BMW 330 ZHP alignment and data + Pics

[danewilson77]

Well, the alignment at Les Schwab turned out not very productive. They refused to adjust the camber and caster. Only wanted to do the toes. The guy told me if I wanted a complete alignment I should take it to the BMW dealer because they have special tools to do the shock tower. They put the car on the rack and everything was close except for the right front which has the camber and caster of by almost a full degree. The guy said there was no evidence of accident but thinks somebody may have hit a pothole. He said all the bushings and ball joints are in great shape though. Carfax does say the bushings were done recently.

A car enthusiast friend of mine is recommending an indie shop. He's checking to see if they can do the work.

Hehe.... Those guys ARE special TOOLS.

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[Dave1027]

Found out last night that one of the reasons for my alignment problem is due to the right strut tower being mushroom. I ordered reinforcement plates and new strut mounts.

[danewilson77]

OK....good that you know and are going to re-enforce it. You've got to pound it flat as well.

[echo46]

Will the re-enforcement plates solve the issue and if it is pounded flat will that compromise its integrity?

[NorCalZman]

How often should one get an alignment? I have an email here for 15% off an alignment from the local BMW shop. I believe the car was aligned less than a year ago right before I bought it. The steering wheel is still pretty straight and feels tight.

[danewilson77]

Will the re-enforcement plates solve the issue and if it is pounded flat will that compromise its integrity?

Yes....the plates will make the top hats rock solid.

Obviously it would depend on how badly they are "out of shape" regarding structural integrity.

How often should one get an alignment? I have an email here for 15% off an alignment from the local BMW shop. I believe the car was aligned less than a year ago right before I bought it. The steering wheel is still pretty straight and feels tight.

I get an alignment when I get tires and/or when I replace suspension components (FCAB's or C/A's). Should obviously be done when drive-ability warrants an alignment as well.

[Newjack]

How often should one get an alignment? I have an email here for 15% off an alignment from the local BMW shop. I believe the car was aligned less than a year ago right before I bought it. The steering wheel is still pretty straight and feels tight.

Really depends on a lot of things. It is actually pretty difficult to mess up the alignment on a car. Over time it will be slightly off after hitting son many of our roads imperfections. Whether those are potholes or just bumps they can mess up the alignment over time.

Ideally, you want to get an alignment whenever you put on a fresh set of tires. This is to ensure you are getting the maximum level of treadlife out of each tire because they are wearing normally and evenly. If you start to notice vibrations in your steering wheel at certain speeds, you might want to get an alignment as corrective maintenence, mainly on newer tires.

tl;dr - get an alignment when you get a new set of tires, if you feel vibrations in your steering wheel or if your car is pulling one direction or the other.

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[Newjack]

How often should one get an alignment? I have an email here for 15% off an alignment from the local BMW shop. I believe the car was aligned less than a year ago right before I bought it. The steering wheel is still pretty straight and feels tight.

Also wanted to add, BMW charges a LOT for an alignment. Any reputable shop with a hunter road force lase machine can do the same quality alignment to bmw specs for half the cost.

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[aurelius]

Had an alignment today. Beyond the obvious year, make, & model info, I had them note sport suspension and 18" wheels. Despite best efforts aimed at avoiding mistakes, realized once I got home it was indeed aligned for sport + 18's. But unfortunately to M3 specs (per info on the spec sheet from the alignment computer).

I have only a vague idea what the alignment numbers mean but the E46 specs are linked below. Should I have it redone?

http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/...psa2b06cfb.jpg

[Washburn]

Ditto:
http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showt...ZHP-%28PICS%29

And yes, I had them redo it - for free, of course.