Steering Rack Upgrades

[Pyropete82]

I will be posting a little fact sheet as to the little nuances that happen during this swap that for one reason or another nobody has posted.

So, are there surprises along the way, yes.
1. Outer e36 tie rods and inner e46 tie rod sections are recommended for this; outer tie rod ends from an e46 have too large of an outer ball joint shaft and will not seat in an e36 spindle. The inner rod should be from an e46, even though the e36 will work, because the e46 rack releases rack pressure at full tilt through some grooves that are not present on the e36 inner

Notice the difference. Outside of this, the job is straight forward. Accessing the rear Column attachment point near the fire wall can be a royal PITA without the intake and dipstick moved out of the way, hell even the middle section can be a pain since it's buried between the intake, motor mounts and power steering stuff

2. Get yourself new gaskets for throttle body and intake; new crush washers for the vanos oil return, new crush washers and power steering lines and a reservoir--these tend to leak after 100k miles, air filter--while in you're in there...

3. Replacing the rag joint: There is a dust cover over the mating joint on the e46 rack, the e36 didn't have a prominent "center" guide fin like the e46 has, so if you do intend to put a new rag joint whether stock or aftermarket, you'll have to remove roughly 2mm out of the groove on the knuckle.


That knuckle is fully seated here btw


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[bluptgm3]

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...g-rack-for-E36


http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=382917

Some great info from another site

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 (4/01-9/01)--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

Missing from the above list are:
- E46 (9/1999 - 04/2001)-----------32 13 6 753 438
- E46 (9/2001 - 05/2006)-----------32 13 6 757 651
- E46m3---------------------------32 13 2 229 397
- E46m3 ZCP-----------------------32 13 2 282 642

[pbonsalb]

I am in the market for a rack. Its a want not a need. E46 purple tag seems the better buy than the Z3 non M.

[propcar]

I am in the market for a rack. Its a want not a need. E46 purple tag seems the better buy than the Z3 non M.

Or Gold tag 712 if you can find.

[lbennyboobool]

I will be posting a little fact sheet as to the little nuances that happen during this swap that for one reason or another nobody has posted.

So, are there surprises along the way, yes.
1. Outer e36 tie rods and inner e46 tie rod sections are recommended for this; outer tie rod ends from an e46 have too large of an outer ball joint shaft and will not seat in an e36 spindle. The inner rod should be from an e46, even though the e36 will work, because the e46 rack releases rack pressure at full tilt through some grooves that are not present on the e36 inner

Notice the difference. Outside of this, the job is straight forward. Accessing the rear Column attachment point near the fire wall can be a royal PITA without the intake and dipstick moved out of the way, hell even the middle section can be a pain since it's buried between the intake, motor mounts and power steering stuff

2. Get yourself new gaskets for throttle body and intake; new crush washers for the vanos oil return, new crush washers and power steering lines and a reservoir--these tend to leak after 100k miles, air filter--while in you're in there...

3. Replacing the rag joint: There is a dust cover over the mating joint on the e46 rack, the e36 didn't have a prominent "center" guide fin like the e46 has, so if you do intend to put a new rag joint whether stock or aftermarket, you'll have to remove roughly 2mm out of the groove on the knuckle.


That knuckle is fully seated here btw


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Great notes that no one really shares. Thanks for sharing!

I'll hopefully be doing the job before too long once things slow down so this helps allot

[PITT M3 RR]

Also check Ebay. they usually offer a guarantee with in 30 days or so...somif
you can install it quick, you can luck out. I got a Z3 1.9L rack for $98 bucks from a Florida car. It was clean as hell and the residual fluid was cherry red. Installed it and WOW what a difference.

My steering wheel is a 350mm unit, got a new flex disk, and worked a seized lower steering shaft back to life and free movement. Amazing set up.

[JEC928]

Just cruised ebay and CL... prices may be rising plus it appears the cheap reman operations use broad application (92 on up E36 etc) so you have little guarantee of actually getting a real non-M Z3 rack.

Also, it seems to be the rule that all crashed Z3s are front-end damage...

[bluptgm3]

I just looked at www.car-part.com and got quite a list for 2000 Z3 2.8L ~ $250 - $300

[lbennyboobool]

eBay is hard to know what you're getting unless you ask for a picture of the plate on the rack to look it up. Seems like several sellers don't know what they have

[M52 POWER!]

Just go to rackdoctor.com you can order very specific racks. That's where I got my 330ZHP rack and I love it.

[TostitoBandito]

Yeah I second that. The Z3 racks are pricey due to the demand, but if you get one from rackdoctor you'll at least know it'll be perfect and you won't need to rebuild it yourself or replace it again when it breaks.

