Steering wheel and column question, E36

[aeronaut]

E36.
I'd like to lower my steering wheel a total of around 3".
But....
Is that doable, safe?
The lower steering shaft would need to extend quite a bit for this to be safe. Is the lower steering shaft length adjustable?
The issue is the pivot point for lowering the steering wheel is at the firewall. See pic below.
I couldn't see much looking at realoem drawings, etc.

IMG_20190910_114849.jpg

[ScotcH]

you can lower the steering wheel … drill out the 2 bolts holding the shaft to the underdash cross brace, and put in some aluminum spacers. I think we used about 1.5" spacers, then just longer bolts in place of the drilled out ones. No issues at all. That will bring your wheel down quite a bit. You might not get to 3" … but man that is really low … any room for your legs? lol

[aeronaut]

Yea, I've already lowered about 1 to 1.5". I want to go another 1-2". But lowering the wheel raises the first u-joint of the lower steering shaft. If that shaft is solid, something has to give. If it's got a slip-joint, how much overlap is there?

[ScotcH]

Right … it is a slip joint, and it is quite long from what I remember. I guess you'll need to try it, but some e36s had the telescoping wheel … is yours one? If so, probably a lot of overlap there. If not, I don't know if they used the same shaft for all, including the fixed ones.

[aeronaut]

I didn't think any E36s had telescoping wheel. Some early models had tilt wheel. I guess I'll have to dig under the rubber boot that's on the lower shaft and see what's there.

[ScotcH]

I didn't think any E36s had telescoping wheel. Some early models had tilt wheel. I guess I'll have to dig under the rubber boot that's on the lower shaft and see what's there.

Hmm, maybe you're right. We did swap in an e46 shaft into our e36, must be what I'm thinking of.