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Sticky steering problem. Time to sort it! Help and advice.

Discuss problems you have had or are having with your Z4
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MACK
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Re: Sticky steering problem. Time to sort it! Help and advice.

Post by MACK » Thu Oct 15, 2015 1:08 pm

Machine monkey wrote:Hummm stranded rack 3 turns £30 or purple tag one for £75!!!

Would 1/2 a turn lock to lock make that much difference??? Opinions please forum?
Probably not much help but i did this sort of thing years ago with a quick rack i fitted to a 205 gti. Made a big difference to the steering feel on the twisties etc but was a bitch to park, a really workout for the arms. Obviously this was a non power assisted system and I wouldn't have thought the steering would be too heavy with 2 1/2 turns verses 3 on a power steering system but will still be noticeably different. It will also be more twitchy on a motorway etc so i suppose it depends on what you want to use your car for predominately and what you personally like in terms of directness vs twitchiness and how much weight in the steering you find acceptable. Wouldn't the number of turns on an M Rack be a good guide to what works well on Z. Anyone known how many turns on one of these compared to a normal Z?
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Re: Sticky steering problem. Time to sort it! Help and advice.

Post by Machine monkey » Thu Oct 15, 2015 1:23 pm

I think the zed is 2.5 turns already is it not?

I think i will be going for the cheap option of 3 turns anyway. It will probably help make the already snappy car less snappy when drifting. If i dont like it i can change it.
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Re: Sticky steering problem. Time to sort it! Help and advice.

Post by RichardH1962 » Mon Oct 26, 2015 11:05 am

To be honest 1/2 a turn wont make that much difference, when I researched people changing racks on the Z3 people were going for purple racks for the positive feel through he steering, I just opted for the same, however you can get cheaper racks if you want to, the conversion wont be any different.

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Re: Sticky steering problem. Time to sort it! Help and advice.

Post by MACK » Mon Oct 26, 2015 11:21 am

Do the number of turns change on the electric Z4 rack between having the sport button on and off with some clever gearing etc or is it simply a steering weight thing?
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Re: Sticky steering problem. Time to sort it! Help and advice.

Post by GuidoK » Mon Oct 26, 2015 11:54 am

It's a steering weight thing, how much the power assist supplies.
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Re: Sticky steering problem. Time to sort it! Help and advice.

Post by Ewazix » Sat Oct 31, 2015 1:59 am

I dug this out which gives a good explanation of the EPS

http://www.bmwclub.lv/files/06_E85_Chas ... cs.001.pdf
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Sticky steering problem. Time to sort it! Help and advice.

Post by ianwill90 » Wed Mar 30, 2016 1:15 pm

I am considering this conversion now too. I just wondered about the insurance poilcy, technically this is a modification, have any of you informed your insurance company, and if so what effect did it have on your policy premium? :?
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Sticky steering problem. Time to sort it! Help and advice.

Post by 9designs » Sat Apr 02, 2016 7:56 pm

I have the sticky steering issues, ok cold mornings but when it gets warm not ok etc....

So started the drilling and grease nipple mod... getting the drill depth right I'm unsure of, is the shaft running directly in the housing where you drill in, so there's no clearance between the two?....so when you drill you don't break through as such, because the shaft is immediately there? .... just goes hard to drill.
Hence needing grease under pressure to force its way in?
Looking in the hole, just looks like a blind hole, though it's gone difficult to drill etc.
..... So I stopped ... :?

Oh any links to pictures or videos that are still live? most seem dead now
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Sticky steering problem. Time to sort it! Help and advice.

Post by mr wilks » Sat Apr 02, 2016 8:17 pm

9designs wrote:I have the sticky steering issues, ok cold mornings but when it gets warm not ok etc....

So started the drilling and grease nipple mod... getting the drill depth right I'm unsure of, is the shaft running directly in the housing where you drill in, so there's no clearance between the two?....so when you drill you don't break through as such, because the shaft is immediately there? .... just goes hard to drill.
Hence needing grease under pressure to force its way in?
Looking in the hole, just looks like a blind hole, though it's gone difficult to drill etc.
..... So I stopped ... :?

Oh any links to pictures or videos that are still live? most seem dead now
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Sticky steering problem. Time to sort it! Help and advice.

Post by 9designs » Sun Apr 03, 2016 10:38 pm

Nope...different issue.....

I finished the nipple fix today, didn't have any grease, so it's only had a squirt of WD40 for now and on the bush through the bulkhead... Test drove and all ok.... No sticking.... Grease for a longer fix arrives in a couple of days.
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Sticky steering problem. Time to sort it! Help and advice.

Post by Gerry » Sun Apr 03, 2016 11:27 pm

Being 56 degrees north I have this issue maybe 3 or 4 times a year it is unsettling , however when one knows it a ' feature' of the early zeds one doesn't panic the car will be fine he next day . :fuelfire:
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Sticky steering problem. Time to sort it! Help and advice.

Post by spic » Sun Apr 17, 2016 8:12 pm

9designs wrote:Nope...different issue.....

I finished the nipple fix today, didn't have any grease, so it's only had a squirt of WD40 for now and on the bush through the bulkhead... Test drove and all ok.... No sticking.... Grease for a longer fix arrives in a couple of days.

Did you get past the hard part of when drilling ??? I seem to be in the same place you was on your last but one post ! I've drilled about 17mil in but it's gone really hrd to drill now ? From what I've been reading I need to drill about 38 Mil to get to the steering shaft so tomorrow I'm going to buy some decent drill bits and carry on, also would I be right in thinking once I'm through enough if I turn the steering wheel I should see the shaft moving through the hole ?

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Sticky steering problem. Time to sort it! Help and advice.

Post by 9designs » Sun Apr 17, 2016 8:39 pm

No the depth your at seems to be what people say is OK and you have reached the shaft when it goes hard to drill...so I stopped..
I'd like to see an assembly stripped down so I can see what's need...
That said I've grease it and all still ok.... Whether it was the bulk head bush or the hole I drilled I don't know... Either way seems sorted thankfully.
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Sticky steering problem. Time to sort it! Help and advice.

Post by spic » Sun Apr 17, 2016 9:43 pm

I'm not sure I've gone in enough ? Surely if I was to turn the wheel the shaft will move along with the small drill mark on the shaft ???

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Sticky steering problem. Time to sort it! Help and advice.

Post by 9designs » Sun Apr 17, 2016 11:19 pm

I expected the same, but that's not what I found...... by the fact it was near impossible to drill more, I had good bits, it must be on either a hardened shaft or hearing housing of some sort. I wouldn't fancy making a hole in either !! ... All the tips from people who have done it say stop when it gets hard to drill..... you're on your own if you keep going !!! :o
Without seeing a part stripped down or decent drawing I am little sceptical, but it worked so far.
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