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Thread: Sloppy steering - dead spot

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Durham, NC
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    '99 MCoupe | E90M3

    Sloppy steering - dead spot

    Hey all, I've done a little research but I'm still unsure of where to really start on this. My 1995 M3 has a boat load of miles, not entirely sure what all has been replaced, but I'm sure plenty of it is worn out and old. That being said, I've got some slop in my steering wheel when going straight, and it wanders a decent amount. I know it's not a normal amount because my Z3 coupe seems tight as can be. I'm just wondering if there are any suggestions on what to replace first, and then slowly go down the list. I'm hoping it's not the rack itself, but with 230k miles on the car, I'm prepared to replace quite a few things.

    Thanks

    -Ak
    1999 M Coupe Evergreen | 2008 E90 M3


    Click the here for E36 M3 manual swap project!


  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    BKLYN, NY
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    8,514
    My Cars
    98 M3/4/6, 16 M3/6
    Sorry to tell you but the dead spot at the center is normal. The m3 has a progressive rack while the z3 non m racks have a tighter ratio linear rack. A worn rack doesnt make the car wander around, thats the tie rods.

    I swapped to a z3 non m rack and love it.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
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    '99 MCoupe | E90M3
    Quote Originally Posted by hc1001 View Post
    Sorry to tell you but the dead spot at the center is normal. The m3 has a progressive rack while the z3 non m racks have a tighter ratio linear rack. A worn rack doesnt make the car wander around, thats the tie rods.

    I swapped to a z3 non m rack and love it.
    Well that's slightly comforting I suppose. Z3 racks are easy enough to come by, how was the swap? Pretty direct?
    1999 M Coupe Evergreen | 2008 E90 M3


    Click the here for E36 M3 manual swap project!


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Peoria, AZ
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    7,696
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    03 zhp, 97 e36m3, 04 zhp
    There is a small guibo in the engine bay side of the steering shaft, it is worth replacing it if it is original. It may improve things, but will not make it feel "like new". At such mileage it will be a combination of "little here, little there".
    Last edited by Mless5; 01-17-2017 at 11:41 AM.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Wilkesboro, NC
    Posts
    492
    My Cars
    95 M3, 86 325
    Quote Originally Posted by Mless5 View Post
    There is a small guibo in the engine bay side of the steering shaft, it is worth replacing it if it is original. It may improve things, but will not make it feel "like new". At such mileage it will be a combination of "little here, little there".
    http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=32_0640

    That or the knuckle itself. Neither guaranteed to be the culprit, but people have replaced the disc on BMWs and reported a drastic improvement.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    washington dc
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    8,679
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    Avus Cosmos Calypso!
    that steering guibo is made of rubber and aluminum so that dead spot will always be there. otherwise, install would be a pain and there would be a lot of vibration through the steering wheel. Someone does make a poly joint but I haven't heard good things about it. Replace tie rods, steering guibo then ball joints on the control arms, and fcabs. Your steering should be feel like new.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
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    98 M3/4/6, 16 M3/6
    Its direct but messy because of the PS fluid. I already replaced the tie rods previously so i left them on the car and disconnected them from the original rack. You cannot use the tie rod lock plates and there is no mounting for one side of the PS cooling pipe. I fabed a bracket and tapped a hole in it to receive the mounting bolt for the cooling pipe, others have zip tied the pipe to the rack.

    If you do a search online, you will also find other people have used the Z4 M(coupe and roadster are different) racks as well as the E46 330 ZHP racks. The 330ZHP rack is direct replacement, it has the mounting hole for the cooling pipe.

    Here is a DIY that shows the process on a E46 M3, its pretty much the same on a E36. http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=520641
    Last edited by hc1001; 01-18-2017 at 11:49 AM.

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