"close-ratio" steering box from e28 ///M5 on eBay

[Tim in N FL]

FYI e28 gang,
No affiliation but I have done business with this seller before.
I bought my euro front bumper and parcel shelf / integral sunshade
from him.
Cheers,
Tim

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... eName=WDVW


[Edit by Tim in N FL on [TIME]1108655075[/TIME]]

[Steve Haygood]

I have a spare M5 steering box, just can't quite bring myself to part with it

[louielouie]

What is 'close ratio' in this case?

[Tim in N FL]

I'm NOT sure what "close ratio" means wrt to a steering box, Louie.
Does the e28 ///M5 use a different steering box than the run-of-the-mill e28?
Cheers,
Tim

[L_N_Love]

Yes...makes it turn quicker. If you ever do a driving school w/ E28 you will find that it would be a nice feature to have.

[Dinan e28]

Steve Let me know if you want to sell it I want one for my box of parts to out on someday.

[Tim in N FL]

Guyz,
Will this ///M5 steering box mate to the standard e28 steering rack or does the ///M5 use a different steering rack too?
Thanks,
Tim

[bobs]

[QUOTE="Tim in N FL"]Will this ///M5 steering box mate to the standard e28 steering rack or does the ///M5 use a different steering rack too?[/QUOTE]

E28 uses a steering box (recirculating ball), not a rack. Yes, all E28 steering boxes are mechanically interchangeable, from 518 to M5.

[Shawn D.]

[QUOTE="louielouie"]What is 'close ratio' in this case? [/QUOTE]

It means that the term is yet again being used incorrectly. The correct term is "quick ratio." Think about it, folks, a "close ratio" transmission has multiple gearsets that are numerically closer percentage-wise than a standard-spacing transmission. On a steering box, there is no other gearset to be "close" to! Yes, there are variable ratio steering boxes (i.e. a continuously-varying ratio, with little response in the middle and progressively more response as the wheel is turned), but that's a completely different issue.

Please, let's not perpetuate the incorrect use of the terms!

[Tim in N FL]

Bob,
Thanks for the clarification....boy do I feel silly for asking THAT question.
I knew the e28 had recirculating ball steering. I guess I was thinking of
the rack/pinion set-up in my former 928s4. It got a new rack not too long
ago...~$600 (parts).
Cheers,
Tim

[Bill in MN]

The M5 box is like night and day over the stock fiver box. I highly suggest to anyone that has the chance to get one that you do it!!!

It's not a difficult swap either.

[Tim in N FL]

Good information Bill...thanks!

How much are these ///M5 steering boxes going for typically (on eBay versus private deals amongst enthusiasts on this board)?

I think I better stick to focusing on my suspension work (Koni Yellows, springs, ///M5 sways front and rear ) before I get one of these....sound reasonable?

Cheers,
Tim

[DMNaskale]

I paid $125 for mine, found it through car-part.com.

[Rick I 87/535is]

If I may ask for a favor,,,I put a bid on it. Unless someone needs to go into a bidding war, I'd sure appriciate taking the auction. Thanks. Daddy needs a new steering box. :p

[Blue Shadow]

Well from my research I have found the following. The M5 has 3.0 turns lock-to-lock vs the 3.5 turns for the other E28s. The ratio numbers I have found are 15.1 for the M5 and 16.2 for the rest. So woohoo lots of fun coming when you put one of thse in there.

[Matt]

Anyway to speed up a steering box ? I've got the M5 box already (in an M5 and man, i dont know how the non-M people live. I drive an E12 and an E30 last weekend and the steering on both sucked :/

[Shawn D.]

[QUOTE="Matt"]Anyway to speed up a steering box?[/QUOTE]

Yep...



Howe Racing Steering Quickeners

[Layton]

[QUOTE="DMNaskale"]I paid $125 for mine, found it through car-part.com.[/QUOTE]

Daryl -- did yours come out of an E28 or E24?

[Tim in N FL]

I'm glad I started this thread.....I'm learnding