best option to change steering rack

Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:40 am

been told while my engine is out to change to steering rack to is that so if yes best one to change to

Thu Sep 15, 2011 9:22 am

looking at it...as im looking to get mine off too...the engine defo needs to come forward, or the sump pan needs to come off. Just a pain in the arse really...

I was gonna try taking as much off the rack as possible and take it out sideways. Just wanna get the PAS off...

Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:34 am

chrex wrote:looking at it...as im looking to get mine off too...the engine defo needs to come forward, or the sump pan needs to come off. Just a pain in the arse really...

I was gonna try taking as much off the rack as possible and take it out sideways. Just wanna get the PAS off...

Rack is held in a pair of U brackets that lay with the open end facing the sump,so if the retaining bolts fall out,the rack will remain roughly in place and offer some steering.

The approved way to remove the rack from it's mount is to bend the lower tab down to about 45*,it's thinner to allow this,then the rack will slide out forwards.

Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:48 am

ah right...and the metal wont be weakened/snap by use of this procedure?

Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:58 am

chrex wrote:ah right...and the metal wont be weakened/snap by use of this procedure?

No.I have done this several times,now,with no problems.
Going back,do make sure that the mounting bolts go in from above,and in the correct holes(there are two sets of holes in each bracket)
Fit the n/s bolt loosley,then the rack will slide forward enough to let the lower column shaft slide home,then you can align the o/s bolt.

Thu Sep 15, 2011 11:14 am

ok cheers fella!

Thu Sep 15, 2011 1:43 pm

Must be more room between the sump pan of a m52 than there is of a m20 cause I dropped my rack last weekend without bending anything.

Thu Sep 15, 2011 6:10 pm

Bolts go in from underneath, if you fit them from the top you wont be able to remove them once the engine is in.

Thu Sep 15, 2011 7:50 pm

DanThe wrote:Bolts go in from underneath, if you fit them from the top you wont be able to remove them once the engine is in.

I found this out the hard way

Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:20 pm

i was gonna say that i thought the bolt heads are on the bottom...

had to go check the car before i came back saying it...but yea.

Fri Sep 16, 2011 12:49 am

It's me age!

And it's been a while since I swapped a rack...

Fri Sep 16, 2011 10:20 am

s'alright...we'll let you off this time!

Fri Sep 16, 2011 1:32 pm

One of mine is from above, the other from below.
Was considering changing this to both from below as it should be, but I'll probably leave it.

Sat Sep 17, 2011 2:03 am

dont want to be contradictory, and no offence intended malc as i know its the done thing.
but...... i really dont like the way people bend those tabs down, any plastic deformation of steel will always leave it weaker and it doesn't take much to start a crack forming.
i personally couldn't do it that way no mater how much extra work it too to do. mostly because i would always know it has created an unknown factor, certainly after the second time its done. a third time would just be asking for trouble....

the sub frame at the front can be lowered by undoing 4 bolts and the engine mounts, this gives plenty of room if you jack the sump up, failing that it is possible to undo both mounting bolts, the rod ends and the uj's and then slide the rack a little to one side to free the mounting before giving it a wiggle and removing it out the side.

it also depends what engine you have in the car, the m50s will have a bit more clearance as the 5 series cross member is a little further forward and hence the sump has a little more room, the m20 is the closest to the rack iirc.

Sat Sep 17, 2011 10:21 am

HairyScreech wrote:dont want to be contradictory, and no offence intended malc as i know its the done thing.
but...... i really dont like the way people bend those tabs down, any plastic deformation of steel will always leave it weaker and it doesn't take much to start a crack forming.
i personally couldn't do it that way no matter how much extra work it too to do. mostly because i would always know it has created an unknown factor, certainly after the second time its done. a third time would just be asking for trouble....

Point raised noted...

But it is unlikely that more than one swap of a rack will be needed in the average vehicle's life,I have probably swapped 3 or 4 racks in this way on 3 or 4 different E30's over several years of running these cars.The lower leg of the U bolt is thinner than the upper,so is intended to bend in this way.The rack proper is held by the upper part of the bracket,the lower part forms little more than a guide or support until the bolt is tightened.Whilst I accept that there is a possiblity that the lower arm is weakened,I find it difficult to believe that the rack will be in danger of parting company with the crossmember.

The practice of MOVING these U bolts on the crossmember to allow the fitment of an E36 rack in conjuntion with a BTB 2 manifold is surely far more of a risk?

Sat Sep 17, 2011 8:38 pm

not actually looked at the way people have fitted them with the btb. will take a peek.