4 wheel alignment

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  • e304me
    E30 Fanatic
    • Feb 2006
    • 1374

    #1

    4 wheel alignment

    Im taking my car in to get a 4 wheel alignment and I am wondering what specs you guys use. I am thinking very little toe in for the rear with maybe 1.5 degree negative camber. 0 toe in for the front.

    I have a fully adjustable rear but no camber plates up front yet.
  • Dirtbleed
    Banned
    • May 2009
    • 495

    #2
    slap in the front and get it done all at once if you can. I have -2.2 in the rear and .12 toe in the rear. And it's too much toe when the turns get tight. So less than that for sure. you want some toe in the front unless just for the track. At 80mph on the hwy you can let go of the wheel and will stay in lane for a long time.

    Comment

    • jlevie
      R3V OG
      • Nov 2006
      • 13530

      #3
      Unless you've added adjustments, only front toe is adjustable on a stock E30.
      The car makes it possible, but the driver makes it happen.
      Jim Levie, Huntsville, AL

      Comment

      • e304me
        E30 Fanatic
        • Feb 2006
        • 1374

        #4
        Yeah I have added adjsutments, And i want to decide if i like my springs or not before i put camber plates in.

        highway stability is based on toe as well as caster, and i have m3 offset bushings

        Comment

        • 3bvert
          E30 Enthusiast
          • Jun 2009
          • 1032

          #5
          me toooo
          Im in oregon, just finished putting in sport springs, billy sports, and offset bushings
          so interested if the alignment should be different then waht they say in the books for standard 318's
          Im guessing the only thing they can really set is the toe on my car

          Comment

          • jlevie
            R3V OG
            • Nov 2006
            • 13530

            #6
            If camber and toe is adjustable on the rear, I'd try one degree less toe on the rear than what you set for the fronts. And maybe 1/6" total rear toe.
            The car makes it possible, but the driver makes it happen.
            Jim Levie, Huntsville, AL

            Comment

            • nando
              Moderator
              • Nov 2003
              • 34827

              #7
              be careful with too little toe in the rear. when you lift off the throttle or hit the brakes, the rear suspension toes out when it unloads. that leads to the snap oversteer situation E30s are famous for. Of course good driving habits fix that (don't lift in a corner, stay on the throttle, etc), but you don't want to get into that situation because of a bad alignment.
              Build thread

              Bimmerlabs

              Comment

              • Schnitzer318is
                R3VLimited
                • Jan 2008
                • 2057

                #8
                Just had my front end alignment done and it pulls right ... did so before alignment too. My caster is off on the front. I've replaced all the front suspension; springs, struts, offset cab, new control arms, etc... is there anyway to adjust the caster? As far as I know the car hasn't been in an accident and the NTB guy said the car was very straight... don't know if that means anything?

                Sorry for the thread jack.
                "A good memory for quotes combined with a poor memory for attribution can lead to a false sense of originality."
                -----------------------------------------
                91 318is Turbo Sold
                87 325 Daily driver Sold
                06 4.8is X5
                06 Mtec X3
                05 4.4i X5 Sold
                92 325ic Sold & Re-purchased
                90 325i Sold
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                01 323ci Sold
                92 325i Sold
                83 528e Totaled
                98 328i Sold
                93 325i Sold

                Comment

                • nando
                  Moderator
                  • Nov 2003
                  • 34827

                  #9
                  could be a bent strut or control arm
                  Build thread

                  Bimmerlabs

                  Comment

                  • e304me
                    E30 Fanatic
                    • Feb 2006
                    • 1374

                    #10
                    Originally posted by jlevie
                    If camber and toe is adjustable on the rear, I'd try one degree less toe on the rear than what you set for the fronts. And maybe 1/6" total rear toe.
                    im guesing you meant 1/16"

                    and good call on the geometry changes. I think i will just tell them i want 3/4 or 2/3 of whatever stock toe in is. And negitive 1.5 camber.

                    Comment

                    • 3bvert
                      E30 Enthusiast
                      • Jun 2009
                      • 1032

                      #11
                      so is a stock rear adjustable for alignment ? I thought that was fixed

                      Comment

                      • e304me
                        E30 Fanatic
                        • Feb 2006
                        • 1374

                        #12
                        i have aftermarket adjusters

                        I ended up getting .12 degrees toe in each side in the rear, .05 degrees in the front, -1.5 camber in the rear, which just about matched the fronts.

                        do you guys think -1.5 was too much for the rear?

                        Comment

                        • SkinnyVT
                          Grease Monkey
                          • Nov 2008
                          • 391

                          #13
                          What are you using your car for (drag, autox, track, demo derby, groceries...)? That should be what determines your settings.
                          sigpic
                          '86.5 325eis Track Ho | '08 128i DD | '04 Silverado Tow Vehicle

                          Comment

                          • 3bvert
                            E30 Enthusiast
                            • Jun 2009
                            • 1032

                            #14
                            Originally posted by SkinnyVT
                            What are you using your car for (drag, autox, track, demo derby, groceries...)? That should be what determines your settings.
                            drag racing and groceries:)

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