e30 m3 CAB install orientation

[golde30]

searched, couldnt find what i was looking for. just wanted to make sure of the orientation of m3 offset CAB when pressing into lolipop. the hole should be closer to the arm? or the top of lolipop? thanks!

[LovableSheep]

I recall there being a mark on the lolipop that gets lined up with a mark on the CAB, at least for the OEM ones. Don't know if any of the other kinds have the marks on them.

[golde30]

well, the reason i ask is that a shop did my previous pair and has the hole for CA on the arm side of the lolipop, whereas i seem to recall that it is supposed to be on the top of the lolipop. just wanted to make sure, i have limited access to the hydraulic press, so i wanna get it rite the first time. i know, n00b question, i just cant recall.

[dark89e30]

The hole goes toward the outside of the car on each side, opposed to toward the center. This moves the wheel slightly forward, increasing caster... But there should be marks.

[nando]

The hole goes toward the outside of the car on each side, opposed to toward the center. This moves the wheel slightly forward, increasing caster... But there should be marks.

uh, you got it backwards bud - think about it. the holes go towards the inside of the car, not the outside.

[peerless]

uh, you got it backwards bud - think about it. the holes go towards the inside of the car, not the outside.

No actually he is correct, you think about it. The control arm is the shape of a boomerang, if I pivot the boomerang in the middle, that being the subframe ball joint stud.

If you move the back of it to the outside of the car the front will move forward. This will increase the caster. When you increase caster you increase high speed stability. The whole point of the offset cab's.

If you moved the back of the boomerang towards the inside of the car, this would pull the front backwards, decreasing camber.

Think before you speak. If you would like I can go outside tomorrow and take some pictures as I just installed a pair of M3 bushings. They would only be like the 6th E30 I have done so to.

And yes I see you are moderator, but that doesn't make you any smarter then anyone else.

To the original poster, you have a bushing that has an arrow pointing away from the hole, this lines up with the bump dot on the lollipop. Line the the arrow to the bump and your hole will end up facing the outside towards the bolts. This will be the proper configuration.

[Van Westervelt]

The hole goes toward the outside of the car on each side, opposed to toward the center. This moves the wheel slightly forward, increasing caster... But there should be marks.

uh, you got it backwards bud - think about it. the holes go towards the inside of the car, not the outside.

Actually, dark89 was right. Holes go on the outward side, which rotates the ca balljoint on the strut forward. Sorry boss! :)

[peerless]

Here maybe this will help. Kinda like kindergarten all over again :p

http://www.familycar.com/alignment.htm

When you turn the steering wheel, the front wheels respond by turning on a pivot attached to the suspension system. Caster is the angle of this steering pivot, measured in degrees, when viewed from the side of the vehicle. If the top of the pivot is leaning toward the rear of the car, then the caster is positive, if it is leaning toward the front, it is negative. If the caster is out of adjustment, it can cause problems in straight line tracking. If the caster is different from side to side, the vehicle will pull to the side with the less positive caster. If the caster is equal but too negative, the steering will be light and the vehicle will wander and be difficult to keep in a straight line. If the caster is equal but too positive, the steering will be heavy and the steering wheel may kick when you hit a bump. Caster has little affect on tire wear.

[golde30]

since the lollipop faces towards the inside of the car, that means the CAB should have the hole on the "handle" side of the lollipop then correct? i hope so b.c thats the way i pressed it in already...

[Van Westervelt]

That is the right spot. It should be closest to the two bolt holes on the lollipop.

[nando]

Actually, dark89 was right. Holes go on the outward side, which rotates the ca balljoint on the strut forward. Sorry boss! :)

ah, crap - midnite posting FTL. :p

[nando]

No actually he is correct, you think about it. The control arm is the shape of a boomerang, if I pivot the boomerang in the middle, that being the subframe ball joint stud.

If you move the back of it to the outside of the car the front will move forward. This will increase the caster. When you increase caster you increase high speed stability. The whole point of the offset cab's.

If you moved the back of the boomerang towards the inside of the car, this would pull the front backwards, decreasing camber.

Think before you speak. If you would like I can go outside tomorrow and take some pictures as I just installed a pair of M3 bushings. They would only be like the 6th E30 I have done so to.

And yes I see you are moderator, but that doesn't make you any smarter then anyone else.

To the original poster, you have a bushing that has an arrow pointing away from the hole, this lines up with the bump dot on the lollipop. Line the the arrow to the bump and your hole will end up facing the outside towards the bolts. This will be the proper configuration.

I've had them on my car for the last 5 years (2 sets), I could have looked and realized I was wrong. me being a moderator has nothing to do with anything - it doesn't mean I have to be perfect or never make a mistake. I realize how it works, thanks.

[peerless]

I've had them on my car for the last 5 years (2 sets), I could have looked and realized I was wrong. me being a moderator has nothing to do with anything - it doesn't mean I have to be perfect or never make a mistake. I realize how it works, thanks.

Just givin ya a hard time boss. It would have sucked for the original poster if he would have pressed his bushings in backwards.

[nando]

yeah, what I was going to and should have posted is they are both marked with arrows, just line them up. you can't really screw that up. :p