E30 to E36/Z3 Steering Rack Swap Kit Install Guide

Installation Instructions (Non-Airbag)

Getting Started

The E30 chassis comes with a rack and pinion steering system. When compared to the parallelogram-style systems that were equipped on larger vintage Bimmers such as the E24, E28, and E34 (to name a few,) it is already light-years ahead in responsiveness, simplicity, and ease-of-repair. However, at four turns lock-to-lock, it makes for a vague steering experience in comparison to Bimmers as little as one generation newer than the E30. This guide aims to give you a comprehensive look at the amount of work and tools necessary to install an E36, E46, or Z3 steering rack using our installation kit.

Choosing a Steering Rack

Thanks to the similarities in design between the E30 steering rack and ones equipped in the E36, E46, and Z3 cars, one has several choices for quicker steering that only require our kit and some mild modification of the steering shaft components.

Here are some of the steering racks that are compatible with our kit;

E36 Non-M: At 3.4 turns lock-to-lock, this unit is only slightly tighter than the factory E30 rack.
1995 E36 M3: Although it sports an impressive 3.0 turns lock-to-lock, it is a variable-ratio unit that is not well-liked and relatively hard to acquire.
E46: The standard E46 rack comes in at 3.2 turns lock-to-lock, and is likely to be readily available at your nearest junkyard.
E46 Clubsport: Coming in at 3.0 turns lock-to-lock, keep an eye out for a purple tag with part number 6 755 067
Z3 1.9L: With the shortest ratio of them all at 2.7 turns lock-to-lock, this is one of the most common units to be installed in E30s. Given their age, careful inspection, rebuilding, or purchasing a new/rebuilt unit are recommended.

Tools

There are multiple ways to successfully install your E36, E46, or Z3 rack. A jack, jack stands, a set of sockets, wrenches, and general hand tools are always welcome in the garage, but to be sure you have what you need, we recommend that you have access to;

½” Drive impact (or breaker bar)
½” Drive 17mm socket
⅜” Drive ratchet
⅜” Drive 13mm, 15mm, and 17mm sockets
⅜” Drive 3” and 6” extensions
10mm, 13mm, 15mm, and 17mm wrenches (ratcheting preferred)
Pry bar
Bench vise

Tools (continued)

In order to complete your steering rack swap, you will also need to have a set of E30 inner and outer tie-rod ends handy. Whether you are swapping a good set over from your original E30 rack, or installing a brand new set, we recommend the following list of tools:

Chisel
Large jaw pliers
Vice grips
Adjustable wrench
Diagonal cutters
Needle-nose pliers
Hammer

Removing Your E30 Rack and Pinion

Now that you have your tools ready and your E30 properly supported on jack stands, we can begin removing the factory steering rack.

Depending on the engine installed in your E30, you may have to remove some small components or hoses to provide access to the steering knuckle. No matter which heart beats in your E30, you should give yourself enough access to see the steering knuckle from the engine bay like in the picture below.

With your E30 safely lowered onto a set of jack stands, remove the front wheels and store them under the car. Leave the jack locked and under the car as well to provide an extra layer of safety.

Head underneath your properly supported E30 and remove the 13mm nut, 13mm bolt, and washer that go through the end of the steering knuckle closest to the firewall.

With the 13mm nut and 13mm bolt, and washer removed and stored safely, head over to a tie rod end of your choosing, and loosen the 17mm nut securing the outer tie-rod end to the steering knuckle. Do not remove the nut yet, simply back it off until it is flush with the top of the ball joint stud.
Using careful and straight motion with a hammer, strike the top of the tie-rod end stud where you previously backed the nut off. This may require pressure from a pry bar as pictured below.

Once the stud has been released from the knuckle, remove the 17mm nut and drop the outer tie-rod out of the steering knuckle.
Repeat this process on the opposite side of the car, then head back underneath your E30 to remove the steering rack mount bolts.
Using a 15mm socket and 15mm wrench, remove the two 15mm nuts and bolts securing the steering rack to the subframe.

