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Non-BMW Stuff on a BMW Forum

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  • SteelBlueS
    SteelBlueS
    SteelBlue
    wrote on last edited by
    #852

    gilber33 said:

    They're the RS reps that I think a few other people have on here. ESM I think. Then I got BMW domed stickers off ebay for the center caps.

    I know everyone does them, but this is going to be my next set of wheels. They just look right on these cars.

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    • G
      G
      gilber33
      wrote on last edited by
      #853

      SteelBlue said:

      I know everyone does them, but this is going to be my next set of wheels. They just look right on these cars.

      Yes. I agree. They fit the car very well and their quality is great, IMO, for a rep.

      1 Reply Last reply
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      • straight6pwrS
        straight6pwrS
        straight6pwr
        wrote on last edited by
        #854

        gilber33 said:

        I had those when I first got the car but switched to OEM ellipsoids because I didn't want to deal with the wiring. I have been thinking about those though because the new ZKW fogs have a smoked look to them. 

        you just repainted your car in your garage, I cannot comprehend how swapping some headlight electrical plugs could deter you. DOES NOT COMPUTE

        Dan
        yajsYRL.jpg.e5f350b4dfe961d76ac8b32efce2e1a6.jpg

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        • SteelBlueS
          SteelBlueS
          SteelBlue
          wrote on last edited by
          #855

          straight6pwr said:

          you just repainted your car in your garage, I cannot comprehend how swapping some headlight electrical plugs could deter you. DOES NOT COMPUTE

          Even a moron like myself was able to do it.

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          • G
            G
            gilber33
            wrote on last edited by
            #856

            straight6pwr said:

            you just repainted your car in your garage, I cannot comprehend how swapping some headlight electrical plugs could deter you. DOES NOT COMPUTE

            The car had them when I bought it but they weren't wired in correctly. The housings were also hacked up from someone retrofitting HIDs. I don't like HIDs in old cars and the bulb openings were so messed up that a normal bulb couldn't be installed. On top of that I was in the middle of pulling the engine for the 1,345th time and didn't want to deal with buying new headlights and doing the wiring. 

            I had a million other things to do and just wanted some working headlights. I'm not saying I won't do them, but it's not a major priority. 

            SteelBlue said:

            Even a moron like myself was able to do it.

            With all that said. What are you asking for them? My ellipsoids adjustment screws are rusted solid and I can't adjust the headlights.

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            • SteelBlueS
              SteelBlueS
              SteelBlue
              wrote on last edited by
              #857

              gilber33 said:

              The car had them when I bought it but they weren't wired in correctly. The housings were also hacked up from someone retrofitting HIDs. I don't like HIDs in old cars and the bulb openings were so messed up that a normal bulb couldn't be installed. On top of that I was in the middle of pulling the engine for the 1,345th time and didn't want to deal with buying new headlights and doing the wiring. 

              I had a million other things to do and just wanted some working headlights. I'm not saying I won't do them, but it's not a major priority. 

              With all that said. What are you asking for them? My ellipsoids adjustment screws are rusted solid and I can't adjust the headlights. 

              I'll send you a message.

              *TFW when you start texting @gilber33 and realize you discussed buying an E46 wagon 2 years ago.

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              • N
                N
                Nick_F
                wrote on last edited by
                #858

                This thing is coming together beautifully! I need an e30 in my life

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                • G
                  G
                  gilber33
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #859

                  Well, true to classic e30 form I made it a couple days before something pops up. Today the steering got periodically tight. Didn’t think much of it until getting home and it was really right; i.e. hard to turn the wheel. Kind of like I didn’t have power steering. But if I turned the wheel say 90°, the car wouldn’t straighten back out, it would stay turned. Which I thought was weird. So there’s some definite resistance somewhere. Belt on the pump was still tight and the fluid wasn’t frothy or anything. 
                   

                  Rack? Pump? Joints on the steering column?

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                  • B
                    B
                    B C
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #860

                    Which steering/suspension components have been touched recently? I dont recall you replacing things.

                    Does it have drop hats?

                    It could be an internal rack leak on the spool. Running Lucas Power Steering Fix (one of very few fixes in a bottle that works) or Valvoline Max Life ATF will help swell those seals if they are leaking.

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                    • G
                      G
                      gilber33
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #861

                      B C said:

                      Which steering/suspension components have been touched recently? I dont recall you replacing things.

                      Does it have drop hats?

                      It could be an internal rack leak on the spool. Running Lucas Power Steering Fix (one of very few fixes in a bottle that works) or Valvoline Max Life ATF will help swell those seals if they are leaking.

                      It has new inner and outer tie rods from when I swapped in the e36 rack when I got the car. I replaced strut mounts and ball joints during this last round of stuff. 
                       

                      Admittedly I did notice the steering rack did this when I was doing the suspension work. I assume that’s not normal. 

                      FullSizeRender.mov

                      Attachments:

                      • FullSizeRender.mov
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                      • B
                        B
                        B C
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #862

                        That would be where your binding is from. Im doubtful the pinion adjustment will help in this scenario but if you’ve got nothing to lose, may as well mark the current position and tighten it 1/8 turn at a time to see if it removes the slop

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                        • straight6pwrS
                          straight6pwrS
                          straight6pwr
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #863

                          gilber33 said:

                          Well, true to classic e30 form I made it a couple days before something pops up. Today the steering got periodically tight. Didn’t think much of it until getting home and it was really right; i.e. hard to turn the wheel. Kind of like I didn’t have power steering. But if I turned the wheel say 90°, the car wouldn’t straighten back out, it would stay turned. Which I thought was weird. So there’s some definite resistance somewhere. Belt on the pump was still tight and the fluid wasn’t frothy or anything. 
                           

