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

[Kedge]

stoney, is your 325 fitted with a standard manifold or a 6 branch?

[schuey]

Stoneys car has the standard manifold.

[stoneyV6]

yep standard manifold and downpipe its a tight fit and because of the amount the engine moves on the standard mounts i have had to put a small flat spot (not much) on one pipe.

its still worth doing and has transformed the car it feels and drives a whole lot better,,, was great fun at cadwell in the wet very easy to get sideways and hang on to it.

[agreen]

someone fancy doing/ helping me with mine lol

[Dave_M3]

It's easy, trust me.
All you need is a file, few spanners and an angle-grinder


@Schuey? 2 turns you say

Wonder would a Ford MkII escort rack fit an e30 with abit of work?

I think I've got a crashed Z3 finally to rob bits off now!!!

[aleks]

Anyone else tried to see if they could get a new RHD Z3 rack?

If I can find one its going to be very expensive and by the time I get it rebuilt its going to cost the same amount of money for a new one.

Realoem say $1000 US + core for a RHD 1.9 Z3 rack.

[aleks]

Can someone please confirm the part number for the RHD Z3 steering rack?

028-0280-007-221?

[schuey]

$1000?

[dannyg1983]

Hi Guys

I have just purchased a cosworth powered e30. It is great in every way other than the steering. The rack is a standard 320i one and its very vague and I actually find it quite difficult to keep it in a straight line motorway speed. I was thinking of fitting a z3 rack but have heard that they are a bit too sensitive. Apparently you only need to sneeze and you nearly throw yourself of the road; Is there any truth in this? Apparently you are better of fitting a e36 compact rack - 2.9ish turns lock to lock. What do you guys reckon?

cheers Dan

[1an]

Schuey.

need abit of information, ive just ogt hold of an e36 rack, and i want to fit it to my 316. i take it that this is possible?

do i need to get some pipes made up or can i make the ones i have now fit?

and where can i get the solid steering joint from?


cheers.

[DRIFTBOY]

Hi Guys

The rack is a standard 320i one and its very vague and I actually find it quite difficult to keep it in a straight line motorway speed. I was thinking of fitting a z3 rack but have heard that they are a bit too sensitive. Apparently you only need to sneeze and you nearly throw yourself of the road; Is there any truth in this? Apparently you are better of fitting a e36 compact rack - 2.9ish turns lock to lock. What do you guys reckon?

cheers Dan

I've driven my E30 with E30 ,E36 and Z3 steering rack.

I hate the E30 rack, way to much arm twirling for my liking!

The E36 rack is a great upgrade, good feel and response, and cheap to buy.

The Z3 rack is expensive, hard to find and very sensitive, but now I've got used to it I find the responsiveness very satisfying, especially during the slippery slideries!

[aleks]

Can anyone confirm E36 compact racks have a ratio of 2.9? As that will probably be easier for find.

I gave a local wrecker the Z3 part number and they said they could find me one. Went to pick it up, wrong part number was like 3.5 turns

[spikuzi]

Can anyone confirm E36 compact racks have a ratio of 2.9? As that will probably be easier for find.

I gave a local wrecker the Z3 part number and they said they could find me one. Went to pick it up, wrong part number was like 3.5 turns

which wreckers did u go to ??

i have a few e46 racks with i think 3.0 or 3.2 turns

[Onz]

E46 Compacts or E46 330CI's have the next fastest ratio racks after the Z3 1.9, I think it is 3 turns lock to lock. there is a thread on here about rack speeds. use the search function to find it

[beardymat]

Tell me about it,I cant find one anywhere,so I am on with another solution to the problem,which will result in 2 turns lock to lock for a tenth of the work involved and marginally cheaper than a second hand rack
Will keep you informed of how it turns out

any more news on this yet?

ive just stripped an e30 and e36 rack down to see whats what as i want to fit an e36 rack on my btb equipped car. was thinking of using the rack shaft from the e36 in the e30 casing and getting a pinion machined up to suit the angle of the e30 casing since its that that causes the issues with the btb but its not quite as simple as that for numerous reasons. there is a gear specialist in sheffield who i need to take the box full of bits to so he can have a look when i get a minute but i think it will just turn out to be either futile or very expensive

[spikuzi]

i had a look at e46 racks, 2 of them have 3.4 turns and the other one is off 330i and have a 3.0 turns

[Onz]

I have looked at mine, and I am considering using an E34 UJ with a solid steering joint, that should make it narrow enough. I have also considered making up a slightly larger spacer with a 20 degree cut to fit in place of the washers. I think the spacer will angle the rack enough to get the right angle.

[schuey]

There is a gearing system available,a steering quickener as it is imaginatively named! Mainly used in america for the hotrod scenes,although they are suppliers to the NASCAR series and the UK version ASCAR. It is a 2:1 reduction gear,nothing gash they are very nicely made and they fit in line,i.e in the run of the column.I was planning on making a bracket off the bulkhead to fit it at the top of the uj and modify the uj to suit,although the same place do full columns. They are just under £100 so the same price ish as a z3 rack but even faster and a lot easier to fit.I was about to order one and use my car as test rig but I am selling it. They do a slower gear if 2 turns would be too fast for you,however I reckon two turns would allow you to hang it out without taking your hands of the wheel which would look nice and for those drifting loons,would make yout transitions from side to side much smoother!
The other bonus of this setup is that 6 branches/turbo's etc would no longer be a problem as the unit would be well out the way,to give you an idea they weigh about 2lb(1kg) and are the size of a cricket ball (ish)

[1an]

schuey, fancy pming me some more details sounds intresing, so you wouls still use the original rack then?

[gareth]

i saw them a while ago.
a bit of a fiddle to fit but once it's there, schweeet quick steering!

[Onz]

anyone got a link?

[stoneyV6]

this is one of many types on the market.

http://www.howeracing.com/Steering/Inde ... tealth.htm

[hoshy]

interesting stuff!

[Dan318-is]

Z3 racks ftw

[schuey]

schuey, fancy pming me some more details sounds intresing, so you wouls still use the original rack then?

As stoney linked,the howeracing is the one to have,i have spoke to the uk distirbutor about them,they are about 7-10 days delivery time.
Yes you would use it with a standard rack,you could use it with a z3 rack if you wanted,would only be 1/2 turn each way Might be a bit twitchy though!!!!!!

[Onz]

interesting, but how would you mount it? I think it will still give clearance issues

[schuey]

An agricultural method would be a pice of angle iron bolted through the bulkhead with the quickener bolted to that,although in reality I would machine something nice!

[mikekean]

how much of an clearance issue will i have fitting a Z3 rack to a 325 sport with a BTB manifold? will i just need to put a few dents in the manifold to let it clear?

[schuey]

I have not seen a 6 branch so I wouldn't know to be honest. Although I doubt its as hard as many make out!

[stoneyV6]

its pretty tight with a standard system.

[Onz]

i still think that 20 degree 1/2" spacers on the front steering rack mounting points with the z3 rack will help with clearence

[schuey]

To tilt the rack in the subframe??? Good idea!

[Onz]

yeah! I Will be trying it on mine this weekend, i'll let you know how it turns out

[liam012]

stoneyv6- is that the front or rear rack mounting position on the subframe?

[stoneyV6]

front mounts as per schueys original post,,, seems ok but will keep a close eye on the mounts for signs of fatigue.