Upgraded Wheels.Now handling Problem?

[durbanite1]

I recently upgraded my 325i (e36-4dr) wheels from the 15" OEM to 17x7.5 rims.The alignment before I put the 17's on was great,but with the 17's the car seems to have a mind of its own.Seems better on flat roads,but will pull severly either left or right (without warning)with a slight camber change on the road.At times it seems fine,and every now and again it will catch you off-guard.
The car has been checked for wheel alignment twice,and is within specs but I am not sure what to do?Is there a different alignment spec for the new 225/45/17 wheels?,or should the alignment spec be the same regardless of tire/wheel size ?
Any help would be appreicated. This car is scary to drive at the moment.
Thanks, Dave[]

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

The alignment should not change with a change in wheels. The problem could be the tires, as some designs of tires like to follow ruts in the pavement more than others. I'm not sure about following along with a road camber change, though!

You might try a little more toe-in at the front (and rear, too!) and see if that makes the car a bit more stable. Not sure what else to try.

--DD

[Wayne 962]

It could be your brand of tires. Ever driven a large SUV or pickup truck? When I first got into my truck, I couldn't believe that the truck would pull to the left or right so much. It was because of the larger tires. Now, I'm just used to it.

Could this be the case with your new tires?

-Wayne

[KUTCH]

i had an alignment done on my 98 328is, perfect! put a set of 225/45-17 yokie AVS sports and thought the car had a mind of its own! right left at the drop of a hat! the tire are on there last leg, so i plan to try and get a set w/o such a radical tread pattern.

[mike944]

Mine does the same thing. I replaced the stock 15" wheels with a set of '94 M3 wheels (17") on my 325i. It grabs any ruts in the road, and can pull fairly hard to either side depending on road conditions. Knowing what i do about suspension design, i'm convinced that it is just an inherent problem in the suspension. I was unable to locate alignment specs online, but i suspect excess caster (this may be adjustable, but i'm not sure), combined with a larger scrub radius (not adjustable) due to the wider tires, causes the pulling.

Mike

[KUTCH]

I've raised this subject with the;
1. dealer
2. Bimmer mag qestion& anwser
3. Europeon car mag.

now I just have to wait for some anwsers from 'da big guns.

[bassdean]

I bet its your tires. I just relaced the 15's with staggered 17's (225/45 f & 245/40 r) on my 1998 323is and have zero problems. I'm running Sumo HTR+

BassDean

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

My bet is tires as well.

[supertack]

Now I've got the 16" dual 5 spokes that came with the sport package on my 328is. I had the original Conti Sports up until last year & had no problem, then I replaced them with the Sumotimo HTR+'s & have noticed that on certain roads it can catch a groove. I thought it was the alignment at first, but on most roads the alignment is so straight, I could steer the car with my dick. It only happens on more rutted roads, weird.