Steering is Practically Done - Offset E31 Tie Rod Construction!

In today's episode, we focus on the Tie Rods. To complete the steering system, we install custom tie rods, that are offset about 3-4" rearward as to meet the spindle location on the hub. Why? Because the location of the S85 oil pan dictated that the location of the E46 Inverted RHD Steering Rack and as a result, we had to work with the constraints of the design! The final result is an offset tie rod output to turn the wheel.
Special thank you to WolfeTechFabrication for constructing the CNC Plasma Cut Tie Rod Offset Brackets. Those are to come in a future episode!
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More to come everry week on this swap!!
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[@BroughBuilt]

Next level workmanship 👌👌as always

[@Garageaholic]

Thanks again! you're a great sub. always have been!

[@Nico_335i_DCT]

Wow frank. That' s fabrication to the next level! Have a great weekend guys! Dutch regards, Nico.

[@ianmoorcroft3689]

So much work Frank, can not wait for the next vid 👍

[@Garageaholic]

More to come! Thanks Ian!

[@hevendranarayansamy2793]

Nice fabrication work Frank.

[@Garageaholic]

Thanks as always Hev!

[@SigmaDG]

Awesome work. Sent an email through your website.

[@Garageaholic]

Yep I read it, coming up with a response now!

[@GeorgeGraves]

Congrats on 10k! I worry that the adapter tube you made for the end of the rack could rotate up or down throwing off the geometry very abruptly. Maybe mil some kind of keyway and sleeve at the end of the rack output? Or some sort of spline on the two faces? Or any two shapes that when they mate up, it would prevent those two parts from rotating. Cheers!

[@Garageaholic]

George, That was probably one of the most informed and well thought out comments I've seen. That and Morris's comment about the spinning assembly. I think that clocking it with a keyway is best to still allow for adjustment. Thank you for that - And I will definitely heed your advice!

[@GeorgeGraves]

@@Garageaholic The more I think about it - it still seems a little sketchy Who knows what's inside the rack to prevent it from spinning - it might never have been designed to take those an axial load. Are you sure you can't chop the oil pan up and move the oil pan pick up?

[@Garageaholic]

George I did chop the pan already. I had an older video in this series I took 3-4 inches away. I should have just gone dry sump but they are -$5k. I’ve been racking my brain on how to install a spline between 2 rotating surfaces, like an index for adjustment. But perhaps it’s best to find the 1 spot it needs to be and secure it there. This is my second attempt at this and my first attempt used a ball joint on the steering rack end and it DID induce a torque and put torque on the rack. I’m thinking the tie rod end approach makes the force in line with the rack, preventing that moment

[@morris2755]

If the short M16 screw works loose from vibration, the whole of that bracket could drop/turn while you're driving. once you have the positions set, I'd weld the screw to the cup on the inside so that the entire bracket can be screwed into the end of the rack. that way the worst that can happen is it turn anti-clockwise a little

[@Garageaholic]

Morris, great comment and thank you so much for thinking about this. Because you're right. Perhaps not welding is the best option, but a keyway to prevent spinning of the tie rod holding weldment to the rack. Something to hold the two together to prevent spinning. The M16 will have locktite and will be torqued down to specs to prevent any loosening, but your are SPOT ON. Thanks again for the comment! When the cnc machined brackets come in, I'll do another video showing what I've done with the assembly. Thanks again!

[@morris2755]

@@Garageaholic yes, I realised almost immediately that on the opposite end of the rack, things could still go wrong if the thread came loose. Some means of locking the bracket to the rack is a better plan. Keep up the good work. I'm currently rebuilding an M73 V12 plus manual gearbox with intent of putting it in an E46 Touring. Steering rack/subframe and oil pan interference with modifications is at the front of my mind🤔

[@Garageaholic]

Thanks for the comments. Engine position and interference derisk is PARAMOUNT to the very beginning of any swap project! Good luck!!

[@lucianjbg]

Why dont move steering rack a little back from frame to sit perfect colinear to steering knuckels? Is

[@Garageaholic]

The fabrication work for that effort is not worth the benefit. In this case, I'd be doing all that work for a bout 1-2 mm of movement. I did think about that though! Great comment thanks!

[@bartomiejsobon5785]

👍

[@2ndProtects1st]

😍🙌🏼