I had an alignment done on a beissbarth machine that measures in mm, not deg/min/sec.
My steering wandered after I replaced strut mounts and no suprise because pre-alignment report was that the toe was +0.4mm left and -1.2mm right. I was hoping an alignment would fix that.
Anyway I'm not happy with the alignment, for the first time ever my steering wheel isn't pointing straight when I'm driving straight, and it still wanders a little bit. I don't know if I've done something wrong in fitting/assembly or maybe faulty strut mounts etc, or whether the shop is wrong somehow despite the fact the final printout I got from the shop says it's now +1.6mm toe for both left and right
But I also noticed they were going off a 525ix spec sheet for my alignment. That has target of +1.9mm +-0.4mm but I think the 4wd "ix" model would have completely different settings anyway! Even so, not sure what to do because I can't find a spec in mm for a regular 525i.
E: I forgot to mention their initial measurement of front camber was -0*59' (L), -0*53' (R) and final measurement -1*02' (L), -0*52' (R). How can camber change with a tie-rod adjustment. Does that point to operator error or even more strongly to something screwey in my overhaul?
Last edited by fo3; 04-30-2019 at 08:17 AM.
I do 3/16" (.1875") total toe in which translates to 4.76 mm total toe.
I don't think e34 alignment specs are different than the e28 specs which are,
Caster +8 1/4±0.5 deg
Camber -5/16±1/2 (F) -1 3/4±1/2 (R) deg
Toe-In +3/32±1/32 (F&R) inches
Toe-In +3/16±1/16 (F&R) deg
demet
Thanks, so there's nothing wrong with my 1.6mm toe I guess.
I went through the steering today, tightening the nut on the column just a little bit and the steering box a little bit. Not too much because I messed with them last year and I learnt too much is bad (the box nut too tight means it won't self correct/straighten the wheels up - even though I followed the book procedure last year I ended up returning to the previous setting).
So anyway, just a touch tighter and if anything it makes the steering wheel off angle when driving straight more pronounced. I'm starting to think the suspension shop aligned when my steering wheel wasn't locked straight. I know with the key out my steering wheel can lock 10* to the left or right off centre and that might be it? My steering wheel has always been straight before yesterday, but now straight while driving is now about 10* right off centre on the steering wheel.
Doubly annoyed because while doing a test drive and thinking about steering feel my neighborhood had a speed camera set up. So I'm going to be getting a speeding fine for $100 for ~5mph over or $200 if I was slightly over 6mph in the next week. I think I was rolling downhill about 5-6 over while concentrating on this steering and alignment issue. Only day there's been a camera there for years
Last edited by fo3; 05-01-2019 at 05:37 AM.
If the shop used the steering wheel to find out center of the steering gear box and then start to adjust the tie rods, then the car may drive straight but when you get your hands off the steering wheel, the steering pulls to one side.
Just last year I had someone coming to my place and asked for help.
Most important is to set the steering box at zero position, there is the mark on the box, no matter if the steering wheel is straight or not. See the shop manual https://www.bmwtechinfo.com/repair/main/741en/index.htm section 32.
The one can start to adjust the tie rods. I use a Gunson 4008 Trakrite wheel alignment tool, very simple, but works.
Shogun tricks and tips for the E32 series are HERE!
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