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E30 M3 CD Owners
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Koala Motorsport Inc (440) 564 7574 |
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How to change an E30
steering rack (Except
325iX) To do this job, you will need the following : Steering rack, 2 Tie rod lock washers, 4 Boot clamps, 4 Banjo seals Changing the rack is a long process, several hours at least. But it is not a real difficult one. First thing to do is raise and secure the vehicle, never get under a vehicle resting on a jack. If your car does not have an airbag, you do not have to worry about steering wheel position , as you can remove and reposition the steering wheel when the job is finished. If you do have an airbag, I do not recommend messing with it, therefore, you will need to be careful of steering wheel alignment when installing the new rack. If your car does not need a wheel alignment, it will not need one after the installation of the rack, however, a wheel alignment at least once a year is a good habit to keep tyre and fuel costs down, so now would be a good time to have one done. Once under the car, locate the two metal fluid pipes where they enter the rack. These are called Banjo fittings, remove the bolts from these fittings, any fluid left in the system will drain out now, so watch your face. ATF tastes awful, trust me , I know. Next is the 13 mm bolt in the lower end of the knuckle. Remove the nut and slide the bolt out. Now remove the clamps on the boots, slide the boots over the rubber outer caps and away from the rack. There is a flat washer that has been bent over the end of the inner tie rod end to prevent it coming loose. Bend this washer away from the tie rod end and , using a large pair of pliers, undo the inner tie rod end from the rack, repeat the procedure on the other side. There is no need to touch the adjusting sleeve on the tie rod, moving this will result in a wheel alignment being necessary. Once the tie rods are disconnected from the rack, remove the 2 15mm nuts from the bolts holding the rack to the sub-frame. Remove the bolts, and bend the lower tabs down. Pull the rack out. You may need to use a screwdriver to pry open the clamp on the bottom of the steering knuckle to get the shaft out. This can take some perseverance, be patient and do not force anything so hard as to risk breaking it. Remember, there is a core charge on the old rack, so breaking it will cost you money. Installation is the reverse, this is where you align the steering wheel, if you have an airbag, it is important that you get this bit right. Centre the rack by turning the splined shaft until both ends of the rack are in the same position, centre your steering wheel and lock it in place. Now you need to get the knuckle onto the splined shaft. Once this is on, install the bolt, but do not tighten the nut. You will do this last. Next , bend the two tabs back into place, and install the bolts and nuts, secure them and install the tie rods to the rack. Use new washers when you do this. When tight, bend the washer over the nut as it was originally. Install the rubber boots. You can buy the correct clamps from your dealer, or use plastic wire ties, which work just as well. Only after the rack is secured in position, install the bolts in the Banjo fittings, you cannot mix up the lines, they are different sizes. Use 2 new seals on each bolt, and tighten them just like you would tighten your oil drain plug, until you feel the seals begin to crush, then stop. Last thing to do under the car is tighten the nut on the knuckle. Now check your steering wheel for alignment. If it is off, remove the centre cap and the 22mm nut on the shaft, with the wheels pointing straight ahead, remove the steering wheel and straighten it.
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Koala Motorsport Inc
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