[TurboWeasel]

Jindrich - excellent info there. So is the ThyssenKrupp rack in the Fxx cars that type of recirculating ball system you pictured there? I never really liked the feel of that type of rack in the E39 V8s but it actually feels OK in the Fxx, if it is the ball type.

Anyway, for closure on this on my part at least, I was given a 2022 420d as a loan car for half a day whilst my 2016 330d was in for service. It only had 7000 miles on it.

It felt exactly the same as mine. Heavier steering when it was cold outside in the morning, and lighter when it warmed up in the afternoon. And exactly the same light knocking noise over certain bumps, which could be felt and heard through the steering column.

Therefore I have concluded it's just how the F and G series are and it's not worth going down the rabbit hole over.

I'm not sure how the feedback system on the drive motor works, but to me it feels like it just applies a fixed current vs steering angle. If it was a proper closed loop system, the steering shouldn't feel heavier or lighter depending on ambient temperature.

In my MK5 and MK6 platform VW Golfs, the ZF steering racks felt consistent all year round, so this ThyssenKrupp system is a new one on me. For what it's worth, the ZF racks knock as well

Anyway, don't stress it. I would recommend just setting the tensioning cover to how it feels best for you as the driver. The prescribed BMW procedure does not achieve the best feel or consistency.

[roundy]

Anyone in the west midlands had the kit fitted at all?

My local indie wants over £1,000+ as they send the whole rack off to be repaired and so on.

[TurboWeasel]

Take it somewhere else as that is the prescribed fix by BMW, unless the rack is completely shot, which could be the conclusion they arrived at?

I think a new one from BMW is £1500 iirc, so I'd go that route personally over a refurbished one if there's only a few hundred difference overall.

[rlesko]

Originally Posted by roundy

Anyone in the west midlands had the kit fitted at all?

My local indie wants over £1,000+ as they send the whole rack off to be repaired and so on.

They probably are outsourcing the calibration portion. Not worth over 1k imo...you can get close enough just by feel.

[TurboWeasel]

Originally Posted by rlesko

They probably are outsourcing the calibration portion. Not worth over 1k imo...you can get close enough just by feel.

I can understand that if an Indy takes a look at the repair procedure! I doubt they would have all those special tools in stock.

Agreed. I didn't like the steering feel after BMW did it. It felt better after I set the tension myself. Not procedurally correct, but subjectively way better.

[oranga]

I've been chasing a noise coming from the front left of my car for awhile now and seems like this is the fix I've been looking for. However, referencing a picture i took when I dropped the subframe last year, it looks like my steering rack is the ZF model - instead of the 3 pins on the thrust bearing cover, I have a hex nut, see attachment.

Has anyone else with this style of steering rack successfully gotten rid of the noise? Did you just tighten the cover a little bit like Jindrich suggested? Were you able to fit the repair kit? Or find some other replacement part?

[rlesko]

Originally Posted by oranga

I've been chasing a noise coming from the front left of my car for awhile now and seems like this is the fix I've been looking for. However, referencing a picture i took when I dropped the subframe last year, it looks like my steering rack is the ZF model - instead of the 3 pins on the thrust bearing cover, I have a hex nut, see attachment.

Has anyone else with this style of steering rack successfully gotten rid of the noise? Did you just tighten the cover a little bit like Jindrich suggested? Were you able to fit the repair kit? Or find some other replacement part?

The kit is not for ZF racks afaik. It’s for ThyssenKrupp racks only.

[Allworth]

Originally Posted by oranga

I've been chasing a noise coming from the front left of my car for awhile now and seems like this is the fix I've been looking for. However, referencing a picture i took when I dropped the subframe last year, it looks like my steering rack is the ZF model - instead of the 3 pins on the thrust bearing cover, I have a hex nut, see attachment.

Has anyone else with this style of steering rack successfully gotten rid of the noise? Did you just tighten the cover a little bit like Jindrich suggested? Were you able to fit the repair kit? Or find some other replacement part?

It is ZF rack. I got rid of a knocking noise during driving by tightening a nut.
https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=2028635

[oranga]

Thank you for the info, Allworth !

I will take a look sometime this week.

[oranga]

I tightened the nut but it didn't seem to help the noise at all.

I was actually thinking I could buy a used Thyssenkrup rack, put the repair kit in it, then swap that into my car. Is that doable? Will it bolt up? Will the electrical connectors match up? Will it need to be coded? etc etc

[TurboWeasel]

The source of the noise might not be the rack then. Try re-torquing the rack to subframe bolts, or better still, replace them if they are torque to yield.

Seems like a decent little project retrofitting the TK rack. Google it as someone else may have already done it. I suspect there will be a few wiring harness and communication issues with the steering wheel and DSC modules to overcome.