Squirrly Steering - Look out here I come.....

[Shark Bait]

The steering on this car has almost a free-play area in the middle. Many times the tires will push the steering wheel a bit instead of the other way around. Not terribly dangerous, but needs to be fixed.

Is there any adjustment on the steering box that I can tighten things up a bit, or is it time for a new steering box? OR Is there something that you know that I don't (Hmmmm....imagine that!) going on in the front end?

'85 635CSi

[KC Ron Carter]

Here is an adjustment procedure.

http://normgrills.net/bcg/Steering_FAQ.html#anchor37033795


But if the the gear box moves when you turn the wheel the loop mount is broken or missing.

I sell a kit to replace the loop mount and bolt. $26 plus $5 SH.

The horizontal bolts have never been an issue.

BMW has done two recalls on the vertical bolts to replace them and inspect the loop mount. They know about it but will not pay to fix it.

The BMW fix is a new engine cradle.

The issue on the loop mount was that it had to move when the steering was at maximum deflection. The gear box is not square to the steering link so when at full throw the mount needs to move to compensate.

Many owners tried to make it rigid and the mount would fail again.

Here is a link to a Dallas site that has done many welded repairs, and he has redone those same mounts.

http://www.teamdfl.com/bmw/e28/frontsubframe/subframe.html


What my kit does is move the load from the loop mount to the upper and lower side of the engine cradle. Even with the loop mount gone I have seen cars with my kit go for over 30k with no issues.

The real deal wear and tear is when the upper and lower link bushings need replace and the steering wheel jumps 1 to 2 inches at every pavement joint.

That is the rapid movement that will fail the OE loop mount and the welded repairs.

When the loop mount breaks the steering will develop a 3 inch side to side play in the steering making it not drivable.

Later,

[Shark Bait]

Thanks for all the info, as well as the electical info earlier. I'll check it out this weekend when I can get it up in the air a bit. I may come back to you for your kit.

[jklnhyde]

I cannot draw a mental picture using the description of the kit you sell...can you post a pic? I think mine is ready to go, but I havent crawled underneath to check. I don't feel like removing the subframe...

[jcsomerset]

The kit is about $5 worth of parts from Home depot.

[Finally6]

can you give some details on the Home Depot parts fix???

[jcsomerset]

go to www.roadfly.org the Guys on the E24 board can give you specifics.

It consists of a Long lag bolt; some washers and a bell shaped compression washer/fitting to distribute the load over the original mount.

specifically "sweeney twin turbo." can help you with what to buy.. He's done the fix himself.. My steering box is nice and tight - so I haven't had to deal with it yet. But from what everyone says - easy/cheap fix.

also www.normgrills.com or net on the "Big Coupe Group" (I can't remember if it's .com or .net - net i think. )

It's a common problem on our E24's and it is a relatively easy fix as well.

But no need to spend anything more than the cost of the washers/lag bolt and compression bell washer)

Sorry I can't be anymore specific there but I've never done the fix myself.. but trust me on this one. www.roadfly.org and norm grills is the best place to go for fixes for the common problems on our E24's.

[Shark Bait]

Checked the steering box today, no movement. When I drove the car, it seemed relatively tight, not the feeling it had before we picked it up and rotated the steering back and forth in both directions. Hmmmmm....

When I bought the car, the guy told me that the steering had an intermittant problem, somehow tied into the brakes (I do have a brake light lit up on the dash, and an occasional Anti-lock light). I haven't looked into the brake system much, other than to check the disks and pads

I haven't made any adjustments to the steering box (thanks for the instuctions Ron.) at this point as I didn't see any reason to at this point. But was wondering if anyone has come across and relationship between the brakes and steering?

I have noticed a vibration on occasional 40-50 mph braking, figure that it is probably warped rotors (next project).

I'm still working on figuring out the locations and identification of many of the parts under the hood, and I have a extra hydraulic brake control unit. The previous owner said that this was a used replacement for the brake and steering problems. Wasn't sure what he was talking about then, or now.

