So I just replaced my steering rack. I have a 2002 325xi. And I did NOT have to lower or remove the subframe / crossmember. I'm also no proper mechanic by any means; I'm a self-taught or youtube-taught or internet-taught "do it yourself-er" lol.

When I was perusing the internet for How-To's on doing the xi models of e46's, almost all of them insisted on lowering or removing the subframe to gain access to the steering rack. FALSE!

The reason I replaced the steering rack was because my steering has been very stiff and when I asked everyone on here what I can do, everyone said to replace the steering rack. What I ended up finding halfway through the process, was my lower joint assembly was pretty seized. It's the double U-joint version, and BOTH U-joints seemed to be almost completely seized. Since I wasn't able to immediately acquire a new lower joint assembly, I sprayed the crap out of it with WD-40 and some Brakecleen to clean it out. It actually started moving again with... LESS difficulty lol. I'm gonna order a new one soon and then I'll be back under my car to do that in the near future lol.

For those wondering how I did it, I went through the driver-side wheel well, BUT I had to lift the engine up a little as well as disconnect both sway bar end links to swing the sway bar out of the way. Also keep in mind I had my car on a lift when I did all of this, although I'm sure the same process can be done if it was up on jack stands.

When everything was disconnected and the steering rack ready to be slid out, I had to wiggle it a bit to free it from the subframe's "clutches". When the pinion started entering the wheel well area, I was actually able to rotate it as I slid it out to dodge the steering knuckle and everything. The sway bar being out of the way made a lot of difference during this part.

The only real difficulty I encountered during all of this was reconnecting the lines to the new rack because I had already put the new outer tie rods and sway bar end links together so I had less space to work with, but a ratcheting wrench for one banjo bolt and a socket and swivel adapter and extension made it easier in the tight space.

Other notes of things I encountered during the process was that the new steering rack and outer tie rods I bought didn't come with the nut that butts against the outer tie rod's little collar compression sleeve piece (I don't know what to call it), and the old rack had a seized outer tie rod which meant cutting that outer tie rod off so I could utilize the nut (the other outer tie rod came off just fine). No, not even heat or WD-40 made that outer tie rod loosen. The flat spots on the inner toe rod got stripped from all the muscling the 13mm wrench and vice grips.

And finally, after all that effort, I didn't realize crush washers were required. The old rack didn't have any and the new one didn't come with any, so it failed to occur to me that I was "missing" them. So after I filled the reservoir with ATF and turned on the engine and turned the wheel from bump to bump - FLUID EVERYWHERE. But then the garage was at closing time so I get to go back and correct that mistake on Monday. But at least it'll be fairly quick by comparison. I guess on the brightest side, when I was turning the wheel from bump to bump, it turned really easily compared to before.

Sorry for the long post. Just wanted to document my findings while it was fresh in my mind.

If this was already discovered (and I'm sure it has in some corner of the internet), then I apologize for beating a dead horse.