Steering lighter + feeling different after rack change (e46)
Discussion
I've got an e46 330ci and it was developing quite a lot of freeplay around the center point of the steering which wasn't ideal. Took it to a garage and they said that it was the steering rack just being worn. They offered me the choice of a refurb rack for around £300 or a brand new rack for around £1200.
I decided to go with the refurb rack, on the understanding that if there was a problem it could be replaced, so not a massive risk, and if it goes well it should be identical to a new rack.
So that all sounded fine, but what's weird is that the car feels completely different with the new rack. It's now really light and with much less feel. I can't decide whether it's a good thing or not. The car is certainly easier to drive at speed and much more chuckable, but it also feels much less stable and precise.
So I just wanted to ask, is it normal that it should be so much lighter than the old rack. Also there is still a tiny bit of play in the very center, but I guess it's less offensive because now it moves effortlessly between the freeplay area and actually steering very responsively. Whereas before there was the freeplay area and then totally rock solid once you got past that. But I do think before it felt like a much more solid and stable and heavy car, and sort of in a good way.
The mechanic did say that there is a difference between the 'sport' and the 'series' steering rack and that mine was a 'series'. But now I'm wondering, is it possible that I did have / should've had the sport steering rack and that is the difference?
I decided to go with the refurb rack, on the understanding that if there was a problem it could be replaced, so not a massive risk, and if it goes well it should be identical to a new rack.
So that all sounded fine, but what's weird is that the car feels completely different with the new rack. It's now really light and with much less feel. I can't decide whether it's a good thing or not. The car is certainly easier to drive at speed and much more chuckable, but it also feels much less stable and precise.
So I just wanted to ask, is it normal that it should be so much lighter than the old rack. Also there is still a tiny bit of play in the very center, but I guess it's less offensive because now it moves effortlessly between the freeplay area and actually steering very responsively. Whereas before there was the freeplay area and then totally rock solid once you got past that. But I do think before it felt like a much more solid and stable and heavy car, and sort of in a good way.
The mechanic did say that there is a difference between the 'sport' and the 'series' steering rack and that mine was a 'series'. But now I'm wondering, is it possible that I did have / should've had the sport steering rack and that is the difference?
There were different racks used throughout the E46 life cycle, all with different properties, usually named after the colour of the manufacturer's plaque on them (purple, yellow, blue, green etc rack). From your description sounds like you might've gotten a purple (quick) rack.
Depending on how you like your steering, you either got an upgrade or a downgrade.
Depending on how you like your steering, you either got an upgrade or a downgrade.
There's a good reason why I don't touch cheap recon steering racks. They're rarely ever 'right' and £300 doesn't go very far. It's rare for an E46 rack to be knackered and there are still mountains of good used ones for 50 quid or so.
I had an E36 in once with a recon rack and it had more power assistance turning left than right. That was interesting.
I had an E36 in once with a recon rack and it had more power assistance turning left than right. That was interesting.
4004 said:
There were different racks used throughout the E46 life cycle, all with different properties, usually named after the colour of the manufacturer's plaque on them (purple, yellow, blue, green etc rack). From your description sounds like you might've gotten a purple (quick) rack.
Depending on how you like your steering, you either got an upgrade or a downgrade.
Thank you that's helpful to know. It definitely sounds like it's different then. I am worried it's a bit of a downgrade because there's less feel as well as it being lighter. It doesn't feel like you can really lean into the tyres as much because it's so light and lacking in feel. But at the same time it's definitely much quicker and much more chuckable. My wife definitely thinks it's a downgrade, like driving a toy car.Depending on how you like your steering, you either got an upgrade or a downgrade.
Touring442 said:
There's a good reason why I don't touch cheap recon steering racks. They're rarely ever 'right' and £300 doesn't go very far. It's rare for an E46 rack to be knackered and there are still mountains of good used ones for 50 quid or so.
I had an E36 in once with a recon rack and it had more power assistance turning left than right. That was interesting.
I wonder why they said it needed changing at all then, do you think it didn't? The symptoms were: at speed super loose play in the very center of the steering, making it hard to even stay in lane as the car would wonder around a lot. Once you moved past the point of that play though it was very tight and steered well, although if you quickly moved the steering back and forth past that center point there was a definite wobbly notchiness as you pass through the center.I had an E36 in once with a recon rack and it had more power assistance turning left than right. That was interesting.
But then the rear bushes were also changed, so now I wonder how much of the wondering around at high speed was because of the rear suspension rather than the steering. But there was also definitely something up with the steering as well.
logan-1986 said:
I wonder why they said it needed changing at all then, do you think it didn't? The symptoms were: at speed super loose play in the very center of the steering, making it hard to even stay in lane as the car would wonder around a lot. Once you moved past the point of that play though it was very tight and steered well, although if you quickly moved the steering back and forth past that center point there was a definite wobbly notchiness as you pass through the center.
But then the rear bushes were also changed, so now I wonder how much of the wondering around at high speed was because of the rear suspension rather than the steering. But there was also definitely something up with the steering as well.
What condition were the front bushes in? What tyres did you have and what condifion were they in? E46s are both very sensitive to tyre condition / brand, and wear suspension bushes for fun. But then the rear bushes were also changed, so now I wonder how much of the wondering around at high speed was because of the rear suspension rather than the steering. But there was also definitely something up with the steering as well.
Mave said:
What condition were the front bushes in? What tyres did you have and what condifion were they in? E46s are both very sensitive to tyre condition / brand, and wear suspension bushes for fun.
All fairly bad, and those were all the things I asked them to look at first. So it also had 4 new tyres at the same time, and the rear bushes done. Not sure about the state of the rest of the front now but they didn't comment on it, and it does feel good other than the aforementioned light/vagueness, and there is still just a tiny bit of play in the center, but now where it's so boosted you can barely tell.logan-1986 said:
bmwmike said:
Isnt the float adjustable on e46 racks? am sure i adjusted mine to take some vagueness out of it. Big screw or bolt on bottom side iirc.
Damn, finding that out makes me feel like I've been totally mislead.helix402 said:
bmwmike said:
Isnt the float adjustable on e46 racks? am sure i adjusted mine to take some vagueness out of it. Big screw or bolt on bottom side iirc.
I’ve never heard of it being adjustable. A good used purple tag is £60. https://www.reddit.com/r/BmwTech/comments/49sunq/e...
I've done hundreds of thousands of miles in my e46s. Never had a rack fail.
What does fail however is the track rods themselves, the inner joints (behind the rack gaiters) fail and give the symptoms you describe, £70 for a pair of Meyle or similar replacements, plus 1 hour labour and get the tracking done.
Sounds like your rack has been replaced with one of a different spec.
The other items which will cause the symptoms you describe are the "lollipop bushes" at the rear of the bottom suspension arms, again a quick and easy fix. The bottom arms themselves can also fail.
What does fail however is the track rods themselves, the inner joints (behind the rack gaiters) fail and give the symptoms you describe, £70 for a pair of Meyle or similar replacements, plus 1 hour labour and get the tracking done.
Sounds like your rack has been replaced with one of a different spec.
The other items which will cause the symptoms you describe are the "lollipop bushes" at the rear of the bottom suspension arms, again a quick and easy fix. The bottom arms themselves can also fail.
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