Another great review of the rack options. Thanks for all the work this took to put together. I’m looking forward to installing the yellow tag I have. This video confirms my research.
I'm surprised at your comments comparing the Z3 and E46 racks as the E46 has a faster ratio (forget L2L as that just tells us where the stops are). The numbers I've found are as follows, racks are Linear unless otherwise stated: Z4 12.8:1 E46 13.7:1 Z3 14.5:1 (or 13.9 depending on source or model) E36 15.4:1 Progressive (pre-95 very progressive, '96+ slightly progressive) E46 M3 15.4:1 E30 20.5:1 There's debate over some of these numbers because internet, but the E46 # came out of a BMW manual.
Again 96+ m3 is linear It might be a faster ratio but in terms of feel. Z3 is a much faster turning rack. L2l does matter. But again this is all my opinion on these racks. Someone else driving them back to back on the same set up could feel something different
Thanks for the time you put into this, really informative. Funny thing is you're saying the purple tag feels heavier than the yellow tag, while forum wisdom has been claiming the opposite for ages! Just goes to show nothing beats actual experience. Greetings from over the pond!
The z3 rack has been measured to have the same gearing as the purple tag. Note lock to lock and gearing are different characteristics. I just went from z3 to purple tag and I can’t feel any difference so IMO the measurements seem credible. The most important choice is for the rack to be fresh imo
As far as gearing I'm not sure. Z3 rod travel is 144mm to purple tag 150mm. And rod length on the z3 is 577mm vs 575 on the people tag....Lock to lock. Z3 2.88 vs 3.0 purple tag But yes most importantly it needs to be fresh!
yes the z3 has limited travel giving the lower LTL but isnt quicker. my advice to people is if they wantquick rack purple tag no use paying premium for a z3
Yet many people claim that a Z3 rack makes the E30 twitchy especially on the highway. Either it's because of the rack ratio or greater steering steering assist due to the tortion bar. Just guesswork on my part; I don't have first hand experience here.
Dude! I can appreciate the amount of work that went into this video. So informative- I just removed the power steering off my 325is. I have a stock e30 rack- I was thinking of swaping a purple rack but will definitely add power steering back if I do. Thanks
Awesome series man! Hey how does the e46 racks steering feel compared to stock e30? My wifes e30 vert has a leak and i was fixing to swap it with a e46 purple....but she doesn't drive sporty or anything. She just like it to drive nice. When you say the purple rack is "heavy" is it way heavier than stock where shes gonna feel like she has to really push it compared to oem?
Is this with electrical power steering? In case yes that tortion bar does not make any difference because it is used to regulate hydraulic fluid supply to steering rack.
@@romkasponka I said 'as if it had a block off' meaning fluid wasnt being cycled through the rack as when the belt was on the power steering pump, giving it power steering. Yes there was still fluid in the rack and even with a block off plate there will still be a little fluid in it
Wow talk about an incredible amount of work. Looking forward to getting the 712 yellow rack in my car!
Another great review of the rack options. Thanks for all the work this took to put together. I’m looking forward to installing the yellow tag I have. This video confirms my research.
I'm surprised at your comments comparing the Z3 and E46 racks as the E46 has a faster ratio (forget L2L as that just tells us where the stops are). The numbers I've found are as follows, racks are Linear unless otherwise stated:
Z4 12.8:1
E46 13.7:1
Z3 14.5:1 (or 13.9 depending on source or model)
E36 15.4:1 Progressive (pre-95 very progressive, '96+ slightly progressive)
E46 M3 15.4:1
E30 20.5:1
There's debate over some of these numbers because internet, but the E46 # came out of a BMW manual.
Again 96+ m3 is linear
It might be a faster ratio but in terms of feel. Z3 is a much faster turning rack. L2l does matter. But again this is all my opinion on these racks. Someone else driving them back to back on the same set up could feel something different
Thanks for the time you put into this, really informative. Funny thing is you're saying the purple tag feels heavier than the yellow tag, while forum wisdom has been claiming the opposite for ages! Just goes to show nothing beats actual experience.
Greetings from over the pond!
I appreciate it! Honestly you wouldn't be able to tell a difference unless you drive them back to back on the same set up. Basically the same rack!
The z3 rack has been measured to have the same gearing as the purple tag. Note lock to lock and gearing are different characteristics.
I just went from z3 to purple tag and I can’t feel any difference so IMO the measurements seem credible.
The most important choice is for the rack to be fresh imo
As far as gearing I'm not sure. Z3 rod travel is 144mm to purple tag 150mm. And rod length on the z3 is 577mm vs 575 on the people tag....Lock to lock. Z3 2.88 vs 3.0 purple tag
But yes most importantly it needs to be fresh!
yes the z3 has limited travel giving the lower LTL but isnt quicker. my advice to people is if they wantquick rack purple tag no use paying premium for a z3
Rebuilt racks. Purple tag actually more expensive than z3
@LPSR a rebuilt RHD z3 is almost double the price
Yet many people claim that a Z3 rack makes the E30 twitchy especially on the highway. Either it's because of the rack ratio or greater steering steering assist due to the tortion bar. Just guesswork on my part; I don't have first hand experience here.
Dude! I can appreciate the amount of work that went into this video. So informative- I just removed the power steering off my 325is. I have a stock e30 rack- I was thinking of swaping a purple rack but will definitely add power steering back if I do. Thanks
Great info, thanks for going over these.
Thank you!
Awesome series man! Hey how does the e46 racks steering feel compared to stock e30? My wifes e30 vert has a leak and i was fixing to swap it with a e46 purple....but she doesn't drive sporty or anything. She just like it to drive nice. When you say the purple rack is "heavy" is it way heavier than stock where shes gonna feel like she has to really push it compared to oem?
I'd recommend a e36 m3 96+ rack over the the e46 for a purely daily driver
Is this with electrical power steering? In case yes that tortion bar does not make any difference because it is used to regulate hydraulic fluid supply to steering rack.
Hi, no this video is power steering and no power steering. I have another video going over all the racks with electric power steering
Were the no PS tests done with the whole system removed/a delete plate? Or just with a fuse pulled? Thank you for the videos!
Well PS doesn't run off a fuse. Belt was removed off the power steering pump. No fluid moving through the rack as if it had a block off
@@themaskeddriver what do you mean by saying "it had block off"? In case you want to eliminate fluid affect you should drain fluid from the rack.
@@romkasponka I said 'as if it had a block off' meaning fluid wasnt being cycled through the rack as when the belt was on the power steering pump, giving it power steering. Yes there was still fluid in the rack and even with a block off plate there will still be a little fluid in it