E36 fixed or adjustable steering column???

[kocio67]

Hello everybody,

I own 92 325i which has fixed steering column.
Which one is more common- fixed or adjustable?
I'd like to upgrade to adjustable if I can find cheap one on Ebay.
What do you guys have?

Thanks

[supertack]

Can that be done at a "reasonable" cost? That sounds really expensive for something, (imo) that wouldn't justify the expense. Ever heard of the 'curve of diminishing returns'?

[kocio67]

searching ebay I found few used ones for around $100.
Not bad I guess, I am able to swap them myself. Unfortunatelly -according to sellers- all of them are fixed versions. Are fixed really so common??? What are yours- fixed or adjustable?
thanks

[supertack]

Mine is fixed. In fact, I was kinda surprised when I got the car that it wasn't adjustable. What are you gettin' for $100, the whole column? That sounds unfathomable low. I got just my column lock & tumbler replaced last winter, & that cost me $400. Granted it was new BMW oem parts, but ya gotta ask yourself how can you get a whole column for $100?

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

waste of time and money IMHO

[Jeron]

Did they even make an adjustable collumn for E36 or does it require a swap out of another model?

[kocio67]

My original Owner's Manual says (page29):

"Tilt steering wheel
-Pull out the clamping lever
-Move the steering wheel appropriate to your seat position etc."

No Clamping lever in my car though.

ETK shows seperate part number for the adjustable steering wheel.
looks like it is stepless adjustment which would be really nice especially for my wife.
Was it some expensive option?

Does anyone has tilt steering wheel?

[supertack]

Yah my manual has the same section about the tilt mechanism. When I got the car I musta spent half an hour under my steering column lookin' for the frickin' clamp. The picture in the manual almost makes it look like the clamp is set farther down the shaft on the column. After further scrutiny, you could tell that the clamp should be within reach, but mine doesn't have it either. I wonder if that was something else North American owners got shafted on, like the plastic headlight covers.

[Jeron]

I just did a little research and found a mention that the E36 failed US front crash tests. The remedy was to remove the tilt wheel so they could add knee protection. You can't believe everything you read on the internet but it sounds reasonable.

I've had my lower driverside dash off several times recently and noticed that there is a lot hard foam padding in the knee area.

[Trevor]

I have tilt wheel in my 93 325is.