Z3 Steering Rack Conversion... How much?

[ImysE30]

How much would you pay for a Z3 steering rack conversion, how much are they worth?

Just the rack and pipes.

Thanks

[Rob_farmer]

worth 300-350, I paid 305

[ImysE30]

[G-Bear]

worth 300-350, I paid 305

What was included in that cost.

I went for the E46 067 rack, along with Danthe custom pipes, spacers and linkage, plus the cost of E34 UJ's and burton engine mounts and I think it was around the £300 mark.

[Andyboy]

The E46 rack is just as good as the Z3 one, and they're 40 quid - plus the cost of Dan's conversion bits.

[pacerpete]

£300 spent replacing foooked bits is arguably a better investment !

[G-Bear]

The E46 rack is just as good as the Z3 one, and they're 40 quid - plus the cost of Dan's conversion bits.

This is what I thought and that the z3 rack was just a hyped up expense.

My old rack was foooked.

[Rob_farmer]

The E46 rack is just as good as the Z3 one.

2.7 turn to lock ratio?

[G-Bear]

The E46 rack is just as good as the Z3 one.

2.7 turn to lock ratio?

Isn't that just because it restricted or was that the M3 rack?

[Rob_farmer]

E46 is not as good as Z3 rack:

Car-----------mm/ per. turn--------BMW Part #
E30------------36.5 mm------------32 13 1 092 335
E30 M3---------38 mm--------------32 13 2 225 556
E36 M3 '95------39 mm--------------32 13 2 227 191
E36-------------45.5 mm------------32 13 1 096 280
E36 M3 96+------45.5 mm-----------32 13 1 096 280
E36 Z3 M---------45.5 mm-----------32 13 1 096 280
E46 Std-----------50 mm------------32 13 6 755 065
E85 Z4 M----------51 mm------------32 13 7 836 844
E36 Z3 non-M------53.5 mm----------32 13 1 095 575

All about racks:
http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=66247

http://www.rmeuropean.com/bmw-e30-steering.aspx

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showpos ... stcount=64

http://www.e30tech.com/forum/showthread.php?t=115686

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=172261

[ImysE30]

That's the E36 M3 rack which has bump stops which restrict the lock.

Z3 rack is has a quicker ratio than the E46 rack. Z3 racks are also harder to get hold off, it's the 1.9 rack that fits.

[Rob_farmer]

£300 spent replacing foooked bits is arguably a better investment !

They don`t cost £30. There is quite demand for them for a reason. Also mine came off car with just 60k on the clock.

[pacerpete]

£300 spent replacing foooked bits is arguably a better investment !

They don`t cost £30. There is quite demand for them for a reason. Also mine came off car with just 60k on the clock.

My point being MOST E30s would benefit more from £300 being spent on replacing the myriad of foooked parts that MOST of these cars are afflicted with than fitting a quicker rack that the cool kids told them they must have.

[spook]

Ive got a Danthe quick rack set up for sale, custom pipes/rack, never fitted, lost interest in the car.

[harry_p]

E46 is not as good as Z3 rack:

Car-----------mm/ per. turn--------BMW Part #
E30------------36.5 mm------------32 13 1 092 335
E30 M3---------38 mm--------------32 13 2 225 556
E36 M3 '95------39 mm--------------32 13 2 227 191
E36-------------45.5 mm------------32 13 1 096 280
E36 M3 96+------45.5 mm-----------32 13 1 096 280
E36 Z3 M---------45.5 mm-----------32 13 1 096 280
E46 Std-----------50 mm------------32 13 6 755 065
E85 Z4 M----------51 mm------------32 13 7 836 844
E36 Z3 non-M------53.5 mm----------32 13 1 095 575

All about racks:
http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=66247

http://www.rmeuropean.com/bmw-e30-steering.aspx

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showpos ... stcount=64

http://www.e30tech.com/forum/showthread.php?t=115686

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=172261

That's the standard e46 rack though, the 067 is quicker than the normal one taking it pretty close to the z3 rack.

However, 067 racks are about £40, z3 1.9 racks regularly go for five times that much, and the cars they come off will be older.

Either way, both are a vast improvement over the standard e30 rack!

Immy, the table shows rack ratio, how far the rack mover per turn of the wheel, and is a measure of how 'quick' the rack is, and the best way of comparing different racks. As you can see, the standard e36 rack had exactly the same ratio as the m3 evo one. No coincidence because they're exactly the same, but as you say, the evo rack has less overall lock so looking at the turns lock to lock figure alone you would think the evo rack was quicker.

And people still try and charge a premium for evo racks!

The e36 3.0 rack is misleading because its variable ratio, so its very slow around straight ahead, but quicker at the ends, so it has less turns lock to lock than other e36 racks but they're horrible and were a major source of complaints when the e36 m3 was released. One to avoid at all costs!

[DanThe]

Anybody that has driven an E30 with a 2.7 Z3 rack and then one with an E46 standard or clubsport rack back to back will favour the E46 rack

[ajay]

+1 As Dan says, but above 120mph they are both quite frightening, way too sensitive for my likening!

[Rob_farmer]

How much more complicated fitting E46 rack is compared to Z3 one ? Any articles on it?

[bss325i]

Fitting is the same for all E36/E46/Z3 racks.

[DanThe]

+1 As Dan says, but above 120mph they are both quite frightening, way too sensitive for my likening!

My chromie feels fine with the needle off the clocks, that is a standard 3.4 turn E46 rack

[ajay]

The 067 on my sport is exactly 3 turns lock to lock, (feels great most of the time) but i realised the weekend just gone,while chasing a carrera S that its a bit too sensitive when manovering at high speed. Maybe its just me needing to get used to it!

[Grrrmachine]

I just bought a standard E46 rack for my LHD chariot, and the part number shows it also fits E36s, so no idea how much turn it'll have.

[G-Bear]

How much more complicated fitting E46 rack is compared to Z3 one ? Any articles on it?

The conversion is quite straight forward, just nuts a bolts mainly. The only slight fiddly bit I found was mating the different UJ's together.. but read through this.. all is explained in here..

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=148445

Everything else is found in the wiki pages and a quick search on here under 'steering rack conversion'.

[Demlotcrew]

The 067 on my sport is exactly 3 turns lock to lock, (feels great most of the time) but i realised the weekend just gone,while chasing a carrera S that its a bit too sensitive when manovering at high speed. Maybe its just me needing to get used to it!

Geo needs tweakinga little And!

[ajay]

I think you hit the nail on the head. Is that an offer...?

[jimmyspeed]

you can get cheap z3 racks if you hit it lucky on ebay i got mine for 30 quid - i have yet to drive the car so cant comment on how twitchy it is

one advantage is you can install it with the original steering linkage

[Demlotcrew]

The E46 rack is much better valved than the Z3 1.9, however if you don't care about feedback and only want a quick rack for fast input when drifting/rally etc then the Z3 rack is for you.

Andrew

[tweeks]

i just ordered an e46 067 rack of ebay but they sent part number 6 753 435. I am assuming that is the standard e46 rack? whats the difference between the two?