Re: E30 Steering Racks - What's Up With That?

["Edward R. Walker" <erwalker@xxxxxxxx>]

>Judging from personal experience and the number of posts on this
>subject, the E30 steering rack is a real weak point on an otherwise
>mostly pretty good car.  Giving this my customary 30 or 40 seconds of
>thought, I wonder...
>
>Bimmers prior to the E30 had a recirculating ball steering box.  
>
><snip>
>
>Inquiring minds want to know why we don't just go back to the good old
>days of recirculating ball steering?
>
>Scott Miller
>Golden Gate Chapter
>BMW CCA #44977
>1990 325i/is hybrid that's gonna need a new rack one day, I can just feel
>it...

Scott,
you should have given this a little more than your customary 30 to 40
seconds.  If you had, you might have come up with these points regarding
the good old days. :^)

First, the e21 3 series came with rack and pinion steering, as did a 
number of earlier BMW's(319/1 and 327 for example).

Second, the 02's and the "four doors" from which they evolved used worm
and roller.

Third, the 507 used pinion and sector.

It's really only the big sixes, sedans and coupes, that used recirculating
ball steering.

As for the advantages of rack and pinion, my dad explained them to me some
20 years ago but damned if I can remember now.  I believe one is more
sensitivity than recirculating ball.

Ed Walker
'80 323i
'72 tii

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