AF
09-15-2002, 04:10 PM
I never realized how many details go into making a BMW but when I compare the feel of turning the wheel of my BMW vs. other cars I really feel & hear something different.
The other day I was playing around and seeing how many turns it takes from lock to lock and got sidetracked by what sounded like 2 plastic pieces hitting together from the steering column(almost like a scraping sound)
Now I remember an old Benz my mother used to have had a scraping sound but it was always at the same exact point. It was always when the wheel was in a certain postion (like for example the 12 o'clock position) The benz wheel obviously had a defect and it was the actual steering wheel was rubbing against the column.
Anyway, on the BMW, it seems like a cufflink or whatever they have in the steering wheel has this type of sound at 12 o'clock. The weird thing is if the steering wheel is centered and you move it 90 degree's to the right (3 o'clock) and then you move it back in the opposite direction 180 degree's (9 o'clock) there is no scraping noise at the 12 o'clock position.
But if you go lock to lock, when you pass the 12 o'clock position, it is there. Now just so you understand it is extremely slight and if there is any outside noise you won't hear it (you even need to turn the a/c off) and practically put your ear right next to the steering column by the steering wheel
This got me thinking that this must have something to do with the steering feel of our cars and it's not like it's all because of the steering rack only.
Do you guys have any idea of the inner workings of our steering column ?
Maybe a diagram from the bentley book ??
I sincerely think this is one of the reasons why BMW"s have such incredible steering feel ... they think of everything . . .
The other day I was playing around and seeing how many turns it takes from lock to lock and got sidetracked by what sounded like 2 plastic pieces hitting together from the steering column(almost like a scraping sound)
Now I remember an old Benz my mother used to have had a scraping sound but it was always at the same exact point. It was always when the wheel was in a certain postion (like for example the 12 o'clock position) The benz wheel obviously had a defect and it was the actual steering wheel was rubbing against the column.
Anyway, on the BMW, it seems like a cufflink or whatever they have in the steering wheel has this type of sound at 12 o'clock. The weird thing is if the steering wheel is centered and you move it 90 degree's to the right (3 o'clock) and then you move it back in the opposite direction 180 degree's (9 o'clock) there is no scraping noise at the 12 o'clock position.
But if you go lock to lock, when you pass the 12 o'clock position, it is there. Now just so you understand it is extremely slight and if there is any outside noise you won't hear it (you even need to turn the a/c off) and practically put your ear right next to the steering column by the steering wheel
This got me thinking that this must have something to do with the steering feel of our cars and it's not like it's all because of the steering rack only.
Do you guys have any idea of the inner workings of our steering column ?
Maybe a diagram from the bentley book ??
I sincerely think this is one of the reasons why BMW"s have such incredible steering feel ... they think of everything . . .