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Thread: E36 rear subframe help!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    Ohio, USA
    Posts
    15
    My Cars
    1998 BMW 328i

    Question E36 rear subframe help!

    Hello, im having problems with my alignment

    Last year i spun out doing 90 on a bend and curbed my right rear wheel, feel free to laugh . i had to replace the rim, axle, bearing and lower control arm in the process.
    after i got my alignment done the farthest my rear toe could go on the impact side was -.6 degrees. after that i went on a fucking crusade on my rear and now a year later
    i have replaced upper control arms, all of the bushings(literally) as well as the rtab bracket on the impact side and still cant get the car to allign, theres plenty of room on
    the driver side of the car it seems to twist the eccentric bolts but on the right the bracket is all the way in. when i inspected the subframe it looked fine, no cracks or
    anything like that. at this point the only thing i think it could be are the front subframe bolts bending in the direction of the impact permanently offseting the subframe left
    of center, but needless to say its a bit of project dropping the whole thing so i was wondering if anyone has any other suggestions, advices on the issue, maybe i overlooked
    something. Thankyou!!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Slidell, LA
    Posts
    450
    My Cars
    Many
    You can check to ensure the subframe is square by measure it in an X and making sure the two lengths match. Also, toe is adjusted via the rear trailing arms and you didn't mention changing that. Verify the affected side trailing arm isn't bent.


  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    Ohio, USA
    Posts
    15
    My Cars
    1998 BMW 328i
    Havent considered measuring the subframe in the x formation, ill have to try that. Yea i have the eccentric tool for adjusting the toe in the rear, and i have done a bunch of research thinking the trailing arm is bent but
    from reading on the forums guys said that its cast iron and one of the toughest parts of the entire chassis so the chances that it was damaged are almost nill. Thanks for your reply!!!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    washington dc
    Posts
    8,679
    My Cars
    Avus Cosmos Calypso!
    Actually they are engineered to deform in a crash so there's less chance of damaging the pocket rtab areas. Notice the many holes in the arms? Those are the crumple areas. U say u are having a tough time with alignment and now u know why. Toe is set via the trailing arms.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    Ohio, USA
    Posts
    15
    My Cars
    1998 BMW 328i
    Update:

    Dropped the rear subframe to replace the front two subframe studs, driver side was bent and passenger side was loose. replaced the studs put everything back together thinking id be fine,
    went to get it alligned, now im .6 toed in on driver side -.9 toed out on passenger WTF. since faulty trailing arm would only affect toe on one side i have to assume that the subframe is bent. Will be ordering one soon, might as well get an lsd and new bushings i suppose

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    ATL
    Posts
    164
    My Cars
    '91 325i
    Is that with the trailing arms maxed out toe in?
    Harrison Motorsports
    Motion Control Suspension
    Daytona M3

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