                          Rack? Pump? Joints on the steering column? 

                          Does the resistance you feel go away with more speed? 

                          Any unusual pump noise? if you lock the rack to one extreme do you get the extra pump noise per usual? 

                          I had the power steering fail in a way that required Hulk-like inputs at any speed to operate the wheel. The power steering pump had failed internally. Symptom - stiff steering all the time, no returning to center. Pump had no external signs of a problem. It was easy to diagnose - i pulled the belt and spun the power steering pulley and it rotated with no resistance. 

                          I have doubts on the column joints, you'd probably feel a notable notchiness as the joint rotated past the seized portion. I.e. as you turn the wheel it would be stiff-not stiff-stiff-not stiff at certain degrees of rotation.

                          Dan
                          yajsYRL.jpg.e5f350b4dfe961d76ac8b32efce2e1a6.jpg

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                          • G
                            G
                            gilber33
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #864

                            B C said:

                            That would be where your binding is from. Im doubtful the pinion adjustment will help in this scenario but if you’ve got nothing to lose, may as well mark the current position and tighten it 1/8 turn at a time to see if it removes the slop

                            How do you do that?

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                            • G
                              G
                              gilber33
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #865

                              straight6pwr said:

                              Does the resistance you feel go away with more speed? 

                              Any unusual pump noise? if you lock the rack to one extreme do you get the extra pump noise per usual? 

                              I had the power steering fail in a way that required Hulk-like inputs at any speed to operate the wheel. The power steering pump had failed internally. Symptom - stiff steering all the time, no returning to center. Pump had no external signs of a problem. It was easy to diagnose - i pulled the belt and spun the power steering pulley and it rotated with no resistance. 

                              I have doubts on the column joints, you'd probably feel a notable notchiness as the joint rotated past the seized portion. I.e. as you turn the wheel it would be stiff-not stiff-stiff-not stiff at certain degrees of rotation. 

                              It had until I was on my way home today and doing about 45 on a country road I had pretty decent amount of resistance steering side to side. No pump noises. I had the previous pump fail on this car and the power steering fluid was frothy and would stay frothy. I’ll pull the belt tomorrow night and check for resistance on the pump.

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                              • G
                                G
                                gilber33
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #866

                                We can collectively agree that the gear is not supposed to rotate within the rack, right?

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                                • B
                                  B
                                  B C
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #867

                                  right, it should not rotate.

                                  The rack adjustment is here:

                                  image.png.cd79c14f89b94d5c13d013361e5984f9.png

                                  Again im really unsure that it will do much in your situation but its a good last-ditch effort in case it has been fiddled with incorrectly in the past.

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                                  • G
                                    G
                                    gilber33
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #868

                                    B C said:

                                    right, it should not rotate.

                                    The rack adjustment is here:

                                    Again im really unsure that it will do much in your situation but its a good last-ditch effort in case it has been fiddled with incorrectly in the past. 

                                    I guess I will do a new rack. I had no idea that the racks from Rack Doctor were so affordable. I'm really annoyed with myself I didn't put one of those in from the beginning.

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                                    • SteelBlueS
                                      SteelBlueS
                                      SteelBlue
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #869

                                      gilber33 said:

                                      I guess I will do a new rack. I had no idea that the racks from Rack Doctor were so affordable. I'm really annoyed with myself I didn't put one of those in from the beginning. 

                                      $200 is not bad for OEM refurbed one. 
                                       

                                      Does anyone know the difference between years for the racks? They have a 95, then a 96-97, and then a 98-99. The 96-97 is the best priced option and I believe the one that I pulled from @ChrisO’s car.

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                                      0
                                      • G
                                        G
                                        gilber33
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #870

                                        SteelBlue said:

                                        $200 is not bad for OEM refurbed one. 
                                         

                                        Does anyone know the difference between years for the racks? They have a 95, then a 96-97, and then a 98-99. The 96-97 is the best priced option and I believe the one that I pulled from @ChrisO’s car.

                                        They're website is a little confusing because they make it seem like all the racks are different between years when I don't believe they are. Also, I didn't know the e46 racks are also a direct fit and the purple tag "club sport" racks have a 3 turn lock to lock. Rack Doctor has those for the same price (just have to pay the core charge upfront). 

                                        Edit: Ordered a purple tag e46 rack. $337 shipped - $18 of which is a return label for my rack and $100 core charge. So $219 for a rebuilt rack. Pretty great.

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                                        • SteelBlueS
                                          SteelBlueS
                                          SteelBlue
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #871

                                          gilber33 said:

                                          They're website is a little confusing because they make it seem like all the racks are different between years when I don't believe they are. Also, I didn't know the e46 racks are also a direct fit and the purple tag "club sport" racks have a 3 turn lock to lock. Rack Doctor has those for the same price (just have to pay the core charge upfront). 

                                          I was looking for the purple tag ones under the Z3, but I think I was mistaken. Purple tag is E46, while the Z3 is the 1.9 or something turn to lock? 
                                           

                                          Regardless, the purple tag was what I was looking for. It’s also $200? With the core charge up front, however?

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