E85/E86 Steering Problems (Solved)

[Big stu13]

Evening everybody, so been on the motorway today and noticed when on a long curve it seemed to stick. So when i got home I've read through how to turn the adjustment on the motor so I lossened the two torque bolts with a 8mm ratchet spanner worked great,
But looking towards front of car I have adjusted it towards the front of the car which has seemed to work but I have only moved it about 10mm and won't go any further. So I tried the other way which it traveled a fair way to another stop I would say at least 70 80mm but that tightened it up to the point I could hardly move the steering wheel so my 1st direction was correct. So put it back but again went for a decent run on the M1 still the same I also noticed near the adjustment and motor there was some oily deposits has anybody any idea on my next course of action please.

[Uniped]

Hey Joycey, I've just been reading through your handy work. Having recently bought a coupe, my journey home was dampened by the travel/play I was experiencing in the steering wheel around 60mph. I was thinking worse case scenario or replacing or reconditioned steering rack, but this thread has restored some confidence in BMW. Once I've got it on the road (probably next spring to summer) this will be one of the first things I will be addressing. I just wanted to say a huge thank you to you and all other contributors for all your analytical and problem solving skills. I'll be eternally thankful.

Your welcome, if your local more than happy to make the adjustment for you. Plenty of space now to help out.
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Hi Joycey. I read your posts regarding adjustment of the EPS steering ring. I bought my E86 si sport coupe at the end of last year and it's got a steering issue that I'd describe as tramlining. It's not sticky steering, it just makes micro adjustments when I'm doing 40-60mph and driving is less than enjoyable, especially with the crappy road surfaces we have at the moment.
Do you think this could be adjusted out? I've already done all the obvious stuff... wheel alignment and balancing, tyre pressures, bushes checked... but nothing makes any difference. The car has non run-flat tyres (Yokohamas with plenty of tread left, so I don't really want to replace yet). I took a quick look at the rack today, but kneeling down and getting in the footwell proved too difficult - I have an artificial leg, new hip replacement and a dodgy knee, so my mobility isn't great! Do you think you could help out?

[perttu]

It's not sticky steering, it just makes micro adjustments when I'm doing 40-60mph and driving is less than enjoyable

Does it feel more like quick and very small left and right twitching in the steering wheel, rather than actual tramlining where you need to make physical steering corrections? Like the power steering and/or DSC doing things on their own while they wouldn't need to? If so, I have the same issue. Nothing has fully cured it yet. I have done the ring adjustment (made the steering stiffer), new suspension, new control arms, alignment and balancing and it still twitches, although not so much anymore. Very annoying. I even started considering, could it be EPS module firmware issue, but this is just a loose theory. I started a related thread a few days back: viewtopic.php?p=2001563#p2001563, but I haven't been able to verify this EPS module theory yet.

[Uniped]

Yes, it's mostly L/R twitching, although occasionally it will follow a rut in the road. It doesn't happen below 40mph and disappears around 60/65mph. It seems slightly less if I turn on the sport mode, which I believe stiffens up the steering, hence me asking about the steering ring. Good luck with yours and please let me know if you find a cure.

[ryushe]

It's not sticky steering, it just makes micro adjustments when I'm doing 40-60mph and driving is less than enjoyable...

I think I'm in the same boat
As it sounds like I have the same issue, does this post sound familiar at all?
After a lot of troubleshooting with BMW themselves and a few indies I'm now pretty certain it's to do with the steering rack (still haven't found a replacement!). Apparently with some cars over time the gears inside the rack will develop some minute amount of play, which at lower speeds won't be noticed, but at highway speeds will make the car (more specifically the steering wheel) feel twitchy and 'vague'. It's also not enough to feel with the wheels in the air.
Either way, good luck. It's not a safety thing but it sure does make driving the car over longer distances tiring.

[Uniped]

Thanks for the info I’d be surprised if it’s down to wear on mine as it’s only done 48k. I got a pm from Joycey and he said it sounded like the steering ring needed tightening slightly, so I’m going to give that a go next Good luck with yours!

[wonkydonkey]

There seem to be a few people at the moment suffering from twitchy steering even after they've had a play with the EPS ring, so I thought I'd share my experience below, which might give you some ideas. For background info, I've dialled out the sticky steering on quite a few forum members' cars as well as my own. I had also replaced my lollipop bushes and had the alignment checked, but the car was still nervous and twitchy (the steering wheel was never ever still - always wriggling). Both pairs of tyres were non-run-flats, but the car just didn't like them on the front.

Swapped wheels front to rear. Enormous improvement, car would now run straight. Front tyres had been in good condition, but the car simply didn't like them. Completely different tyres front to rear, but it ran straight with them mismatched. The front axle just preferred my rear tyres. Have since fitted Eagle F1s up front only and it's still happy.

