[UPDATE] Loose Steering Rack Bolts: SUCCESS! No more creaking!

[SwissArmy]

Hi guys,

My steering rack bolts are loose (according to symptoms) and I would like to gain access to tighten them. After crawling under the X5 and looking around, I can't seem to find what I am looking for.

Are they hidden under the plastic panels?



UPDATE: Tightened the bolts to 40 ftlbs even though the torque wrench didn't really move at all. No more creaking

[SwissArmy]

Anyone?

[SwissArmy]

bump

[TwinSnailz]

Its under the front plastic cover. The screws will stay in the plastic cover. Although there’s tons, its pretty easy to remove.

[Lunker325]

What are the symptoms of the bolts being loose?

[SwissArmy]

Originally Posted by TwinSnailz

Its under the front plastic cover. The screws will stay in the plastic cover. Although there’s tons, its pretty easy to remove.

Thank you so much, TwinSnailz! I will tackle this when the snow melts this weekend

Originally Posted by Lunker325

What are the symptoms of the bolts being loose?

Hi Lunker325, the steering makes a creaking sound at each maximum. It is EXACTLY what is show in this video. It apparently happens on all BMW's. But this is definitely, and 100% what I am facing. Turning the wheel to each maximum on a stand still makes this exact same creaking sound. I had a buddy turn the wheel a few times while I was under the X5, and you can hear the creak under the car just under the driver side floor. Which is where the steering rack is

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJP-D9fNeV8

[SwissArmy]

It's a cold rainy day in Toronto, but I was getting very sick of the clunk.

I put my X5 on ramps and crawled under. Undid the black plastic spash guard (just a few phillips head screws).

I found the steering rack bolts. None were lose. I went ahead and tightened them to 40lbs as per spec and the wrench did not even move the bolt head. Sadly, I put back the black splash guard (which is a pain to line up).

I went for a drive and...No noise! I guess they were at 39.5lbs instead of 40 ft lbs. And that little bit made a HUGE change.

When it's warmer, I might tighten them up to 42 ft lbs or replace them in case they are TTY bolts and bolt them to 42ft lbs with thread locker so they don't back out.

Does anyone know if 07119905606 is a torque to yield bolt? The head was not coloured like other TTY bolts are (it was regular silver)

Success!

[TwinSnailz]

53nm/40 ftlb plus 90 degree turn

I’d buy a couple new ones because it’s easily accessible . At the end of the day you don’t want these important bolts to shear off while driving.

[SwissArmy]

Originally Posted by TwinSnailz

53nm/40 ftlb plus 90 degree turn

I’d buy a couple new ones because it’s easily accessible . At the end of the day you don’t want these important bolts to shear off while driving.

Ah, I did not do the +90 turn. I will do that when it's warmer with the new bolts with threadlocker. Thank you

[drummr8]

raising this thread from the dead. Does anyone have a picture of the bolts on the E70? I put my torque wrench on the ones which appear to be holding the rack to the subframe (kind of hard to see) but they didn't budge. This noise is driving me insane. Sounds exactly like the video and I've replaced damn near every suspension component trying to fix it lol