E46 B3s Steering Rack / CV Boot

---pete--- · Post by **---pete---** » Fri Sep 22, 2017 9:50 am

Hi All

Can anyone tell me whether the driveshafts for the E46 B3s are specific Alpina parts?

I know they are listed in the parts catalogue in the download section but I'm just unsure whether this means it is definitely a specific part and not from the 330i.

I'm hoping I just need CV boot which I assume is 330 part but it may turn into something else and want to be prepared.

Any help would be great.

Regards
Pete

CharlesM · Post by **CharlesM** » Fri Sep 22, 2017 10:26 am

There is no listing for the rear half shafts in the catalogue that I can see. The drive shaft listed is the prop shaft.

So using the instruction at the start the assumption must be that a CV boot will be from the BMW 330i.

---pete--- · Post by **---pete---** » Fri Sep 22, 2017 10:31 am

Sorry all, I don't mean driveshafts at all, I mean the steering rack and cv boot.

CharlesM · Post by **CharlesM** » Fri Sep 22, 2017 10:36 am

Nothing visible on steering rack and front cv joints, so BMW 330i again.

---pete--- · Post by **---pete---** » Fri Sep 22, 2017 10:37 am

Thanks - that's what I had hoped. Apologies for my lack of a brain in the original post!

CharlesM · Post by **CharlesM** » Fri Sep 22, 2017 10:48 am

No worries. Two and a half years of applied car restoration with me ordering all the parts (for a Benz but all the part names are the same) taught me all the terms and how to look at a parts catalogue. I prefer the catalogue in German as the part terms have far less ambiguity!

Post by **Charles** » Fri Sep 22, 2017 6:55 pm

Both the steering rack and the CV boots are standard BMW - I've had to replace the boots recently and am beginning to prepare myself for a replacement rack in the next 12 months, so have done the homework already.

As to whether it is 330i or 328i, it is likely to be 330i, but a quick check on RealOEM with your BMW VIN will tell you the donor car.

For reference, in terms of the front steering and suspension, the only ALPINA parts in the set-up are springs and dampers.

Hope this helps