[Southwestz4]

I had my steering column reconned at bba reman after awful sticky steering ...all was well but then the car felt loose at around 60mph ...could feel the eps motor doing micro adjustments ...bloody annoying and car did not feel safe at 60mph plus . So I am now mid way through converting it to a hydraulic system. I did not that when I took the old steering rack off it felt very notchy when moved by hand ...car has just ticked over 80k .
All front jounts/bushes have been changed and lollypop are now polybushed...also polybushed trailing arm bushes.
Re alignment done on a hunter machine.
Hopefully the conversion with cure this

[enuff_zed]

I had my steering column reconned at bba reman after awful sticky steering ...all was well but then the car felt loose at around 60mph ...could feel the eps motor doing micro adjustments ...bloody annoying and car did not feel safe at 60mph plus . So I am now mid way through converting it to a hydraulic system. I did not that when I took the old steering rack off it felt very notchy when moved by hand ...car has just ticked over 80k .
All front jounts/bushes have been changed and lollypop are now polybushed...also polybushed trailing arm bushes.
Re alignment done on a hunter machine.
Hopefully the conversion with cure this

An interesting project then, but it sounds like a new rack may have cured it?
Should get a few quid back for the EPS motor.

[Southwestz4]

I had my steering column reconned at bba reman after awful sticky steering ...all was well but then the car felt loose at around 60mph ...could feel the eps motor doing micro adjustments ...bloody annoying and car did not feel safe at 60mph plus . So I am now mid way through converting it to a hydraulic system. I did not that when I took the old steering rack off it felt very notchy when moved by hand ...car has just ticked over 80k .
All front jounts/bushes have been changed and lollypop are now polybushed...also polybushed trailing arm bushes.
Re alignment done on a hunter machine.
Hopefully the conversion with cure this

An interesting project then, but it sounds like a new rack may have cured it?
Should get a few quid back for the EPS motor.

yes so far it's been easier than I thought. I just need to code out the motor and sort the intermediate shaft out, fit new rack and cooler pipework.
I maybe incorrectly assumed the old rack was ok with only 80k on it ...but hey ho ...half way through now so may as well continue
I did a quick check with ncs expert and couldn't find the module that has the settings for the eps motor ?
Can anyone shed any light on it ?

[enuff_zed]

Isn't that the module fitted to the top of the motor itself?
Do you have to leave it in place? Can't imagine so as you'll be trying to turn the worm gear all the time.

[Southwestz4]

Isn't that the module fitted to the top of the motor itself?
Do you have to leave it in place? Can't imagine so as you'll be trying to turn the worm gear all the time.

Having looked into it a bit more I think I will just remove the worm drive on the motor and refit it ...never done any ' proper ' coding and don't want to mess things up !

[Southwestz4]

I had my steering column reconned at bba reman after awful sticky steering ...all was well but then the car felt loose at around 60mph ...could feel the eps motor doing micro adjustments ...bloody annoying and car did not feel safe at 60mph plus . So I am now mid way through converting it to a hydraulic system. I did not that when I took the old steering rack off it felt very notchy when moved by hand ...car has just ticked over 80k .
All front jounts/bushes have been changed and lollypop are now polybushed...also polybushed trailing arm bushes.
Re alignment done on a hunter machine.
Hopefully the conversion with cure this

An interesting project then, but it sounds like a new rack may have cured it?
Should get a few quid back for the EPS motor.

yes so far it's been easier than I thought. I just need to code out the motor and sort the intermediate shaft out, fit new rack and cooler pipework.
I maybe incorrectly assumed the old rack was ok with only 80k on it ...but hey ho ...half way through now so may as well continue
I did a quick check with ncs expert and couldn't find the module that has the settings for the eps motor ?
Can anyone shed any light on it ?

sorry ...I meant I could not find the module in Ncs expert

[ryushe]

An interesting project then, but it sounds like a new rack may have cured it?

1 month in, and I still haven't found one for an LHD car. BMW no longer makes / supplies them, and there don't seem to be any aftermarket versions available. Some manufacturers have what seem to be reconditioned racks, but can't get them as a private person. Had a small garage here try to order one from 2 or 3 of these providers, but they say they're not available at the moment / not in stock. Put an alert in for a second hand rack on a partsfinder website that has pretty much all junkyards connected, but outside of ONE reply, nothing serious (the reply was for a rack from a car with 220k+ KM, and which had also been in a full frontal collision, so no thanks).
I even tried BMW Group Classic for shits and giggles, the source for all your rare or one-off BMW parts for classics and 'classics', and they quoted an absolutely INSANE amount for a rack.
So yeah, good luck with that.

So I am now mid way through converting it to a hydraulic system

That being said, very interested in how you get on @Southwestz4!

[Southwestz4]

An interesting project then, but it sounds like a new rack may have cured it?

1 month in, and I still haven't found one for an LHD car. BMW no longer makes / supplies them, and there don't seem to be any aftermarket versions available. Some manufacturers have what seem to be reconditioned racks, but can't get them as a private person. Had a small garage here try to order one from 2 or 3 of these providers, but they say they're not available at the moment / not in stock. Put an alert in for a second hand rack on a partsfinder website that has pretty much all junkyards connected, but outside of ONE reply, nothing serious (the reply was for a rack from a car with 220k+ KM, and which had also been in a full frontal collision, so no thanks).
I even tried BMW Group Classic for shits and giggles, the source for all your rare or one-off BMW parts for classics and 'classics', and they quoted an absolutely INSANE amount for a rack.
So yeah, good luck with that.

So I am now mid way through converting it to a hydraulic system

That being said, very interested in how you get on @Southwestz4!

That not good ...I didn't realise that the LHD ones were so hard to get hold of !
Maybe the best route is to get yours reconditioned, even if it means sending it abroad to be done ?