Alignment Expert needed

[95BMWIC]

I just finished updating my 1991 BMW 325i with new Bilstein sports (front and back), new strut towers (Boge) and rear (Meyle HD) - New sway bar bushings front and rear (Lemforder), LH and RH Tierods..H&R Springs (used) that lowered the car 1"

I brought the car in to have it aligned:

These are the numbers (using degrees):

-1.8 FRONT LH Camber........ -2.2 FRONT RH Camber
7.7 FRONT LH COLOR=windowtext]Caster[/URL]........... 8.2 FRONT RH Caster
.16 Toe ............................ .16 Toe

-1.5 REAR LH Camber........... -1.9 RH Camber
.35 Toe.............................. -.24 Toe


I had my alignment done at a local shop in DSM (Sears) and I had a 175 pound person sit in the car while performing the alignment - which can explain the differences between LH and RH.

My question - Should I be concerned about my Front Camber (Do I need plates)?
Should I be concerned about the rear toe?


Here is a pic of my Alignment sheet:

[glnr13]

strut towers change shape and/or bend over time and abuse. it's not uncommon to have different readings from one side to the other considering we have fixed camber.

if you're an autox'r or track rat you'd be nitpicking over the differences but from a daily driver stand point i think you'll be fine.

[jlevie]

The asymmetrical front camber probably means some damage to the control arms or frame. The rear camber and toe errors could be bad subframe and trailing arm bushings, or damaged rear trailing arms. The front errors can be lived with, at the expense of increased tire wear, but the rear errors are serious and need to fixed.

[95BMWIC]

JLEVIE

The asymmetrical front camber probably means some damage to the control arms or frame.

-Could this be from having a 180 pound man in the front seat and not following the BMW spec of putting 150 pound in the front driver and passenger seat as well as the center rear?

ALSO - Rear Camber is actually is in spec.. It is the rear toe that is really the problem correct?


I know I have to replace the rear RH bearing (it growls - lightly though) - could this be the main factor in pushing the RH toe so out of wack?

[jlevie]

Not having the car properly weighted will affect camber, but rear toe does not change much with a change in ride height. The bearing is not going to cause that toe error.

[95BMWIC]

Ok - So I just ordered the some Lemforder Bushings for the Rear Trailing Arms - I will inspect each for damage - which I didn't see anything obvious the last time I was under there - but I will take a closer look.

The camber degrees for the Front are out of specifications - With just a visual inspection I know the subframe and frame have no sign of damage.

Note : I have not replaced control arms Could the lowering of 1" put me out of spec?

[jlevie]

There will be an increase in camber from lowering the car. Unless slammed, that alone isn't anything to get excited about. Tire wear will increase, some of which can be compensated for by setting less front toe. But asymmetry is more of a concern. The amount the fronts have isn't enough to be able to find the cause visually by inspection of the subframe, chassis, or struts. Badly worn control arm ball joints is a possibility, but that should be obvious from inspection.

In a like manner you won't be able to visually detect any damage in the trailing arms, the errors aren't big enough.

[SmokeE30]

Lowering the car will naturaly cause more negative camber thats nothing to be concerned with, a set of camber plates would allow you to make it even side to side but toe is the main thing to worry about, unfortuntly without an aftermatket kit there is no way to adjust the rear toe or camber.

[95BMWIC]

I am assuming I don't have a front assymetrical problem because I requested someone to sit in the Drivers seat during the alignment. (since the data differs .4 degree between the two)

I guess in order to prove that assumption - I need to take measuerements without someone in the drivers seat to eliminate the assymetrical concern..

Is there a way to measure camber in my garage to prove my hypothesis? Can I use a level on the rim of the wheel and measure the disctance from level to the top of the rim?

[SmokeE30]

Trying to measure alignment stuff without the proper equipment doesn't work out very well at least I haven't had any luck with it

[jlevie]

Measuring camber can be done with a camber gauge or an accurate digital level. But the first task is to measure the slope of the floor so any deviation from level can be taken into account.