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View Full Version : Alignment adjustment points?



mindspin311
06-16-2014, 09:25 AM
So curious to know what is adjustable on the ZHP for alignment and where that is performed on the suspension.

Obviously something like front toe is adjusted via the tie rods, but what about rear toe, camber, etc?

Please help a noob!

Dave1027
06-16-2014, 11:27 AM
The front camber is adjusted by first punching out the locator pins in the strut mounts and moving the mount. Only slight adjustments are possible. Any more than that requires after market camber plates.

The rear toe is adjusted by loosening (3 bolts) and moving the rtab mount.
The rear camber is adjusted by a cam on the lower control arm. If you lower the car too much you may go outside the cam's adjustemt range in which case you'd need after market adjustable lower control arms.

mindspin311
06-16-2014, 11:29 AM
The front camber is adjusted by first punching out the locator pins in the strut mounts and moving the mount. Only slight adjustments are possible. Any more than that requires after market camber plates.

The rear toe is adjusted by loosening (3 bolts) and moving the rtab mount.
The rear camber is adjusted by a cam on the lower control arm. If you lower the car too much you may go outside the cam's adjustemt range in which case you'd need after market adjustable lower control arms.

Oh, no camber bolts up front? Just the locater pin on the strut top?

LivesNearCostco
06-16-2014, 01:15 PM
Yes. Because of the front strut design there isn't anywhere to use camber bolts, where on the E36 you can stick in washers (sometimes with longer bolts) where the strut attaches to the spindle to get more negative camber. On the E36 M3 and possibly the E46 M3, the stock strut mount is not centered, so you can swap sides to get more negative camber. But the E46 non-M stock strut mounts are centered so swapping sides doesn't do anything.

mindspin311
06-16-2014, 01:17 PM
Gotcha. Sounds like my Mini. Only way to gain camber is to pull a pin which locates the strut top. Conveniently, the mounting holes were slotted.

Sounds like the same thing for the E46 as well.