Steering Rack Stops

[TostitoBandito]

Anyone had to use these? I used to be fine with the stock rack, but since installing the E46 ZHP rack and zeroing out my front toe it seems my wheels hit slightly before lock. I guess the E46 rack has more total angle/travel than stock, or I just never noticed before. For reference, my wheels are 17x9 ET42 with 245/40 tires on them, at a little under an inch below stock ride height with 12mm spacers with at least -2.5 degrees of camber.

Anyways, Turner sells a kit which looks pretty straightforward. Just a 16mm spacer which goes on between the rack and inner tie rod. I think I need to do something because I noticed this last time I jacked up my car that the tie rod end ball joint on one side was pointing inward at a pretty extreme angle, likely because the tie rod wanted to keep pushing out that side but the wheel stopped.

[NoLastName]

I use the Turner rack spacers but my car is track only. I need them to protect the front brake ducting (and even with them I can still contact the brake hoses before full lock). Wider wheels with spacers decrease clearance for sure. Changing toe is insignificant. I wouldn't want to lose the turning radius on a street-driven car and would thus avoid rack spacers. I'd just be conscious of potential for occasional tire contact and try to avoid it.

[TostitoBandito]

Ok. It's just weird that it's different now with the new rack, because I thought the travel distance was the same. I'll see if I can figure out exactly where it's contacting, maybe with a jack under one wheel while the car is in the air or something. Perhaps I just need to raise the ride height slightly or something.

It's right before lock when it hits. I think in theory my rack is 3.0 LTL and it seems to hit at about maybe 1.40-1.45 turns from center each direction.

[bluptgm3]

As stated - Tire size, wheel size - width and diameter, and wheel offset, plus spacers is going to have a huge impact.

Just one side or both? Are you sure the rack is centered, not just a centered steering wheel and an off set rack, which changes the tie rod incident angle?


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[TostitoBandito]

Both sides. I'm reasonably certain everything is properly centered. I took it Tru-Line right after I put the rack on and they said the coupler was centered and they aligned the front end with no issues. I specifically told them to check everything and fix if necessary because I had just put on a new rack. The tie rod adjustment distance also looks more or less the same side to side post-alignment, as I'd expect.

[blckstrm]

Both sides. I'm reasonably certain everything is properly centered. I took it Tru-Line right after I put the rack on and they said the coupler was centered and they aligned the front end with no issues. I specifically told them to check everything and fix if necessary because I had just put on a new rack. The tie rod adjustment distance also looks more or less the same side to side post-alignment, as I'd expect.

Hmm. I have a ZHP rack too that I installed 6-12 months ago (you'd think I'd remember). I have 17x9 et30 arc 8s, H&R Sports (1.2" lower in front), and swapped strut hats, so we should be pretty close to identical in front.

I can see that the tire has rubbed a couple times at full lock, but I've checked and it doesn't seem to make contact at "normal" speeds at full lock (i.e. it doesn't make contact at full lock just sitting there). I assume when I let my kids drive in the parking lot and they give it full lock and a little gas it must rub, but this obviously isn't something that happens very often.

I've had the car for years and this *slight* rubbing is obviously new, and must be due to the ZHP rack. But I almost never go full lock (and mine doesn't seem to be quite as bad as yours), and my wife's Escalade whines when you hold the steering against the stops, so I've just made a mental note to just not go full lock in either vehicle.

[TostitoBandito]

Right, it sounds like the rack just has slightly more travel. That's basically exactly what I'm seeing. Not enough rubbing to be really obvious, and only really noticeable by the spongy feel when it hits whatever it hits during that last tenth or so of a turn each direction. Or if you end up with a crooked tie rod end like me. Not as many people swap this rack into E36's (and run wide wheels/tires on it) compared to the Z3 rack, so there probably isn't as much data/experience out there on things like small differences in travel.

[jayjaya29]

Same problem here. E46 ZHP rack has slightly more travel. I have installed the Turner rack spacers. It makes the car a bit of a pain in parking lots and other tight maneuvers but it stops the rubbing.