E21 Power steering experience

For all your questions, problems and DIY stories
User avatar
croma_man
E21 Pro
Posts: 594
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2012 1:18 pm
My E21(s): '83 EU 327i
Location: Slovenia (EU)
Contact:

E21 Power steering experience

Post by croma_man »

quite interesting question, E21 for "fast driving", power steering yes or no?

right now I don't have power steering on my car, despite I dont miss it right now, I guess I'll need it with the stroked M20 engine?

How is the car reacting/acting on a racetrack with power steering in comparison with the one I have now (so no power steering)?

I read a lot on the german E21 forum that the pump is working all the time and the steering becomes interesting at 150km/h+ ? I also read that you dont get the feedback when the front goes over the limit? I dont need the benefits of easier parking, and I know the turning circle is bigger with power steering, but this info is not for me, I need the car to perform better with each modification, so will the power steering improve my car or not?


User avatar
Duracel79
E21 VIP
E21 VIP
Posts: 814
Joined: Thu May 29, 2008 6:54 pm
Location: Stevenage, Hertfordshire

Re: E21 Power steering experience

Post by Duracel79 »

Main reason for powersteering is to make the steering lighter at parking speeds. So for your applications I'd say not needed.
You get much better feel from a manual rack and even more feel with a quick ratio.

Ben
1982 323i ("Test Mule" - to become an M20 powered track car)
1983 316 (Taiga Thunder - S54 Track car)
1982 635csiA (Another Weldathon)
2004 330d Touring (The Daily Hack / Tow Car / Load lugger)
1974 3.0 csi (The first Weldathon)
User avatar
Jeroen
Site Admin
Posts: 29994
Joined: Tue Sep 14, 2004 12:23 pm
My E21(s): '81 323i Baur
Location: The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: E21 Power steering experience

Post by Jeroen »

Agreed, power steering may be nice when parking, once the car is rolling power steering is pretty useless and on the track even too vague or indirect (less feedback), and that is most noticable around the center position. And the pump takes some torque as well haha! So for a car that is mainly for trackdays I see no reason to fit power steering.
Regards/groeten, Jeroen
User avatar
nas80
E21 Mad
Posts: 2975
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2009 12:12 am
Location: West Yorkshire

Re: E21 Power steering experience

Post by nas80 »

I had Powersteering with m50 engine. I'm switching to manual quick rack now. The four turn lock to lock made the car sluggish on turn in.
[img]http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a285/nasbucket/forumsig.jpg[/img]
User avatar
croma_man
E21 Pro
Posts: 594
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2012 1:18 pm
My E21(s): '83 EU 327i
Location: Slovenia (EU)
Contact:

Re: E21 Power steering experience

Post by croma_man »

thanks guys on the advices, this forum is really technically on a high level, a lot of information that is very useful 99% of the time.

thanks again,you saved me again a lot of money and time :thumbsup
User avatar
croma_man
E21 Pro
Posts: 594
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2012 1:18 pm
My E21(s): '83 EU 327i
Location: Slovenia (EU)
Contact:

Re: E21 Power steering experience

Post by croma_man »

nas80 wrote:I had Powersteering with m50 engine. I'm switching to manual quick rack now. The four turn lock to lock made the car sluggish on turn in.
any hints on the manual quick rack, what to look for? The 4 turns rack that I have now is really to long.
User avatar
Jeroen
Site Admin
Posts: 29994
Joined: Tue Sep 14, 2004 12:23 pm
My E21(s): '81 323i Baur
Location: The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: E21 Power steering experience

Post by Jeroen »

Regards/groeten, Jeroen
User avatar
croma_man
E21 Pro
Posts: 594
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2012 1:18 pm
My E21(s): '83 EU 327i
Location: Slovenia (EU)
Contact:

Re: E21 Power steering experience

Post by croma_man »

great! I'll contact him.

Otherwise I only found this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Quick-Steer ... 0933451915

but I guess this is the wrong way to do it...
User avatar
nas80
E21 Mad
Posts: 2975
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2009 12:12 am
Location: West Yorkshire

Re: E21 Power steering experience

Post by nas80 »

I was going to use that multiplier myself. Didn't in the end, it's a bit too much fabrication in a critical area.
[img]http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a285/nasbucket/forumsig.jpg[/img]
User avatar
croma_man
E21 Pro
Posts: 594
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2012 1:18 pm
My E21(s): '83 EU 327i
Location: Slovenia (EU)
Contact:

Re: E21 Power steering experience

Post by croma_man »

nas80 wrote:I was going to use that multiplier myself. Didn't in the end, it's a bit too much fabrication in a critical area.
this part can hurt at most yes, depend on something made in the PRC :goodnight

Before the PAS idea I was thinking also about this,

vauxhall corsa electric power steering, a lot of people are using it for auto slalom tracks and on open roads they turn it off...

http://www.super7thheaven.co.uk/blog/co ... -a118.html

sadly no steering column from e30,e36,z3 fit :nah
User avatar
nas80
E21 Mad
Posts: 2975
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2009 12:12 am
Location: West Yorkshire

Re: E21 Power steering experience

Post by nas80 »

No nothing else fits the e21. Maybe you could flip a rhd drive rack that mounts in the front side of the subframe. But really save hassle and get on the group buy. And send a lhd rack to the company.
[img]http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a285/nasbucket/forumsig.jpg[/img]
User avatar
croma_man
E21 Pro
Posts: 594
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2012 1:18 pm
My E21(s): '83 EU 327i
Location: Slovenia (EU)
Contact:

Re: E21 Power steering experience

Post by croma_man »

nas80 wrote:No nothing else fits the e21. Maybe you could flip a rhd drive rack that mounts in the front side of the subframe. But really save hassle and get on the group buy. And send a lhd rack to the company.
I'll go for the group buy 100%, also its good value for money, I have seen that Quaife were also making quick racks for some models, but no one even replied on my question for a E21 :mrgreen:
User avatar
nas80
E21 Mad
Posts: 2975
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2009 12:12 am
Location: West Yorkshire

Re: E21 Power steering experience

Post by nas80 »

Quaife were not interested in making me one either.
[img]http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a285/nasbucket/forumsig.jpg[/img]
trash-berd
Upcoming E21 fanatic
Posts: 66
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 3:15 am
My E21(s): '82 320i US Manual 1.8L
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/eli.tripi.5
Location: Renton WA - US

Re: E21 Power steering experience

Post by trash-berd »

What all do you need to retrofit a car with PAS? Also, is the rack unique for PAS? I want that quick rack eventually, and I know parallel parking is gonna be even more of a bitch with it.
User avatar
Jeroen
Site Admin
Posts: 29994
Joined: Tue Sep 14, 2004 12:23 pm
My E21(s): '81 323i Baur
Location: The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: E21 Power steering experience

Post by Jeroen »

I did fit PAS on my Baur, nice for parking indeed, too used to power steering haha. The racks are unique for the E21 indeed afaik.

But for driving a manual rack and even better a quick rack will be more precise.
Regards/groeten, Jeroen
Post Reply