The E46 330i racks seem more cost effective for similar performance.

http://shop.rackdoctor.net/2002-2005...892-712ZHP.htm
Is that what you're using, and do you have specs on it? I assume it's a linear rack.

[M52 POWER!]

Yeah I second that. The Z3 racks are pricey due to the demand, but if you get one from rackdoctor you'll at least know it'll be perfect and you won't need to rebuild it yourself or replace it again when it breaks.

The E46 330i racks seem more cost effective for similar performance.

http://shop.rackdoctor.net/2002-2005...892-712ZHP.htm
Is that what you're using, and do you have specs on it? I assume it's a linear rack.

Yes that's the one I have:

e46 M3 is 15.4
e46 ZCP: 14.5
Z3 : 14.5(or 15.4 seems there is some confusion on that one)
e46 ZHP/330i(late model): 13.7 (DONT get an early 330i rack as its horrid)
z4 coupe: 12.8 which also swaps in.

More info here: https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...rack-installed

[blatant]

Ended up picking a 712 gold rack from a local yard thanks to car-part.com.
$124 shipped to my door and it has 50k miles on it.

This came from a 05 330ci sport. Looking forward to installing and seeing the difference in my e36.

[TostitoBandito]

Ok, the 330 ZHP rack is definitely on my to-do list. Did you end up using E36 outer tie rods with the E46 inners that come with the rack?

[M52 POWER!]

Ok, the 330 ZHP rack is definitely on my to-do list. Did you end up using E36 outer tie rods with the E46 inners that come with the rack?

Yes that is correct, and plenty of thread contact; I counted ~23 revolutions per side when I installed new outers last week.

[Pyropete82]

I just did this swap,honestly I liked the e36 feel over the zhp feel. The steering wheel cuts faster and turns lesser. I liked the harder steering turn. I would say it seems the rack moves more in simulation with demand, which is nice to be experience, but this mod is over sold in my opinion, nothin special.


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[BMWManiac]

I'm bumping this....after chasing down a steering wheel vibration, and replacing every bushing, bearing, suspension part up front, new wheels/tires, I've decided it is just time to replace the steering rack.

97 M3 with 153k miles....

Here is what I'm trying to decide, and going with rackdoctor:
1) another 97 M3 rack: $200
2) 330 purple: $260 including $30 core return
3) 330 zhp: $390 including $30 core return

I'm not tracking this car and while I don't hate the feeling of my e36 M3 rack, I would like a heavier feel. So....is the ZHP worth it over the regular 330 rack? I've read countless entries and just not sure if the steering feel is "worse" or what that even means. I had a z4M coupe and loved that steering...I don't want to go that route, and I don't want the Z3 1.9 route either (although cheaper).

So...thoughts?

[TostitoBandito]

Either do the ZHP rack or a Z3 rack. No point in anything else considering the minimum cost of any rebuilt rack. I can't speak to the Z3 rack, but the ZHP rack is certainly heavier and more analog feeling than stock, in addition to being linear and a bit quicker. I really like it. There's a good writeup that rackdoctor did on forums someplace a while back on the differences between the ZHP rack and the standard purple tag E46 rack, and why it feels "better" (quoted in link below). In short it has a thicker/stronger torsion bar which gives it a sportier/heavier feel than the other E46 racks, even though it's of equal quickness (approximately 3.0 turns lock to lock).

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1654735-330i-ZHP-rack-installed

[BimmerBreaker]

Personally I think the stock rack pairs really nicely with the m3 suspension. The linear racks are almost too twitchy near center with the steer-happy m3 suspension. Nice when canyon carving sort of annoying anywhere else. The progressive stock rack works well with the suspension design of these cars

One of my cars has a linear rack, one is stock. Driven thousands of miles with both. I prefer stock. YMMV

[BMWManiac]

Personally I think the stock rack pairs really nicely with the m3 suspension. The linear racks are almost too twitchy near center with the steer-happy m3 suspension. Nice when canyon carving sort of annoying anywhere else. The progressive stock rack works well with the suspension design of these cars

One of my cars has a linear rack, one is stock. Driven thousands of miles with both. I prefer stock. YMMV

I just ordered the ZHP rack. I see what you're saying, but isn't the suspension setup similar already? Looking at the ZHP setup, it looks exactly like the E36 m3. Sway bar end links connect to strut, same style control arm with CAB, same steering rack/tie rod design....

[TostitoBandito]

I just ordered the ZHP rack. I see what you're saying, but isn't the suspension setup similar already? Looking at the ZHP setup, it looks exactly like the E36 m3. Sway bar end links connect to strut, same style control arm with CAB, same steering rack/tie rod design....

