Silver Fox

Thanks Grant, was a good guess of mine wasn't it? Hope you see this Marty, they don't work, will let you know an alternative soon.

This guy does. http://www.srd.net.nz/index.php

Better be, came from JG BMW in Hastings. Will be checking tho, part numbers don't match to anything I can find.Looks like the RHD version of the one in Marty's link.

Other person to talk to is Glenn, he's done a few conversions I think, Botony Motor Worx.

I've found a wrecker with a wall stacked with racks in neat rows, ideal for me to look at and try to get it sussed I think.

Yes it would Glenn, shipping from the states is the killer there, will see what I can find here first.

Thanks Cam, I'm not going mad am I. I wonder if someone should tell him before he mounts it all up?

Unless I'm going mad, and that's not beyond the realms of possibility, if you look at the first pic in his post Marty, turn the pinion to the right, and, as it's under the rack it will push the rack out the right side, and turn his wheels to the left. Not the direction you want to go, is it? Please tell me I'm wrong.

Hi Heath, the measurements for mine are, o/all length 1180mm, outer ball joint to outer ball joint, length of rack body, 560mm, rack end to rack end, rack throw from full lock to full lock, 150mm. As I see it, if you look at the critical factors, the rack throw from side to side of 150mm is the main factor. I can't see how any of the other things are as important, so long as you can get the rest of the setup geometry right as far as positioning the rack goes. As for getting things machined, it won't help with this body as the pinion comes in under the rack, therefore when you turn right, the rack will always come out the right side, and vice versa, if the pinion enters above the rack, when you turn right the rack will go left, which is what I want. Going to go see a wrecker on wednesday to try a few combinations, will take my tie rod ends and see what I can come up with.

Mmmm, VR and VS holdens as well it seems.

I believe a lot of them mount on the firewall tho?

Oh no, it don't work, a whole days work down the gurgle because I believed Marty and Brent. The E39 rack must push on the front of the wheel, cause it turns me the wrong way. Back to the drawing board, and that Nissan's looking good again.

Just checked Cam and it seems the box has 160mm of travel, the new rack has 150mm of travel, so pretty close, and still hoping it will work out. All the other points you raise are Ok I think at this stage. Will find out for sure soon, some of the things like tie rod angle I can still alter as I fit it up.

Happy Birthday Tony.

You're right Heath, just lost in translation. I don't know of any BMW racks which are quicker than this?

Would make no difference, the rack is what it is. The tie rod end lengths are dictated by where the wheels are.

The ends are about 30mm shorter on each side now, will be ok I think at this stage, and I think I've got it sitting so the ends of the rack are close to what was already there, if you know what I mean. Most of the final setup will be done when I get the new rack in the race car.

Ok, have done the mock up and found the bits to make it work, I hope. Have used the E39 rack, and mounted it up to the E28 front member. I'm using E30 inner arms, with E28 outer ball joints, everything seems to match up, thank you BMW for making most of the fittings universal. The E28 is 1180mm from outer ball joint to outer ball joint, as is the unit I've put together. I've had to roll the whole unit a bit to get the steering universal as good as I can, and, yes the E28 u joint at the end of the steering column does fit straight on to the E39 rack, thanks again BMW. Hope to take the motor and box out of the E28 after Hampton downs and then start putting the new stuff together, will let you know how I get on. ps, 3.25 turns lock to lock.

you sure the fronts don't have concentric rings on them, they are standard size on all E30s I believe.

Not worth more than $3500 tho IMHO.

Sorted myself an E39 rack after confirming it does sit behind the cross member. Should be here by the weekend I hope, will take pics and document for anyone else who wants to do it, if it works. It does need to be the 6 cyl model, the 8's have a box.

Hope so Cam, the bump steer problem can also be sorted by lowering the steering rack itself when the new mounts are set up, if needed. Anyone know of a source of nissan zx racks?

2.7 would be ideal if the other measurements fitted, quicker than most of the BMW ones.

Genuine are around $80 from memory, but Repco brand are only around $55 last time I got some, and just as good.

It seems that the nissan racks do mount behind the subframe, so that's the path I'm going down at the moment.