negev Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 Parts came in late so they've not done it yet, hopefully tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_330CI Posted September 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 This is the exact reason I do most jobs myself these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
negev Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 I'd have a go if I had the space but residential parking just makes it impractical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
negev Posted September 8, 2015 Report Share Posted September 8, 2015 Finally got the car back today! As I've not driven it for a week it's hard to tell if there's been an improvement. If there is it's a subtle one, but I think it was steering a bit better than before. Bumps in the road still make the wheel move a bit but I think that's just how E46s are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_330CI Posted September 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2015 Before I did mine, bumps in the road made the wheels move but not the steering wheel. That was scary as you never quite knew where the front end was going to be pointing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
negev Posted September 11, 2015 Report Share Posted September 11, 2015 So after driving mine a bit it's not really any different, small bumps in the road still make the steering wheel jolt around. I suspect in my case it may be the upper joint that's worn, which is unfortunately the more expensive one. Should have done them both at the same time really, oh well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
748adam Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 I seem to of ordered number 2 on the real OEM site. Where is this part located? Will need to re order number 4 I take it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdjfaulkes Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 negev and Matt it sounds like you've replaced two different parts the lower coupling is no.2 here (which you said you replaced negev)? http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=AV53-USA---E46-BMW-330i&diagId=32_0942 The upper one which you said you replaced Matt, no.4 here (according to the picture you posted) http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=EV52-EUR---E46-BMW-330i&diagId=32_0942 Matt, given you did this yourself, can you confirm which one it was that you replaced? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
negev Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 Yeah I replaced the lower one, although probably pointlessly as it made no difference at all. I am pretty sure the issue I had was loose pinch bolts in the steering column, it's going back to the garage soon to have it sorted and then I'll sell the car as I need something with more space now we have a little one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdjfaulkes Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 4 minutes ago, negev said: Yeah I replaced the lower one, although probably pointlessly as it made no difference at all. I am pretty sure the issue I had was loose pinch bolts in the steering column, it's going back to the garage soon to have it sorted and then I'll sell the car as I need something with more space now we have a little one! Where did you get the part from mate? Was it genuine BMW? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdjfaulkes Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 On 15/08/2015 22:51:48, Paddybrown23 said: Mine has exactly the same issues. I've got this part sat in my shed waiting to be fitted! I'm the same as you, really don't enjoy driving the car at the moment so I hope this makes me like it again! Changed pretty much everything else as well did you ever fit yours? and was it the lower or the upper? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddybrown23 Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 16 hours ago, sdjfaulkes said: did you ever fit yours? and was it the lower or the upper? thanks I never got round to fitting it! It's sat in the rear footwell. I can't remember if it's upper or lower to be honest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
negev Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 FWIW the true cause of my tramlining was mismatched tyres on the front and rear axles. The dunlops I had also tramlined a fair bit when they were worn to about 4mm on the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdjfaulkes Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 41 minutes ago, Paddybrown23 said: I never got round to fitting it! It's sat in the rear footwell. I can't remember if it's upper or lower to be honest Would you care to sell it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdjfaulkes Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 42 minutes ago, negev said: FWIW the true cause of my tramlining was mismatched tyres on the front and rear axles. The dunlops I had also tramlined a fair bit when they were worn to about 4mm on the front. hmmm, worth thinking about. Thanks. Mine just sort of feels like its involuntarily moving left and right on the motorway, and I have to keep making minor corrections to stay in a straight line. The steering wheel doesnt really move which makes me think it's less likely to be the tyres and more likely to be a worn part somewhere...I'm hoping it's the coupler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_330CI Posted December 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 20 hours ago, sdjfaulkes said: negev and Matt it sounds like you've replaced two different parts the lower coupling is no.2 here (which you said you replaced negev)? http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=AV53-USA---E46-BMW-330i&diagId=32_0942 The upper one which you said you replaced Matt, no.4 here (according to the picture you posted) http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=EV52-EUR---E46-BMW-330i&diagId=32_0942 Matt, given you did this yourself, can you confirm which one it was that you replaced? Both of those pictures are the sand l same and both of us replaced the same part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdjfaulkes Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 12 minutes ago, Matt_330CI said: Both of those pictures are the sand l same and both of us replaced the same part. The diagrams are the same, but they are referrencing different parts - you put up a google picture of no.4 which is the upper coupler / UJ and this is not what negev changed - he changed the lower, which is part no.2 in the diagram Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdjfaulkes Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 Is this the part you changed Matt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddybrown23 Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 4 hours ago, sdjfaulkes said: Would you care to sell it? That is the part I've got! I want to fit it at some point so won't be selling it, sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdjfaulkes Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 13 minutes ago, Paddybrown23 said: That is the part I've got! I want to fit it at some point so won't be selling it, sorry NP - where did you get it from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_330CI Posted December 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 58 minutes ago, sdjfaulkes said: Is this the part you changed Matt? No. I think what's going on here is that some cars depending on the year have a different part. Mine was identical to the one I posted on page one. The picture above is the bottom right picture on the links you posted from real OEM and looks like a similar alternative part. This is the actual picture of mine, the one that came off and the new one side by side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_330CI Posted December 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 2 minutes ago, sdjfaulkes said: NP - where did you get it from? It's a BMW part. You will struggle to find a new one any where other than BMW. There is a chap on here fabricating solid aluminium ones to remove the rubber bush but that requires additional DIY work to fit. His posts have been up in the for sale section titled "steering guibo" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdjfaulkes Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 (edited) 15 minutes ago, Matt_330CI said: No. I think what's going on here is that some cars depending on the year have a different part. Mine was identical to the one I posted on page one. The picture above is the bottom right picture on the links you posted from real OEM and looks like a similar alternative part. This is the actual picture of mine, the one that came off and the new one side by side. Ok, so you and negev replaced different parts...which is what I originally suspected. It's nothing to do with different years and different parts, you've just replaced different parts from a similar area - yours is the upper coupler / universal joint and negev's (and the one I am referring to) is the lower coupler / giubo. What's is more interesting is that yours seemed to make a big difference, and his made no difference at all! Edited December 3, 2015 by sdjfaulkes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_330CI Posted December 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 On 9/1/2015, 9:04:19, negev said: Someone else can confirm but I think it's #4 on this: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=EV52-EUR---E46-BMW-330i&diagId=32_0942 tempted to do mine as I've got a little bit of tramlining 5 minutes ago, sdjfaulkes said: Ok, so you and negev replaced different parts...which is what I originally suspected. It's nothing to do with different years and different parts, you've just replaced different parts from a similar area - yours is the upper coupler / universal joint and negev's (and the one I am referring to) is the lower coupler / giubo. What's is more interesting is that yours seemed to make a big difference, and his made no difference at all! No. Negdev and I both replaced the same part. Like for like. In his link, part 4 is the same part I posted photo's of, not the same as the one you posted a photo of. I believe the part you posted a photo of is for a different year vehicle. Some one is selling one of those in the for sale section right now. I would check which one you have before you buy although BMW can tell you by your number plate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_330CI Posted December 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 The part you posted a photo for is for later years. I can't tell you what date the part changed on. It's part number 2 in this diagram (the part we changed was part 4 which is greyed out as it's not applicable to this year) http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=BW53-USA-08-2003-E46-BMW-330Ci&diagId=32_0942 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