Any suggestions would be helpful -- Thanks.

[KC Ron Carter]

The BMW e24 uses the power steering pump to power the brakes.

This is needed to allow the use of antiskid brakes.

The used hydraulic assembly you got with the car is most likely a brake pressure regulator.

E24s have a pressure regulator and switches to turn on the brake light if the pressure is not as needed. There is also the Brake Bomb, hydraulic accumilator that stores pressure to allow brake application after the engine is shutoff, almost 15 pumps at the high end.

The brake pulsations are most likely the thrust arm bushings.
OE was rubber and if the sag it can cause the steering wheel to pulse 2 inches on brake application. Most use eurothane bushings that never need replaced. BMW came out with the 750i bushings requiring the installer to grind the bushing down to fit the e24.

Here is a link to Paul Gray, Grunt, who makes a replacement for this bad deal.

http://www.gruntsbushings.com/index.html


Bad,
http://www.gruntsbushings.com/images/bushing-old3_small.jpg

Thrust arms with new bushings installed.
http://www.gruntsbushings.com/images/bushing-newonarms1small.jpg

He ships and stands behind his bushings.

[dm635]

dont forget to use ATF in the power steering/brake reservoir.leave some room at the top because when the engines off and you pump the brakes the level rises with each pump.i found out after pumping the brakes approx 10 times then looking under the hood and then the puddle under the car.i guess the bombs working since i could pump it a few times after shut off.there's also a filter at the bottom of the reservoir that can fall apart.mine looked ok but i'm putting it on the replacement list.

[okartguy]

Shark Bait-

I had this identical problem recently; what I thought was a loose steering box turned out to be a completely shot ball joint in the driver's side control arm. Grab your front wheels while the car is parked and try to "steer" them back and forth. There should be no play. Mine was so loose that the wheel was able to "steer" itself, especially in long sweepers... kinda hairy. I replaced both lower control arms with new German parts off eBay ($75 shipped), and the problem (and the steering wheel play) vanished.

[Shark Bait]

Shark Bait-

I had this identical problem recently; what I thought was a loose steering box turned out to be a completely shot ball joint in the driver's side control arm. Grab your front wheels while the car is parked and try to "steer" them back and forth. There should be no play. Mine was so loose that the wheel was able to "steer" itself, especially in long sweepers... kinda hairy. I replaced both lower control arms with new German parts off eBay ($75 shipped), and the problem (and the steering wheel play) vanished.


You might be on to something here. When I checked the steering box, all seemed well, no bloken brackets, all tight. However, I was checking the brakes and noticed play in the front left wheel as I was loosening the lugs. I'll be checking that out as soon as I get the brakes taken care of. Thanks for the info.

[ebantegui]

I have the same problem well kinda. The picture shown by on Carter seem to look ike the upper control arm urethane bushing. Am I right?

Bav auto shows a tool to replace the bushing with for $175. How hard is it to replace. Most manuals references the use of a press to remove if you dont have the tool. How long does it take to replace if I have a mechanic replace it?

[Makr]

I have the same problem well kinda. The picture shown by on Carter seem to look ike the upper control arm urethane bushing. Am I right?

Bav auto shows a tool to replace the bushing with for $175. How hard is it to replace. Most manuals references the use of a press to remove if you dont have the tool. How long does it take to replace if I have a mechanic replace it?



The bushings are just pressed in, I used a vice and a block of aluminum to drive them out, and the vice to press it back in.

They took me about two hours to do. Its not a difficult job. Seperrating the ball joint end was a little difficult, but I found if I jacked up the suspension a couple of inches, then placed a block of aluminum under the threaded end of the ball joint (under the ball joint to the ground), lowered the jack so there was a load on it, then smacked the part of the suspension that it is bolted to (I dont know what the hell you call it), it just popped off.