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

Ewazix said:
Shady Ady said:
Just followed the link but it's all in German, can anyone shed any light?
Cheers
Ady
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Depending on your web browser it should translate, on Chrome either automatically or by right clicking and select 'translate'. Other browsers have similar functions but be warned the translation is usually a bit dodgy :)[/quot
if memory serves and you do a search there are a few other threads on here that go through the procedure in plain english.
 
Shady Ady said:
Just followed the link but it's all in German, can anyone shed any light?
Cheers
Ady
Click to expand...

Have to agree with MACK. I now believe the majority of sticky steering issues can be cured by moving the eccentric ring - see here: http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=78250&hilit=eccentric#p1152263

I later found that that 10mm movement sorted mine permanently although I had different bolts to the German peeps which caused access issues.
 
Re-visiting this thread...

The movement of the tension ring by 12mm completely sorted my Z4 sticky steering. Many thanks for the steer bladeowner.
 
Amazing, isn't it?
I nudged mine 14mm; total fix. I tried the grease thing first, only minor improvement. The trick for me was to remove the knee airbag so I could see what I was doing, and use a very shortened 6 mm stub with a universal and about a 4" extension. With that, it became almost easy. Aside, of course, from laying on my back under the dash, which is not at all fun.
Thanks to bladeowner and GuidoK for pointing me to the fix.
 
Greetings,

I have just done it and it is simple and very effective. First I lubed my axle joints with some lithium based grease. In a left side wheeld car is pretty easy, with my averge sized hand could do it within 2 minutes. Then I drilled the whole, but for first time i did not do it right, the hole was offcentered, so I diceded to expand it, the original was 3 mm than i went to 4 and 5. With 5 mm i can see a small hole inside my hole, tha I sprayed some PFTE (Liquid teflon) into the hole. TBH i didn not cover it yet, I am planning to plug it with a greasing nipple. With the joint lube the car get definetly better (tried separately), but in hot weather the stickyness remaind. After the drill IT HAS GONE! Thanks for the orignal poster (Bmwha) and all of you who made comments and shared your experience. Now I can use my car safely and drive it like it meant to be!

Cheers from Hungary!

PS: If any of you looking for help my Hungarian fellows (and of course any of you also), PM me. :) :)
 
Hi Bladeowner,

I have just bought an 04 Z4 3.0 as a weekend runner with what seems to be exactly the same problem you had. Are there any videos or more detailed pictures showing how to adjust the eccentric ring. I'd prefer to try that before do any drilling!

Cheers,
Stu
 
BB16 STU said:
Hi Bladeowner,

I have just bought an 04 Z4 3.0 as a weekend runner with what seems to be exactly the same problem you had. Are there any videos or more detailed pictures showing how to adjust the eccentric ring. I'd prefer to try that before do any drilling!

Cheers,
Stu
Click to expand...

This thread should give you the best answers with pics and the BMW official instructions. https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=100725
 
Another success story here. Thanks for bringing this to light! Adjusted the ring by around 10mm and solved it. Thanks again.
 
Fingers crossed another success story here to. Once I found a spanner and ratchet set that would work it was easy enough to fix. Quick tips I discovered whilst doing this. Lower the wheel and extend out as far as possible, the front hex bolt is a bitch to get to, I had to use a wobbly ratchet with extension bar gong above and over the steering column. I concentrated on the front bolt first as it was the hardest to get to.
I was surprised how easy it was to rotate the eccentric ring once Id loosened the bolts.
Just waiting for a hot day now to see if its fixed the problem once and for all, but the steering feels improved from this small adjustment!
 
Heya, looking a 2003 2.5 to buy. Guy says it has sticky steering to the point where he doesn't trust others to drive it besides himself.. To get this totally and permanently resolved, how much am I realistically looking at?
 
Marauder said:
Heya, looking a 2003 2.5 to buy. Guy says it has sticky steering to the point where he doesn't trust others to drive it besides himself.. To get this totally and permanently resolved, how much am I realistically looking at?
Click to expand...
In this same thread there are several cases where a minor adjustment - which you potentially can do yourself - fixed the problem. There’s also a BMW’s TIS instruction of the adjustment. Costs nothing if you have the tools.
 
DMike said:
Marauder said:
Heya, looking a 2003 2.5 to buy. Guy says it has sticky steering to the point where he doesn't trust others to drive it besides himself.. To get this totally and permanently resolved, how much am I realistically looking at?
Click to expand...
In this same thread there are several cases where a minor adjustment - which you potentially can do yourself - fixed the problem. There’s also a BMW’s TIS instruction of the adjustment. Costs nothing if you have the tools.
Click to expand...

Yes, I read over the threads and the reason I ask is a few people have said the minor adjustment is not a permanent fix. So if that is the case, what is the permanent fix?
 
Marauder said:
DMike said:
Marauder said:
Heya, looking a 2003 2.5 to buy. Guy says it has sticky steering to the point where he doesn't trust others to drive it besides himself.. To get this totally and permanently resolved, how much am I realistically looking at?
Click to expand...
In this same thread there are several cases where a minor adjustment - which you potentially can do yourself - fixed the problem. There’s also a BMW’s TIS instruction of the adjustment. Costs nothing if you have the tools.
Click to expand...

Yes, I read over the threads and the reason I ask is a few people have said the minor adjustment is not a permanent fix. So if that is the case, what is the permanent fix?
Click to expand...
Like many repairs, where a specific pinpoint diagnosis is absent, you’d try the easy & inexpensive methods firts and proceed to the more expensive ones if that did not solve the issue. The more experienced members may input more, but as I see it, ring adjustment - grease - new column. In the early days changing the whole column was BMW’s advice, and in the more recent instructions they have included the ring adjustment as a first line treatment. I think I have the TIS reference somewhere…
 
DMike said:
Marauder said:
DMike said:
In this same thread there are several cases where a minor adjustment - which you potentially can do yourself - fixed the problem. There’s also a BMW’s TIS instruction of the adjustment. Costs nothing if you have the tools.
Click to expand...

Yes, I read over the threads and the reason I ask is a few people have said the minor adjustment is not a permanent fix. So if that is the case, what is the permanent fix?
Click to expand...
Like many repairs, where a specific pinpoint diagnosis is absent, you’d try the easy & inexpensive methods firts and proceed to the more expensive ones if that did not solve the issue. The more experienced members may input more, but as I see it, ring adjustment - grease - new column. In the early days changing the whole column was BMW’s advice, and in the more recent instructions they have included the ring adjustment as a first line treatment. I think I have the TIS reference somewhere…
Click to expand...
Found it, TIS 32 31 … ”Optimisation of electro-steering”. Pm me if you don’t have access to TIS.
 
DMike said:
DMike said:
Marauder said:
Yes, I read over the threads and the reason I ask is a few people have said the minor adjustment is not a permanent fix. So if that is the case, what is the permanent fix?
Click to expand...
Like many repairs, where a specific pinpoint diagnosis is absent, you’d try the easy & inexpensive methods firts and proceed to the more expensive ones if that did not solve the issue. The more experienced members may input more, but as I see it, ring adjustment - grease - new column. In the early days changing the whole column was BMW’s advice, and in the more recent instructions they have included the ring adjustment as a first line treatment. I think I have the TIS reference somewhere…
Click to expand...
Found it, TIS 32 31 … ”Optimisation of electro-steering”. Pm me if you don’t have access to TIS.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the information on this DMike. Will let you know what I decide. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
 
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