rear trailing arm adjustment? alignment specs?

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  • Jason89i
    E30 Modder
    • Sep 2004
    • 875

    #1

    rear trailing arm adjustment? alignment specs?

    completed the 5 lug and i am having some trouble getting it to "feel" right. after some investigation, i believe that my rear subframe has been tweeked.....found some repaint on rear left quarter. i replaced the inbound bushings with press-in factory eccentrics, but i know i will need to replace those.

    1. what are the best options for adjustments on the rear? eccentric bolts with plates (like ireland sells) or eccentric bushings (like kmac?) i really dont feel like dropping the subframe again, but i am worried about the kmac type bushings rotating and going out of spec.

    2. what are good alignment specs for the rear wheels? i am looking for better high speed stability....car gets 3-4 driving events a year and is my daily driver.

    here are my current alignment specs...
    total front toe is at .29deg
    front camber is at -1.5deg

    rear camber is between -1.8 and -0.5 deg.
    rear toe is between -0.14 and 0.00 deg.

    it seems to me that the total rear toe should be about 0.50deg toe in. (is that neg or positive?)

    thanks, jason
  • trent

    #2
    Re: rear trailing arm adjustment? alignment specs?

    Originally posted by Jason89i
    rear camber is between -1.8 and -0.5 deg.
    rear toe is between -0.14 and 0.00 deg.

    it seems to me that the total rear toe should be about 0.50deg toe in. (is that neg or positive?)
    You are right. Rear toe out is NEVER wanted. The best way to fix your problem is to use eccentric bolts and holders that are welded onto the subframe.

    Comment

    • BimmerToad
      E30 Mastermind
      • Sep 2004
      • 1537

      #3
      If you're going with the adjustable eccentric bushings route in a stock subframe, I'd go with RTRS adjustable bushings over Kmac. They are a lot cheaper ($155 from http://www.suspension.com/bmw2.html) and they are supposed to be less prone to loosing alignment. I've had them in my car for only ~600 miles, so I can't vouch for that claim.
      San Diego BMW repair -> Jake @ www.littlecarshop.com Great guy :up:

      Comment

      • Jason89i
        E30 Modder
        • Sep 2004
        • 875

        #4
        Originally posted by BimmerToad
        If you're going with the adjustable eccentric bushings route in a stock subframe, I'd go with RTRS adjustable bushings over Kmac. They are a lot cheaper ($155 from http://www.suspension.com/bmw2.html) and they are supposed to be less prone to loosing alignment. I've had them in my car for only ~600 miles, so I can't vouch for that claim.
        do you have to remove the bushings to adjust them? thanks, jason

        Comment

        • scottyp
          Member
          • Jan 2008
          • 47

          #5
          sorry i can't understand they're website which bushing set was it?

          Comment

          • AlarmedBread
            E30 Mastermind
            • Sep 2006
            • 1510

            #6
            I just got the eccentric bolts for the rear subframe, you really only need to do 2 of em to get toe adjustment, but they're cheap enough ($8 each total) and while it's out I decided to do all 4. The IE kits are a ripoff, anyone who has the skills to weld the kit in could just as easily cut up some square tubing and make the plates. I'm done with crappy eccentric bushings!


            ECCENTRIC BOLT M12X1,5X98 -- 33321095102
            HEX NUT WITH FLANGE M12X1,5-10 ZNS3 -- 33326760668
            ECCENTRIC FLAT WASHER -- 33321092310

            Comment

            • StereoInstaller1
              GAS
              • Jul 2004
              • 22679

              #7
              Originally posted by AlarmedBread
              I just got the eccentric bolts for the rear subframe, you really only need to do 2 of em to get toe adjustment, but they're cheap enough ($8 each total) and while it's out I decided to do all 4. The IE kits are a ripoff, anyone who has the skills to weld the kit in could just as easily cut up some square tubing and make the plates. I'm done with crappy eccentric bushings!
              So hey man, I just ordered these parts. My muffler shop buddy is gonna weld mine up for me...now I need to find some square stock adn determine how to cut the slots.

              The other decision is to use urethane bushings or stick with OE.

              Closing SOON!
              "LAST CHANCE FOR G.A.S." DEAL IS ON NOW

              Luke AT germanaudiospecialties DOT com or text 425-761-6450, or for quickest answers, call me at the shop 360-669-0398

              Thanks for 10 years of fun!

              Comment

              • SamE30e
                R3V Elite
                • Sep 2007
                • 4319

                #8
                Originally posted by AlarmedBread
                I just got the eccentric bolts for the rear subframe, you really only need to do 2 of em to get toe adjustment, but they're cheap enough ($8 each total) and while it's out I decided to do all 4. The IE kits are a ripoff, anyone who has the skills to weld the kit in could just as easily cut up some square tubing and make the plates. I'm done with crappy eccentric bushings!


                Apparently you can get them from bmw.. Hmmm

                http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...19&hg=33&fg=30

                #15 and #16
                Last edited by SamE30e; 03-20-2008, 04:56 PM.
                1985 325e 2.8 Turbo VEMS

                Comment

                • AlarmedBread
                  E30 Mastermind
                  • Sep 2006
                  • 1510

                  #9
                  Yep, the PN's I ordered are in my post above, you will have to make or procure your own bracketry, it's very simple just time consuming. To do the slots I only used a drill and a high speed dremmel (makita, but same diff). It would be easier if you found some square tubing that was thick enough and the correct ID, but all I had laying around was the angle iron.

                  Comment

                  • rkettner
                    Grease Monkey
                    • Jun 2007
                    • 367

                    #10
                    i ordered 15 and 16 above and the bolt is way too short and its also an m10 vs m12. the original e30 bolt for the reat trailing arm bushing is 90mm not the 66mm bolt that #15 is.

                    anyobody else notice that.

                    Comment

                    • rkettner
                      Grease Monkey
                      • Jun 2007
                      • 367

                      #11
                      i think #11 is the correct bolt not #15

                      did anyone notice that he used the m12 washer part number and the m10 bolt part number in his write up on this website: http://e30m3performance.com/installs..._sub/index.htm

                      Comment

                      • e30serg
                        E30 Addict
                        • Dec 2006
                        • 562

                        #12
                        Hey guys-remember you need to machine/grind the inside radius of the angle iron so that the washer nut can rotate around when doing the adjustments.

                        Comment

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