What comprises the steering components on an M20 525i e34?

[Ferret]

I take it you've checked the big locking nut under the steering column, by the pedals first?

Sometimes a fluid change can help with these things as well iirc!

[CharlesAFerg]

Not rack and pinion, right?

I'm getting a lot of play in the wheel, around 4 inches, and a car-nut friend suggested the gears in the "gearbox" might be worn out.

Also, even after alignment my car seems to want to drift to the right so im correcting to the left about 5-10 degrees.

I just installed all new 16 piece meyle kit, and sachs sport kit (which holds MAGNIFICENTLY by the way, my god. You guys should all change your suspension, or at least renew all the parts,
it's astronomical the difference it made.

[philbyil]

Check where the movement STOPS moving the linkage.

i.e. Have someone move the wheel from side to side and follow the steering linkage through to the point where it stops moving the next part of the linkage. Someone else posted about the big steering nut...sure, check it first as it is the second part of the linkage (the first is the wheel/steering column).

You may,say, find it at the Steering box and, if that is so, you can tighten it up some with the nut on the box itself (you'll find that procedure on the board somewhere). If that doesn't do it then the box is most likely shot. Otherwise, just keep following it through from there until you find the worn (or badly adjusted) component.

Good luck...it is really just some detective work

Not rack and pinion, right?

I'm getting a lot of play in the wheel, around 4 inches, and a car-nut friend suggested the gears in the "gearbox" might be worn out.

Also, even after alignment my car seems to want to drift to the right so im correcting to the left about 5-10 degrees.

I just installed all new 16 piece meyle kit, and sachs sport kit (which holds MAGNIFICENTLY by the way, my god. You guys should all change your suspension, or at least renew all the parts,
it's astronomical the difference it made.

[CharlesAFerg]

Thanks guys, I'll try that tomorrow!

PS anyone have any idea why I'm getting weird placement of posts, like how I posted this thread but Ferret's post appears before mine, @ 2:something AM, while I posted at 3:40AM PST, maybe it's not distinguishing between time zones now?

It's been doing this for about 3 or 4 days now.

[philbyil]

Thanks guys, I'll try that tomorrow!

PS anyone have any idea why I'm getting weird placement of posts, like how I posted this thread but Ferret's post appears before mine, @ 2:something AM, while I posted at 3:40AM PST, maybe it's not distinguishing between time zones now?

It's been doing this for about 3 or 4 days now.

[Morgenster]

4 inches of play? I'm going to stop complaining about my 1/3inch play then.

[Ross]

FOUR inches of play? Something is about to fail. Check also the steering column joints, the "nut behind the wheel".