M42 owners with e36/46 rack?

[M1k3]

Read on a few post around that with an m42 the e36 rack catches the steering coupling?

How have you guys done it?

[redcar]

Yes done it

[M1k3]

lol, how have you done it mate?

[mwggriffiths]

I'm in the middle of mine at the moment, so I can't comment until she's back on the road.

But I will say this. The swap is quite easy, but definitely make up the steering UJ from bits of E30 and E36, as per the wiki. There is someone selling brand new complete E36 UJs on eBay, or there was a month or so ago at any rate.

I've seen people say that you can just remove the rubber section from the e30 to shorten it enough. This doesn't quite work if you've got the rack in the right place (the rear holes on the subframe), its fractionally too long to fit the bolt back into the column-end UJ.

Also I've seen people saying you need to bend the subframe tabs to extract the rack Don't bother with that! Just support the sump on a jack drop the drivers side engine mount off (only five bolts), and move the column sideways and down to extract it.

[M1k3]

ahh brilliant, doesn't seem to complicated. All e36 racks are the same size arent they?
Cheers bud

[maxfield]

E36 racks are all the same size yes.

[B15NAC]

I had a e46 rack in mine an it worked fine with just the rubber centre removed from the uj an a couple of washers or nuts to act as spacer to get it spot on! Also the rack will need spacing in the sub frame with washers above an below it to get it as flat as you can for when the weight is back on the wheels so it doesn't want to steering its sell to much

[redcar]

Fit an e46 rack. It's faster and a similar price.
067 is the one you want

[M1k3]

I've got a friend with a 36 one so may aswell put it to use, does the e30/36 joint clear the exhaust manifold?

[mwggriffiths]

I've got a friend with a 36 one so may aswell put it to use, does the e30/36 joint clear the exhaust manifold?

From what I've read it has clearance issues when in very fast left hand bends, when the engine mounts aren't in the best condition.

My plan was to fit the rack, then if I have an issue get some new mounts

[M1k3]

Okay so could I put a spacer between the mounting and the rubber to achieve more clearance?

[mwggriffiths]

Okay so could I put a spacer between the mounting and the rubber to achieve more clearance?

Again because my car isn't back on the road I can't say for sure, but I understood that the rack end was the clearance issue, and that there wasn't too much you could do about that from the linkage design perspective.

[B15NAC]

My engine never got anywhere near jamming my steering but that was with a 46 rack! An you only need a e30 steering joint with rubber centre removed an use spacers

[M1k3]

Sweet, so I need spacers. What are they just alloy tube?

[M1k3]

Sweet, so I need spacers. What are they just alloy tube?

[B15NAC]

Space you uj with a few washers then bolt back up tight that did me but when you no the size you can get something made up!

[AdamGardner]

I have a z3 rack fitted on my rally car with the standard uj and coupling. could not understand what all the fuss was about??

[B15NAC]

I thought the z3 rack has a slightly different angle on the input? But it is simple to do just put the rack in the car an it will all make sence

[redcar]

Sweet, so I need spacers. What are they just alloy tube?

No, if you are fitting an e36 rack, you need to do substantially more work than if you are fitting an e46 rack.

With an e36 rack you need a specially aluminium spacer made, with a two pairs of holes in it, both with different PCD. This is because to fit the e36 rack, the linkage has to be the lower part of an e36 linkage, and the upper part of an e30 linkage. The distance between the holes on an e36 linkage is different to those on an e30 oinkage. This is why a suitable spacer needs to be made.

Personally, i'd just buy an e46 rack off ebay for £35 and you don't have to mess around as much with making spacers. The e46 rack will be newer, likely in better condition, and is a much faster rack.

Overall, the e46 rack is much easier to do in comparison to the e36 rack swap as you don't have to make a spacer.

When fitting the rack to my m42 engined e30, the engine would touch the linkage even if i were turning into my drive.