Often, BMW cars may have steering play immediately after purchase, not only when it is in the central position but also accompanied by a metallic «clanking» sound when crossing road irregularities and railroad crossings. In such cases, it may be necessary to repair the steering rack.
BMW e 39 Steering Rack Repair
The most likely solution in this case is the need to disassemble the steering rack to determine the cause of such a malfunction. The sequence of work will be as follows.
Removing the Steering Rack
To remove the steering rack, the following steps need to be taken:
- Raise the front part of the car;
- Remove the wheels. It can be skipped, but then extracting the steering rack will be much more difficult;
- Remove the shields (usually two, as well as two more providing protection for the dust covers);
- Support the engine. It is best to do this with a jack, placed in the front directly in front of the stabilizer. It is important that the engine and body are at the same level, so they should not be lifted or lowered afterwards;
- Unscrew the steering linkage ball joints from the steering knuckles;
- Unscrew the bolt located on the splined connection between the shaft and the rack itself;
- Unscrew two 19 nuts located on the engine mount. To be able to remove the left one, you also need to remove the air filter housing;
- Unscrew 6 bolts on the subframe. When lowering it, make sure the rack comes out of the spline connections with the shaft;
- Drain the fluid from the power steering reservoir;
- Unscrew the two bolts on the power steering hoses and drain all the fluid in them into a pre-prepared container;
- Unscrew 4 bolts securing the rack to the subframe;
- Extract the rack itself, first pulling it to the right, then pulling it out through the left side.
Rack Disassembly
Further actions will be aimed at disassembling the steering rack. These should be performed in the following order:
- Unscrew the tie rods, along with the ball joints;
- Unscrew the nut pressing the steering rack to be able to remove the spring and thrust bearing. If the latter cannot be easily removed, it may need to be tapped with a hammer;
- Remove two high-pressure tubes on the frame by unscrewing 4 hexagon bolts;
- Unscrew another 2 hexagon bolts connecting the primary shaft and the steering rack shaft, then remove the primary shaft by slightly shifting the rack shaft;
- On the right side of the rack, remove the retaining ring by prying it with a screwdriver at a special protrusion on the housing;
- Remove the shaft or valve;
- Disassemble the primary shaft by lightly tapping on the end until it comes out of the housing.
Next, replace all the seals. There should be no difficulties in this, except for one located inside. Usually, it is either cut with a screwdriver or knocked out from the opposite side.
If this does not help, it can simply be twisted using a metal pipe with a diameter of about one and a half centimeters. The seal pops out, completely eliminating the risk of scratches on the inner mirror.
With the correct replacement and assembly of all the required elements mentioned above, the issues should be resolved.
BMW f30 Steering Rack Repair
The steering rack construction on this model can be divided into the following components:
- Tie rods with ball joints, tasked with transferring force from the extending mechanism directly to the wheels;
- Set of gears and gear wheel, allowing the direction of force to be converted;
- Walls of the housing or casing, providing protection for the main components of the device;
- Set of springs, tasked with compensating for steering mechanism play;
- Bearings, reducing the resistance level of the steering wheel;
- Limitation system, determining the maximum steering angle.
Signs and Causes of Malfunction
If this mechanism fails, the consequences can be severe. Therefore, diagnostics should be taken very seriously. The first sign of a malfunction is knocking in the front axle area of the car.
If not addressed promptly, this can lead to a more serious defect. Therefore, repair work should not be delayed, as the only solution left later may be to replace the entire unit.
The manifestation of steering rack defects can occur due to:
- Continuous use of the car on low-quality road surfaces;
- Critical load on the steering mechanism;
- Impact loads.
Repair
The process of repair has not changed since its invention, but more complex solutions in mechanisms of various designs require a personalized approach.
The standard set of procedures includes:
- Disassembly and dismantling of the entire structure, followed by cleaning the components using special technological fluids;
- Replacement of parts with obvious defects;
- Inspection of components directly involved in the steering mechanism operation.
The basis for the proper functioning of any mechanism, including steering control, is proper maintenance and timely repair work.
