Aluminum steering couplers...

[The HACK]

While at the mechanic's shop looking at the OEM Sports LCA vs E46 ZHP LCAs (interestingly, the ZHP LCA has a blue ///M sticker on it that says for Motorsports Applications only, I think it's the same LCA that's employed on the ETCC 320i's), Imad, the official Friends of SCTS Tribe mechanic, showed me a custom fabricated aluminum steering coupler that's on his racing E30 M3 that he's trying to build (Euro 3.2 liter engine and spare NOTHING...That is going to be one fast MOFO). He said that it virtually ELIMINATES any dead on center feel, since most of that comes from the rubber coupler flexing as you turn the steering wheel. He also says the coupler will work on ANY RnP (rack and pinion) BMW, since they all use the same identical part.

Not that it'll make you go faster (the aluminum piece is slightly lighter than OEM rubber coupler), but it'll make turn-in and steering feel 100X times sharper. The only downside is that 1) in a collision the aluminum coupler will not break away like the rubber coupler will and 2) it also transmits significantly MORE road "feel", or vibration through the steering column.

[JST]

While at the mechanic's shop looking at the OEM Sports LCA vs E46 [HACK EDIT] LCAs (interestingly, the [HACK EDIT] LCA has a blue ///M sticker on it that says for Motorsports Applications only, I think it's the same LCA that's employed on the ETCC 320i's), Imad, the official Friends of SCTS Tribe mechanic, showed me a custom fabricated aluminum steering coupler that's on his racing E30 M3 that he's trying to build (Euro 3.2 liter engine and spare NOTHING...That is going to be one fast MOFO). He said that it virtually ELIMINATES any dead on center feel, since most of that comes from the rubber coupler flexing as you turn the steering wheel. He also says the coupler will work on ANY RnP (rack and pinion) BMW, since they all use the same identical part.

Not that it'll make you go faster (the aluminum piece is slightly lighter than OEM rubber coupler), but it'll make turn-in and steering feel 100X times sharper. The only downside is that 1) in a collision the aluminum coupler will not break away like the rubber coupler will and 2) it also transmits significantly MORE road "feel", or vibration through the steering column.

My guess is that on a street car, you don't want this. The vibration at speed from slightly misbalanced tires would probably be enough, standing alone, to drive you absolutely batshit.

And the compromise in accident safety is not worth it.

[TD]

While at the mechanic's shop looking at the OEM Sports LCA vs E46 [HACK EDIT] LCAs (interestingly, the [HACK EDIT] LCA has a blue ///M sticker on it that says for Motorsports Applications only, I think it's the same LCA that's employed on the ETCC 320i's), Imad, the official Friends of SCTS Tribe mechanic, showed me a custom fabricated aluminum steering coupler that's on his racing E30 M3 that he's trying to build (Euro 3.2 liter engine and spare NOTHING...That is going to be one fast MOFO). He said that it virtually ELIMINATES any dead on center feel, since most of that comes from the rubber coupler flexing as you turn the steering wheel. He also says the coupler will work on ANY RnP (rack and pinion) BMW, since they all use the same identical part.

Not that it'll make you go faster (the aluminum piece is slightly lighter than OEM rubber coupler), but it'll make turn-in and steering feel 100X times sharper. The only downside is that 1) in a collision the aluminum coupler will not break away like the rubber coupler will and 2) it also transmits significantly MORE road "feel", or vibration through the steering column.

My guess is that on a street car, you don't want this. The vibration at speed from slightly misbalanced tires would probably be enough, standing alone, to drive you absolutely batshit.

And the compromise in accident safety is not worth it.Spoken like someone familiar with being driven batshit by front end components.

[The HACK]

Well, once Imad has his E30 M3 racer sorted out I'll probably have a chance to drive it. It's so easy to put on and off I might keep the rubber coupler and swap it in and out for track weekends.

We shall see. Now if people stop bringing their cars to his shop maybe he'll have some time to work on his racecar! :angel:

[blee]

Well, once Imad has his E30 M3 racer sorted out I'll probably have a chance to drive it. It's so easy to put on and off I might keep the rubber coupler and swap it in and out for track weekends.

