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Thread: Steering rack questions - 1. Flex disk 2. Vagueness 3. Effort 4. Wheel diameter

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2009
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    S54/E36,18 Sierra Denali

    Steering rack questions - 1. Flex disk 2. Vagueness 3. Effort 4. Wheel diameter

    Hi guys, I'm modifying my car to begin attending novice events this summer at our local road course.

    At at the moment I have a 350mm wheel. Today I installed a modified E46 aluminum steering guibom because I felt the connection was numb. The slop that I felt I had before went away completely, but the wheel feels heavier...more effort is needed, not manual rack effort, but still a bit more.

    Is is the effort required a product of a dying rack? Small 350mm wheel? My E46M is effortless so to speak. This E36 is an old car that I've doing alot too, but there's always something else. My FCABs are 165K non M so they're worn and will be replaced.

    How do I diagnose a bad steering rack?
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    Last edited by PITT M3 RR; 05-07-2017 at 10:37 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    I don't like how that AKG piece makes that a solid connection. I think you'd be better off with the E34 U joint. It's just as rigid torsionally, but still allows articulation.

    I'm not clear on your post. At one point did the steering become heavy? On what car?

  3. #3
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    Update - rack blew up after 2 drives haha there needs to be a flexible connection there. All there is to it

  4. #4
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    New update

    1.9L Z3 rack in, with rubber Guibo and fixed a seized u joint on lower steering shaft. 1000X better now. I attribute most of the new feel to the unseized shaft. I also did M3 FCABs. Car feels new.

    Check your steering shaft for free movement.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
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    Maine usa
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    E90 330xi
    Quote Originally Posted by PITT M3 RR View Post
    New update

    1.9L Z3 rack in, with rubber Guibo and fixed a seized u joint on lower steering shaft. 1000X better now. I attribute most of the new feel to the unseized shaft. I also did M3 FCABs. Car feels new.

    Check your steering shaft for free movement.
    It seems odd to me that I have seen so many bmws that need steering rack replacement. I am dealing with some odd feeling myself. But I think it is a bad control arm. About to diagnosis this this weekend

  6. #6
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    Yea the feel is the sum of all the parts. Get in there and move stuff around, you'll see where you're being thrown off

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
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    E90 330xi
    Quote Originally Posted by PITT M3 RR View Post
    Yea the feel is the sum of all the parts. Get in there and move stuff around, you'll see where you're being thrown off
    I believe it is the control arm and bushing on mine. I plan to start replacing as many front end parts as possible. As with any older car these parts fail one or two at a time. It's a battle to keep up with it all.

    I am curious though about the steering rack failures. I have seen. Bunch of threads on replacements can anyone tell me what the symptoms are of the steering rack failing.. is it just a sloppy feel?

    Sent from my SM-G930VL using Tapatalk

  8. #8
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    Leaking is one, dead spot feeling is another bad bearings is the third. A lot of the replacements you see are for better units. Look up rack doctor and give him a call. He has all the answers.

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