Positive Camber

[Erick]

Car in question: '87 325iC, beyond stock.

I am getting positive camber on both front wheels. They are wearing out tires fairly quick. I am trying to analyze what's going on.

I am looking at the service records, and since May of '05 the car has brand new:

Control Arm
CABs
Tie Rods
Upper Strut Mounts

The previous owner mentioned that it's an alignment issue, but I'm convinced that BMW can only adjust their toe in the front (through the tie rods), which brings a huge "wtf" to what's really causing this positive camber.

Thoughts, inputs?

TIA,
Erick

[Hick]

do you have a read out of the positive camber? I.E. Alignment specs or are you going on tire wear issues? Could it be excessive toe in?

[Erick]

I have no read outs, I'm going by what the PO said.

Also, as a side note I forgot to mention. If you steer the car completely, the steering wheel will not return. Basically at the very last 1/4 turn, it'll just want steer itself outwards and hold it there. I figure that'd be toe out, since toe in would want to straighten itself too much.

[whiltebeitel]

Maybe the outside wear is due to all the caster messing with your front camber as you drift. Your passenger front in your sig is leaned out a lot.

Why don't you just get it aligned, that'll clear everything up really quick. It'll probably de-bunk my drift-theory. Maybe the front end is out of spec. There are some spec charts that you can measure your engine bay to check for squareness and deformation.

[Erick]

Maybe the outside wear is due to all the caster messing with your front camber as you drift. Your passenger front in your sig is leaned out a lot.

Why don't you just get it aligned, that'll clear everything up really quick. It'll probably de-bunk my drift-theory. Maybe the front end is out of spec. There are some spec charts that you can measure your engine bay to check for squareness and deformation.

Car in question: '87 325iC, beyond stock.

[SWAPJUNKIE]

You may have the wrong rear conrtrol arm bushing or control arm.

[Erick]

Part numbers all match up according to BavAuto's receipts.

[whiltebeitel]

I'm sorry, I don't follow. I was refering to the unibody, maybe it has come out of spec, since you've got all the neg camber you can get with your camber plates, right?

What the hell, erick, you know so much more than me, why am I even attempting to give you advice. (no BS, I mean it.)

[Erick]

I own two e30s. One is the car on the sig, one is an '87 325iC. The convertible is the one with the positive camber issues.

I don't mind hearing other's suggestions. I've narrowed it down quite a bit, but maybe I'm missing something. I'm learning more towards a defective part on BavAuto's behalf, however I can't understand why BOTH sides wear the outsides more than anything.

- Erick
PS: The track car does not have any camber adjustment whatsoever. :p

[92 mtechnic cabrio]

I'm sorry, I don't follow. I was refering to the unibody, maybe it has come out of spec, since you've got all the neg camber you can get with your camber plates, right?

What the hell, erick, you know so much more than me, why am I even attempting to give you advice. (no BS, I mean it.)

The car doesn't have camber plates, and the car in question is not the one in the signature.

1st - You missed the obvious fact that he put at the top of his post that the car he is talking about is his '87 325iC (AKA CONVERTIBLE E30)

2nd - You missed his "my 5th car" thread introducing his federalized italian convertible http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=99336

Erick, check your strut top mounts for their part numbers and make sure they aren't the offset ones that add/subtract camber based on how they are installed.

[whiltebeitel]

Ahhhhhhh.... I assumed the drift car was bumper swapped. I was thinking "WTF, how the hell does this guy end up with POSITIVE camber issues?"

I worked on a 964 911 C4, it was put in a ditch, and one wheel gave us really funny alignmnet specs. The rear control am was just slightly bent, so it went un-noticed until it went up on the rack.

I'm going to assume you have connections to get the vert aligned with a spec sheet without having to pony up

I'll just quit before I dig myself into a deeper hole, it's finals time...

[Erick]

Erick, check your strut top mounts for their part numbers and make sure they aren't the offset ones that add/subtract camber based on how they are installed.

wtf? There is such a thing? I thought "offset" strut mounts would be called camber plates? :p

[nando]

wtf? There is such a thing? I thought "offset" strut mounts would be called camber plates? :p

they can be installed both ways, to increase or decrease camber.

[Erick]

Maybe that's what happened. I have to look at it. I cannot picture how you can mount them in ways that would select camber.

[nando]

because they are offset. if you turn them with the offset towards the center of the car, they increase camber - turn them with the offset towards the outside of the car, and they decrease camber.