At this point, the factory E30 steering rack should be loosely held in place by the splines on the steering column. Head to the interior of your E30 and lock your steering wheel as close to straight as possible.
Do not worry if you are a few degrees off.

Carefully begin to pull the factory E30 steering rack down from under the car. If the splines at the firewall side of the steering knuckle do not slide apart, use a hammer and chisel to widen the gap in the end of the knuckle. At this point, the steering rack and knuckle should slide out from under the car.
Remove the 13mm bolt and nut from the lower end of the steering knuckle, then use a pry bar to separate the knuckle assembly from your factory steering rack as shown in the image below. *Note: if the knuckle does not pry off easily, use a chisel to widen the gap in the knuckle where it pinches the splines of the steering rack.

Installing the Garagistic Steering Rack Swap Kit

Using a 10mm wrench and 10mm socket, remove the 10mm nuts and bolts from the midsection of the steering shaft to provide access to the rivets holding the two halves together.

Slide the steel plates off of the steering knuckle, then carefully grind or cut off the heads of the rivets using an angle grinder or rotary tool with a cutoff wheel.

With both rivet heads removed, secure the steering knuckle and drive the remaining parts of the rivets out using a hammer and small socket or punch. The two halves of your steering knuckle should then come apart.
Using a hammer or vice, drive the machined spacers into the steering knuckle in the same orientation that you removed the factory rivets.
Slide the new bolts with washers through the machined spacers, then tighten the supplied 17mm nuts. Congratulations! Your steering knuckle has been successfully modified.

Installing Your E36, E46, or Z3 Steering Rack

Before you can install your new short-ratio steering rack, E30 inner and outer tie-rod ends must be installed. If your existing parts are still in good condition, you can swap them over. If not, a new set of inner and outer tie-rod ends along with a new set of tie-rod boots is recommended. *Note: be sure to use tie-rod boots that match the steering rack in order to ensure a proper fit.
If you plan on reusing tie-rod boots, remove the OEM clamp as shown below to avoid damage.

You should now have access to the inner tie-rod ends.

Once the tie-rod boots are removed, use a large set of jaw pliers or vice grips to loosen the E30 inner tie-rod ends from the factory steering rack. Most E30 steering racks will have lock collars that must be bent back with a hammer and chisel before you will be able to loosen the inner tie-rods.

After removing the tie-rod assemblies from your new steering rack (if it came with a set,) you can now install your E30 tie-rod assemblies along with good or new boots that fit your new steering rack.
Rotate the input spline of your new steering rack until the point on the black collar aligns with the slot casted into the steering rack body as pictured below.
The remaining aluminum spacers in the Garagistic steering rack swap kit are designed to fill the gap that will now be left between the upper subframe mounting holes, and the top of the new steering rack.
With the input splines aligned and the modified steering knuckle pressed onto the end of your new steering rack (do not install the 13mm hardware just yet,) set the passenger side of your steering rack into place and loosely bolt it in by hand. Your new steering rack should be positioned similarly to the image below.
Looking down at the steering rack from the left side of the engine bay, the steering rack and knuckle should now pivot like in the image below.
Have a helper hold the steering wheel perfectly straight from inside the car while you gently swing the steering knuckle toward the firewall. Slide the steering knuckle onto the steering shaft until you can slide the upper bolt for the steering knuckle back into place. Then slide the steering knuckle onto the input splines of the steering rack until the remaining 15mm steering rack mounting bolt slides into place without resistance. Double-check to ensure that the Garagistic aluminum spacers are between the upper subframe mounting tabs, and the top of the steering rack. Tighten all remaining 13mm and 15mm hardware to secure the steering rack and steering knuckle.
Lift your tie-rod ends up into the steering knuckles, then tighten the 17mm nuts. Use a pry bar to lift up on the tie-rod end to prevent the tie-rod stud from spinning while you tighten the 17mm nuts.

Wrap Up

Thats it! Torque your wheels down and carefully lower your E30 back onto the ground. Have your alignment checked ASAP, and get ready for an incredible difference in steering response!

Thank you for choosing Garagistic, now get out there and drive!