Front wheel alignment data

[jimmyybob2]

Hi, ive looked through the manual but i cant find the technical details for setting up the 'toe in toe out' after replacing the steering rods.
My steering wheel is off centre(to the left) and i know its quite tricky to regain centering, the steering wheel and the main arm to the steering box have not been removed so it must just be the center rod and track rod adjustment.

[CroughtonE32]

Are you thinking of aligning the car yourself. I think you need a good four wheel alignment rack. I once watched them do my E32 at BMW. They put it on the rack, put a certain amount of weights in the trunk and drivers foot area and then centered the steering wheel and clamped it to the front seat. Then the car went up in the air and I think they aligned the front wheels in reference to the rear wheels. I saw laser marking up front and after adjusting the toe on the tie rod adjusters, when the car came down the steering wheel was dead center where they clamped it. Just an amateur looker on here.

[shogun]

Not much to align on a E32, I always do it with a Trakrite I bought from U.K. http://www.gunson.co.uk/product/G4008 , others do it with a laser http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/711044/
For the bi-annual check here for read test they just want to see a toe in in the front wheels, that can be easily adjusted with the trakrite tester.
Details for alignment are in the shop manual section 32 https://www.bmwtechinfo.com/repair/main/481en/index.htm EDIT, link does not work anymore, use the E31 one https://e31repair.com/
Most important is that you first set the steering box at zero, there is a mark , see manual.
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...g-on-E32-735iL
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...e-a-simple-DIY

Idler and Pitman arm alignment and heights http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...ht=center+link

[jimmyybob2]

Thanks but i still cant see the actual figures in 'degree/minutes .???? do these cars normaly toe in? out? or parallel??

[Avec]

I found .05 to .20 degrees is spec.

[shogun]

http://www.jltechno.com/en/alignment...ModelID=300537
https://workshop-manuals.com/bmw/7_s...4___518i_520i/

[jimmyybob2]

This car is doing my head in. I’ve set the tracking using Fred flintstone technology just to get it roughly in a drivable state.
BMW dealer want £145 for a proper set up which I guess isn’t tooo bad.
Anyway my next question is what should the ride higher be.?? The manual is useless and doesn’t give an actual figure.

[shogun]

Is that an iL with LAD? Bentley's has a table for LAD equipped cars as follows:
Wheels Rear ride height
15 in. 522 +/-3 mm (20.55 +/- 0.4 inches)
16 in. 529 +/-3 mm (20.93 +/- 0.1 inches)
17 in. 545 +/-3 mm (21.46 +/- 0.1 inches)

Ride height is measured from the lower edge of the wheel arch to the bottom edge of the wheel rim (not the ground).

[jimmyybob2]

Standard 740i ,regular suspension.
if 522 is correct I still have wheel alignment issues as I know if the toe is wrong it lifts the front up.

[shogun]

522mm refers to the rear wheel ride height only, not to the front.

[shogun]

Alignment Adjustment Summary E32
Front Caster No Adjustment
Front Camber No Adjustment
Front Toe Yes
Rear Camber No Adjustment
Rear Toe No Adjustment (Offset Bushing)

40 pages details suspension systems http://www.meeknet.co.uk/e64/suspension.pdf