[gringog60]

Hi guys,

Been using the M3 track car over the last few days, day in day out for reasons I won't bore you with but something I think that lets the car down hugely is the number of turns lock to lock. Even going round a fairly minor bend the amount of steering wheel turn required is just silly.

I've read up on the 1.9 Z3 as that is meant to have a reduced lock to lock but has anybody done this or used an alternative rack?? I don't mind spending the £400 on a Z3 rack but if its not going to improve it a huge amount then it'd be money wasted.

So guys I need recommendation or alternatives to the current set up which lets be fair is pretty rubbish for an M car.

 

[steve23002]

That's the main problem, even worse on yours as the 3.0 which has the crap variable rack with no feel. I hated the steering on mine as well. I searched around and there was no effing way I was paying for an overpriced z3 rack. I ended up using a late e46 rack which was over half a turn less and made a massive difference. I'm not a fan usually but fitted a pair of powerflex wishbone bushes which has given the steering a much better feel. Paid £70 for the rack and £30 for the bushes and I'm well happy with the steering now.
Just waiting for the anti roll bars to arrive then mines finished with as it now feels like an m car should IMO......:thumbsup

 

[gringog60]

Thanks a lot for that Steve. It really does let what is otherwise a very fun car to drive down. Do you happen to have a part number by any chance? and was it the lolly pop bushes you changed? As its for track I'm thinking about polly bushing the whole car to make it sharper.

 

[steve23002]

It was the lollipop bushes, most of the car has been polly bushed now. Didn't like them on previous cars but seem to work well on this one. I'll dig out the part number for the rack tomorrow. That half to 3/4 a turn less makes hell of a difference on the road. It's taken me ages of messing around and changing parts to get the steering where I'm happy with it....:thumbsup

 

[gringog60]

Thanks again Steve, I'd really appreciate the part number so I can get this ordered :thumbsup

 

[chuckb]

Allegedly the e46 compact msport rack as almost as good as the z3 and fraction the cost plus it wold be a damn sight newer. There's a good page no the web somewhere bout all the BMW racks rev per mm. Apparently rev/mm is the best way to judge how quick a rack is as people say "from lock to lock" which is a bit odd coz all of the cars will have different lengths of sterling travel. I have bin looking into this quite a bit if I can find a link I'll stick it up. Sox I y'all ready knew this tho!
C

 

[steve23002]

Part number of the rack I fitted was 32136755068. Its a late E46 rack which was post sept 2001 cars.
Here is the x-ref to the cars they are fitted to which includes the compact RealOEM.com * Part Cross-reference. Its hell of a lot quicker than the Evo rack I had, so will be even quicker than the 3.0 which has the slowest gearing of all the E36 racks.....:thumbsup

 

[gringog60]

Thats excellent thanks very much Steve- did it come complete with track rod ends or did you just use your Evo items?

 

[steve23002]

Thats excellent thanks very much Steve- did it come complete with track rod ends or did you just use your Evo items?

It came bare from a breakers but I had previously replaced the inner and outer tie rods so re-used those....:thumbsup

 

[mistreku]

Did you go through with this, James? If so, how happy are you with it?

 

[gringog60]

Not yet Gab, the track car is parked up under cover at work at the moment as I haven't had a second to do anything other than breathe and work!

 

[mistreku]

Let us know if you do it, I'm curious to hear second opinions. Seem to good to be true. I don't know about the M3 steering, but the rest of the E36's are absolutely rubbish IMO (steering wise). I would really like to do something about, if it doesn't require losing an arm and a leg.

 

[Dam_Buster]

same, i find the steering on my 328 appauling, and whilst at the ring, the occaisional flap at the steering wheel to correct the arse end, i want a much shorter lock to lock , a faster rack all in all.

 

[gringog60]

Let us know if you do it, I'm curious to hear second opinions. Seem to good to be true. I don't know about the M3 steering, but the rest of the E36's are absolutely rubbish IMO (steering wise). I would really like to do something about, if it doesn't require losing an arm and a leg.

Will do mate, the car is going to be going in for some head work and a carbon airbox as well in the not to distant future.

 

[mistreku]

Do you have a progress thread for the hairy beast? :hihi

 

[gringog60]

Do you have a progress thread for the hairy beast? :hihi

There is a thread but I've not done anything to it of late so no updates yet Gab.

 

[coupe1]

sorry to dig up an old thread but if you buy an e46 rack complete with inner and outer tie rods.is it a straight fit or do you need to use the e36 ones?
thanks in advance

 

[bwchiptune]

Got the z3 rack on our e36 328i
It was one of the 1st that had this mod many years ago and feels great to drive around the track




Bwautorepairs
Bwchiptune
Unit 8-9 alpha ind est
Clayton Rd
Hayes
Middlesex
UB3 1BB

Jason Bw
02085611818
07831103030
BMW Servicing & Repairs
Programming & Coding
DPF Regen & Repairs
Alpha N Tuning on M Cars
Performance tuning Remaps & chips
Dyno Dynamics Rolling Road Tuning
Refurbished BMW ECU's & repairs
E90 Water Damaged Ecu replacements in stock
EWS removal abs dash signal deletes