steering wheel tilt

[AlphaKennyOne ///M3]

how do I tilt my steering wheel?!?!?! Got a 95 M3

Thanks people!
Alan

[jsp98m3]

*IF* you have tilt wheel, there will be a lever running longitudinally under the steering column at about knee level. Pull it away from the steering column and this will release the friction retaining action on the column allowing the entire column to swivel. Position to taste and push the lever back up against the steering column.

[umnitza]

I've been known to be wrong a lot....but an M3 or any E36 does not have or did it ever have tilt steering.

Never mind telescoping.

The first introduction of this was on the 95 7 series I think...then all the subsequent model changes followed suit - 97 5 series 99 3 series

I don't know about the e31.

[AlphaKennyOne ///M3]

how did you do your angel eyes?!?!?!?!?!?!? How much did they cost?

thanks,
Alan

[jsp98m3]

I think '95 and maybe 96 had tilt wheel. My '84 633CSi had telescoping steering but no tilt. I retrofitted tilt wheel into my '98 M3 using factory parts.

http://www.apexcone.com/tiltwheel/tiltwheel.htm


I did the Angel Eyes like this:

http://www.apexcone.com/Lighting/Ang...AngelEyes.html

it will cost you anywhere from $50 to about $1000. Depends on how good you are at scrounging parts or dickering with your parts counterman. Cheapest prices I've been quoted on new lights is $192 each. Doing this mod requires 2 donor lights. Other parts add up to about $50.

[corwyn]

I've heard that the tilt install is a real PITA. Is that true?

[jsp98m3]

Yes. It took HOURS and HOURs and the benefit is fairly small. I wouldn't do it again. I only kept at it because i'm a stubborn SOB.

[corwyn]

lol!

You? Stubborn?

Actually, since I have the problem of short arms, it's really telescoping rather than tilt that would help me, so it's definitely not worth my time.

Thanks for affirming the warning against doing it!

(You know, Amsoil cures everything... j/k )

Originally posted by jsp98m3
Yes. It took HOURS and HOURs and the benefit is fairly small. I wouldn't do it again. I only kept at it because i'm a stubborn SOB.

[fourfa]

it was only early production 95s M3s that had tilt wheel, supposedly. As the legend goes it was removed for crash safety reasons.

I've been planning on designing a fixed spacer to push the wheel forward for less reach. haven't gotten around to it yet.

[jmciver]

I don't think any M3s had the tilt steering wheel. I have one of those early production models and I don't have it. I think the 92-94 E36's had it though.

[fourfa]

I've sat in several and adjusted the tilt wheel... consensus on various email digests is that it was standard equipment in early 1995 M3s.

[pimpm3]

mine tilts. (production date 9/94) It doesn't have that great of a range of motion though so you guys aren't missing much

[umnitza]

Originally posted by pimpm3
mine tilts. (production date 9/94) It doesn't have that great of a range of motion though so you guys aren't missing much

yeah...it's funny...since I got the M, I position my wife's 7 series wheel at exactly the same position as the M. So, what's the point of the tilt.

BMW must have thought this was a good driving position. It seems to be good.

I bet yours, Jim Powell, is set at the same place where the old wheel used to be.

[C///M3]

I have a later production M and it doesn't tilt. But if it could, I would adjust down. It seemed to be awkward at first, pointing so high up, but now Im just use to it.

[jsp98m3]

Actually mine is set about 3/8" lower than stock. My view of the instrument cluster was blocked just a bit by the wheel.

It get's back to that perfectionist thing. I wanted the seat lower to make room for my helmet and then the wheel had to be lower.

[Rel44 M3]

You should have seen the expression on the sales guy's face when I asked him "where's the tilt?" After a few minutes of fumbling around the steering wheel, he said, "well, ya see, there is no tilt steering in the M3 because it's more of a race car type." It doesn't matter to me, the steering wheel's in the perfect position for me. Normally when I have tilt steering I fix it once, the first time I ever sit in it, and never mess with it again.

[Keda]

HA! HA!

I asked my sales guy how to adjust the wheel. He f'd around withthe steering column for a minute, then began to try to pry out the metal bar that replaces the tilt-lever. I thought he was going to break something on the car I wanted, and told him not to worry about it. Then he told me the this was the kind of car 'you adjust into.'

I heard that it cost about 400 to have done. Ill do it one day, but now my $$ is wrapped up in performance.

[umnitza]

Originally posted by Rel44 M3
You should have seen the expression on the sales guy's face when I asked him "where's the tilt?" After a few minutes of fumbling around the steering wheel, he said, "well, ya see, there is no tilt steering in the M3 because it's more of a race car type." It doesn't matter to me, the steering wheel's in the perfect position for me. Normally when I have tilt steering I fix it once, the first time I ever sit in it, and never mess with it again.

I did that for fun at least three different times when I got my M...the look on their faces when they realize that it actually doesn't have it...it's PRICELESS!

Also, the look gets better when you tell them that you only want an M3 that tilts...

[C///M3]

Just imagining it is FUNNY!

[Hank]

95///M3 production date 4/94 Hooray!!! its great I think you all should install it!!

Never really use it, but maybe I'll pay more attention to it since I'm going on a week-long drive into some big open country.

Hank
:book:

P.S. I need a wireless modem laptop I'll miss you Guys!!