e36 wheel alignment

ohyunjin · 06-23-2003, 03:11 PM

Hi all,

I had my car taken to get an alignment done. They said that they needed to adjust the camber (currently reading -2degrees on the front right) by adjusting the outer tie rod. But they couldn't get the nut free. After some researching, it seems that the nut is a lock nut mainly to remove the tie rod which screws onto the inner tie rod. Please correct me if I'm wrong. There are marks on the inner tie rod, probably from a wrench that the alignment people were using.

Now, it seems to me that the alignment cannot be done by merely loosening the lock nut on the tie rod. Does anyone have any further info on how to adjust the alignment? Please let me know. I didn't get the work done because they said that they were not able to get the nut to move. That sounds unbelieveable since it's only torqued down to ~37lb-ft according to the Bentley.

I'm confused and I don't want them to do the work if they don't know what they are doing.

Thanks for all the help.

Jared at Pelican Parts · 06-23-2003, 03:14 PM

Thats strange, I dont believe you would use the tie-rods to adjust camber. The tie rods are used to adjust toe-in, which is a measurment of how parallel the front wheels are. Sounds like the mechanic isnt doing something right here.

ohyunjin · 06-23-2003, 03:21 PM

ok, but it's ok to undo the locknut and then try to adjust it? what would be adjusted for the camber then? btw, this is on a 98 328is.

thanks,
HJ

Jared at Pelican Parts · 06-23-2003, 03:36 PM

As far as i am aware, there is no provision for camber adjustment on these cars. A faulty camber reading would most likely indicate a faulty suspension component such as a worn-out bushing or something liek that.

th@nks! · th@nks!'s Garage

not that my imput is anything different but i fully agree with Jared on this one. the camber is kinda "locked" due to the non moving nature of any of the suspension joints. i dont have a bmw as of now.... but if i did i'd totally go look on my car for you.

Dave at Pelican Parts · Dave at Pelican Parts's Garage

Camber is, in most cars with strut suspensions, adjusted by moving the top of the strut. Many modern cars do not have any way to move the strut top, though most older ones do. (E.g., my 914 does but my Honda CRX does not.) If your camber is out of spec on the non-adjustable cars, then you have to purchase a "camber kit" to be able to change it.

I can think of two ways that the camber will change on a non-adjustable car. The first is by hitting something, like a curb. I have seen wheels with about 10-30 degrees of positive camber (my own cars, in two cases, sadly!) from smacking a curb very hard.

The second is by lowering. When you lower most cars, you increase their negative camber. This is fine in small doses, but when the angles become too large they will adversely affect traction (particularly braking and acceleration!) and tire life (especially when combined with toe-out).

Please note: I am talking generalities here! I'm not even certain that the E36 is one of the non-adjustable cars! (Mom's E36 is 12 hours drive away from me so it's a little tough to go and look...)

The adjustment you found on the tie rod is for toe. The nut is there to "lock" the adjustment so that it does not move on its own. The general procedure is to loosen the jam-nut, then turn the whole tie rod. Then you tighten the jam nut again.

Though I am, once again, talking in general terms--the E36 suspension may be different. I haven't had to mess with it so I don't know the particulars for these cars.

--DD

ohyunjin · 06-24-2003, 08:12 AM

thanks for all the help guys. from what i've learned, it seems that the e36 does not have an adjustable camber. so dave is probably right and there are suspension issues, worn bushings i'm guessing. e36 has problems with the control arms and bushings, so i'll check on getting those replaced. (that'll be a whole other thread). either way, i'm taking the car someplace else.