E30 subframe offset

[IanS_in_Oz]

So, looking at my back wheels on the E30, I find that they sit in different positions in relation to the rear guards. I have the 5-stud trailing arms from an E36 compact fitted.
On the left hand side, I measure around 45mm


And on the right side, I measure around 30mm


This is with the e46 wheels with ET47 offset. My track wheels are the same width with an offset of ET35, which brings them out another 12mm.

I'm thinking of rectifying this with some bolt-on spacers, by using a 25mm spacer on the left side, and a 15mm spacer on the right.
Unfortunately, this means I need to buy two sets. Does anyone have any other suggestions.

[325issguy]

Sounds like something is bent, or your subframe and rtabs are worn.

[Lee Harvey]

I would not even consider covering that up with different offset spacers on each side... something is obviously bent/damaged/torn and needs to be corrected, and that something will likely impact handling in one way or another given the rear suspension setup on e30's, I wouldn't be "tracking" or even daily driving a car heavily if one side had a 10 or 15mm offset difference from the other... not without havign first verified what was causing it so I can discern if it's a major safety hazard at least.

[7pilot]

Don't use the flexible and accident prone fenders and the toe affected edges of the tyres as your datum point. Find the center line of the chassis(both front and rear) and mark a centerline.
Those are your reference points.
Then you measure from the center line to the center of each axle following the axle line rather than measuring at the edge of the tyres.
If you have more toe on one front tyre vs the other you also get dubious measurements.

m

[straight6pwr]

My last e30 had about a 7-10mm difference or so from one side to the other in the rear. It had all new bushings in the rear, and the suspension wasn't bent in any way discernible. The tires wore evenly, the handling showed no funny business, and I drove it that way for 70,000 miles. Sure, I could have replaced the subframe/trailing arms/hub assemblies, but thats a LOT of money/time for something that didn't affect a single thing.

If you can find what part of the suspension is causing this, by all means replace it.

[10Toes]

Why is this 24V

[IanS_in_Oz]

It's in here coz it has an m52 in it.
The subrame is straight, and the bushes are new poly adjustable ones. There are no bends in the chassis, and the car drives an tracks well.
I'll tacke it back to the alignment guy, andd see if he can shed some light on it

[Drew325is]

Hey Ian, maybe there's been previous rear 1/4 panel damage...so one arch is more/less pulled than the other?

PS I paid for s52 cams today :D

[Iain]

String line that thing

Mucking around with adapters is something I'd have expected to hear from Chi or the muppets back in the DTMpower days...

[AlarmedBread]

Sure the wheels are not bent?

Could easily be an alignment and/or ride height issue side to side. I always get comments about how my car 'looks weird' with an asymetric setup on it at the track.

[BMW_TUNER]

I have the same issue. My car is straight, I even had it put on a frame machine and had the laser check. The car is straight. I found out the Previous owner was rear ended and there was full quarter panel replacement. Now my 245 on one side has 15mm clearance and the other has five.

[IanS_in_Oz]

Frame is straight, and wheels are not bent. There's nothing torn underneath.
I'll take it to the wheel alignment guy and get him to check it...