We shall see. Now if people stop bringing their cars to his shop maybe he'll have some time to work on his racecar! :angel:Did you say his "E30 M3" has an S52 in it? Cripes. :tsk:

[JST]

While at the mechanic's shop looking at the OEM Sports LCA vs E46 [HACK EDIT] LCAs (interestingly, the [HACK EDIT] LCA has a blue ///M sticker on it that says for Motorsports Applications only, I think it's the same LCA that's employed on the ETCC 320i's), Imad, the official Friends of SCTS Tribe mechanic, showed me a custom fabricated aluminum steering coupler that's on his racing E30 M3 that he's trying to build (Euro 3.2 liter engine and spare NOTHING...That is going to be one fast MOFO). He said that it virtually ELIMINATES any dead on center feel, since most of that comes from the rubber coupler flexing as you turn the steering wheel. He also says the coupler will work on ANY RnP (rack and pinion) BMW, since they all use the same identical part.

Not that it'll make you go faster (the aluminum piece is slightly lighter than OEM rubber coupler), but it'll make turn-in and steering feel 100X times sharper. The only downside is that 1) in a collision the aluminum coupler will not break away like the rubber coupler will and 2) it also transmits significantly MORE road "feel", or vibration through the steering column.

My guess is that on a street car, you don't want this. The vibration at speed from slightly misbalanced tires would probably be enough, standing alone, to drive you absolutely batshit.

And the compromise in accident safety is not worth it.Spoken like someone familiar with being driven batshit by front end components.

Yep. As TD knows, the combination of the strut bar and the Sumitomos on my E36 M3 was irritating beyond belief; I wouldn't have attributed to the bar, except that TD also noticed that the addition of (that same) bar increased the amount of vibration/harshness that makes it through to the wheel.

[The HACK]

Well, once Imad has his E30 M3 racer sorted out I'll probably have a chance to drive it. It's so easy to put on and off I might keep the rubber coupler and swap it in and out for track weekends.

We shall see. Now if people stop bringing their cars to his shop maybe he'll have some time to work on his racecar! :angel:Did you say his "E30 M3" has an S52 in it? Cripes. :tsk:

Not just S52. Euro S52 with the 330HP motor.

[blee]

Well, once Imad has his E30 M3 racer sorted out I'll probably have a chance to drive it. It's so easy to put on and off I might keep the rubber coupler and swap it in and out for track weekends.

We shall see. Now if people stop bringing their cars to his shop maybe he'll have some time to work on his racecar! :angel:Did you say his "E30 M3" has an S52 in it? Cripes. :tsk:

Not just S52. Euro S52 with the 330HP motor.Bah. Still blasphemous. :D

That engine is better served by an E30 with a body kit. An M3 body with an S14 is not an M3, if you ask me.

But, uh, back to talking about aluminum steering couplers. I could rant for days on the hijack topic. :)

[The HACK]

Well, once Imad has his E30 M3 racer sorted out I'll probably have a chance to drive it. It's so easy to put on and off I might keep the rubber coupler and swap it in and out for track weekends.

We shall see. Now if people stop bringing their cars to his shop maybe he'll have some time to work on his racecar! :angel:Did you say his "E30 M3" has an S52 in it? Cripes. :tsk:

Not just S52. Euro S52 with the 330HP motor.Bah. Still blasphemous. :D

That engine is better served by an E30 with a body kit. An M3 body with an S14 is not an M3, if you ask me.

But, uh, back to talking about aluminum steering couplers. I could rant for days on the hijack topic. :)

Oh. Now I know what you're griping about.

Actually, I take that back. It started out as a normal E30 325is. Now that car's a frankenstein monster with Euro S52, 6 speed tranny, E30 M3 hubs and brakes (soon to be swapped out for a 13", 2.5" wide big brake kit straight from a Ferrari 360), fully caged, he's also going to add wider fenders to accomodate wider rims. Custom fabricated rotor hats for 2 piece floating rotors...etc.

He bent the front fender a few months ago and now he's awaiting the bodyshop to straighten out the car and it's going for the full prep treatment.

But yeah, back on the aluminum coupler: I talked more with Imad about the coupler, and he agrees that it's a part designed to break away in an accident, but he said that other parts of the steering column is designed to collapse before the coupler will break off.

He said if he could make 20 of them at a time then it'll make more financial sense than to make them one at a time.

[blee]

Aha, a 325is conversion. Sweet. Never mind, then. :)