Linear/progressive refers to the internal workings of the rack and how far they steer for every degree of steering input. The stock M3 rack is progressive and is less sensitive towards the center so bad drivers won't kill themselves on the autobahn while going way faster than they have the ability to handle. Linear racks move your wheels the same amount all the way through your range of steering input, so even on a rack with the same number of turns lock to lock less input is required to initiate a turn since it no longer has that "dead zone" near center. Linear racks make the car feel quicker and more responsive in my and a lot of other people's opinions, especially at higher speeds where all your steering is close to center. It's half the reason people upgrade the racks on these cars, the other half being to simply shorten the ratio and number of turns. Granted I've refreshed and upgraded my entire suspension, but I have no issues with the ZHP rack on the street.

[pbonsalb]

I changed to a Z3 rack last year or maybe it was the year before and like it. Nothing dramatic. My M3 rack was fine. My ideal rack would have a heavier on center feel, but I am not complaining.

[BimmerBreaker]

I just ordered the ZHP rack. I see what you're saying, but isn't the suspension setup similar already? Looking at the ZHP setup, it looks exactly like the E36 m3. Sway bar end links connect to strut, same style control arm with CAB, same steering rack/tie rod design....

The differences I'm talking about have to do with the suspension geometry, not the racks or where the physically sit.

The E36 M3 has more caster and camber than the non-M's. This allows for greater turn-in compared to the base models, but this is also part of why the M engineers paired these cars with the progressive racks - because the M3 suspension design is already very eager to steer at the slightest input. So to make the car stable at higher speeds, they made the racks progressive, so that in the middle it is less sensitive and it turns more as you steer. This has the effect of making the on-center feel very comfortable on M3's - the rack counteracts some of the built-in twitchiness that would be there on the higher speeds due to the geometry. The non-M E46 has a suspension more similar to the non-M E36 in this regard (less caster/camber, less eager turn-in) whereas the E46 M3 is more similar to the E36 M3 (because you know, sports car).

This is also why putting an M3 rack on a non-M would feel awful.

For around town driving or track usage, a linear rack is fine and really just a matter of preference. If your car is regularly used for highway driving, I would not recommend a linear rack.

[BMWManiac]

Ah, I see what you are saying. I will admit, I am definitely not in tune with noticing these steering differences. I drive my Dad's e36 328 vert and dont notice anything in the steering compared to my M3. I mostly drive in the city, but I will be sure to report back how it feels to me compared to my M3. Since Im not sending it back, I will save it just in case.

[TostitoBandito]

The differences I'm talking about have to do with the suspension geometry, not the racks or where the physically sit.

The E36 M3 has more caster and camber than the non-M's. This allows for greater turn-in compared to the base models, but this is also part of why the M engineers paired these cars with the progressive racks - because the M3 suspension design is already very eager to steer at the slightest input. So to make the car stable at higher speeds, they made the racks progressive, so that in the middle it is less sensitive and it turns more as you steer. This has the effect of making the on-center feel very comfortable on M3's - the rack counteracts some of the built-in twitchiness that would be there on the higher speeds due to the geometry. The non-M E46 has a suspension more similar to the non-M E36 in this regard (less caster/camber, less eager turn-in) whereas the E46 M3 is more similar to the E36 M3 (because you know, sports car).

This is also why putting an M3 rack on a non-M would feel awful.

For around town driving or track usage, a linear rack is fine and really just a matter of preference. If your car is regularly used for highway driving, I would not recommend a linear rack.

A lot of that has to do with alignment as well. With the factory-recommended front toe-in (which is substantial) and modest amount of camber (around -1.5 degrees I think), it is perfectly stable and self-centering and doesn't really wander or tramline at all. However, if you're like me and you have zero toe in front and aggressive camber (and wider wheels/tires), it does like to tramline and follow grooves, etc... It wants to turn, which is what I want in my case. That said, even with a linear rack if you run the factory alignment it will handle perfectly fine on the street. It's mostly when you get into more aggressive alignments after getting camber plates and the like that you can make it really twitchy by running an extra degree or two of camber over stock and getting rid of most/all of the toe-in. There's nothing wrong with running that on the street if you know what you're doing and are attentive, though I'd generally only recommend aggressive setups like that on cars which are at least dual use track/street.

As far as contrasting different steering setups, drive a modern non-sports car with electric steering and it's a completely different experience. The wheel spins almost effortlessly and it feels like you can just fling it and watch it spin. It's very "floaty". Compare that to my ZHP rack in my M3 where it's heavy and manual feeling, and you have to use much more force to turn the wheel than most other cars; almost sort-of like it's a small car with no power steering. It's also more forceful when it wants to return to center. My stock M3 rack was noticeably lighter feeling and slightly slower than the ZHP rack, but still in the same ballpark of sportscar steering racks. It's not a massive difference (on the street at least), as others have said, it's just a good solution which is easy to do if you want something a littler quicker and more responsive/engaging.