off to the MOT
bay tomorrow at 3.40pm



Just got my setup for my conversion, it's a bit bodged since i miscalulated the length of spacer i needed :smash: I'll correct this in the updated drawings if anyone's interested in having a spacer made up for their E30 to covert it to E36 rack spec and do away with that crappy rubber donut.

[DHFiS]

Silverfang - do you have a 4 or 6 cylinder engine? and thanks for the pics

[Silverfang]

Silverfang - do you have a 4 or 6 cylinder engine? and thanks for the pics

M20B20 Straight 6

[mt1104]

hello, someone probably thought of this before but I didn't see reference to it in this thread - has anyone tried using the PAS hoses from the e36 car or the z3 to see if they fit. Or is it entirely due to the engine being in a slightly different position compared to the rack that these don't fit?

[BONNARSKI]

Good question lad, would save alot of time. Just to recap, do you need a spacer on the cv joint on the column or does it all just go together? Will be doing this to mine when the engine comes out, just have to fish a rack out

[mt1104]

got my hands on a Z3 rack, its in my garden ready to be fitted with all the other goodies.

[winx]

Does anyone have the specs of the hoses that need to be made up?
I need to have completely new hoses made up as I am away from my car for the next few weeks so can't take measurements or use bits from the old hoses.

Thanks!

[Bob_S]

i didnt realise how much time people had spent pissing about with this.
I swopped my rack when I did my m50 conversion..
I mounted it in the rear holes spaced it halfway so 7mm spacer ontop and below the rack mountings, whipped up a 12mm spacer and bolted it together.
I got a couple of high pressure all rubber hoses made up with the correct fittings and used e36 track rods and ends.. so simple

[metris]

Hey hey does anyone know if/what the difference is between the US and the UK steering racks?

And where can you get a Z3 rack in the UK? Any major places that stock them or rebuild them? (Is there a UK equivelant of Maval US (http://www.mavalgear.com/)?)

Thanks in advance!

[mt1104]

I'd assume the US versions would be left hand drive... only an assumption though, I'm sure someone will confirm.

[chips]

i didnt realise how much time people had spent pissing about with this.
I swopped my rack when I did my m50 conversion..
I mounted it in the rear holes spaced it halfway so 7mm spacer ontop and below the rack mountings, whipped up a 12mm spacer and bolted it together.
I got a couple of high pressure all rubber hoses made up with the correct fittings and used e36 track rods and ends.. so simple

How did you get it into the rear holes?

[DRIFTBOY]

Mine is in the rear holes too.
I used a 5mm steel plate as a guibo, it's caused no trouble in several thousand miles.

I also used standard M20 pas pipes, carefully bent and re-routed to fit.
It is time consuming getting them bent exactly right, so custom ones would be neater and easier to work with, but they do fit if you are persistant!

[chips]

I see, fitted in the same way as the E36 rack.