Frame bent!
 

I've had a problem with camber on the rear passenger side. I though it was suspension, since it's been lowered in the back. Finally, I went to miami, put a lot of weight in the back, a few days after I came back, the tire poped. It just ripped the inside wall all around!! I went to the shop and they were going to do alignment and change shocks, also put something like camber kit, but they said it was like a disk. I don't know what exactly. Anyway, they called the dealership for the part but the dealer said it's most likely to be a bent frame.
Does that mean the whole diff needs to be replaced? Does any frame fit the ti?? I saw some on eBay for very reasonable price. I'm thinking if I need to change the whole thing, I'll just get M one, LSD possibly?
Mine's a 98, non-M, pretty stock. Installing M diff would be good if in future I do a swap too, right? No need to do it twice.
Any suggestions are helpful right now.

diff doesn't need to be changed

you can use a rear subframe off a Z3 or another ti

Doubt that you have a bent frame unless you were in an accident or hit something like a curb drifting sideways, but it is possible. When you lower the car the rear wheels become toe-in and the camber goes more negative, basically the suspension geometry gets screwed up. When you carry a heavy load in the trunk the car sits even lower exacerbating the toe-in and camber problem.
The toe-in is what really wears down the tread on your tires and kills them because they are being drug across the pavement (sideways by a minute amount) for every revolution. That is what kills the tire tread and causes the most tire wear. Negative camber also is not good either and it will cause wear on the inner edges of the tread.
There is a stock replacement trailing arm bushing that can be installed in the trailing arm hinges to help correct these problems. It would probably have to be done by a BMW dealer or a shop that is knowledgeable with these trailing arm suspensions. There are other camber/toe kits out there also. There are poly eccentric bushings (most people complain that they squeak). There is also an eccentric bolt kit that can be installed on the 4 hinges of the axle carrier. In my opinion this is the best solution and gives you the most adjustment for camber and toe, but it is not easy to install. The brackets that are used with the bolts need to be welded to the axle-carrier and the hinge holes need to be slotted. This kit will require some fabrication skills which is something to consider when you decide what to do to fix this problem.

08 SET RUBBER MOUNTING ECCENTRIC D=30MM 2 33329058822 $33.38

ok. That's what they said. Because it was lowered and it has been driven, and probably not too carefully, the frame bent little by little. I will check this bushing out. Easy to instal?? A friend of my dad has had the same problem and changed the frame himself, he has couple of BMWs and works on them. So there is no camber kit at end? I was surprised when they told me that in the shop. I have a friend that works in a shop too, so I will talk to him about it. I am seeking for the simpliest solution and least expensive, as I was planning to sell the car when I found out. It's a little over mine and my dads reach. I don't want to let go of my car!!! Thanks for the tips!

there is nothing to be bent in the rear of the car, in terms of the frame... unibody does not bend that easy, unless you were hit by a mack truck.

went through the same nightmare scenario last winter... & in my case it was a bent trailing arm & a bent subframe cross member (both replaced). ebay is your friend.

your camber will always be off, if the car is lowered....

I think he means SUBFRAME. I installed the M coupe / roadster rear end complete, but as far as I could tell, they looked identical. Yea ebay is great for this I think I saw a ti subframe for $50 on there.

The tire popping can happen pretty easily if you run low on air.. but I am guessing one side looks worse than the other. I once heard the arms will bend easier than the subframe, but who knows maybe the subframe hit something but then you'd probably notice a dent.. I'm sure it depends on what caused it, I don't think some extra weight would bend anything..

I'm real happy with the m coupe subframe, you get limited slip and some beef. A little taller ratio, but it feels better to me and I don't notice any difference from a stop so it's all good (and I was considering going to a shorter ratio) unless you have an automatic, then it maybe noticeably taller. (stock 3.45 / 3.46 , mcoupe 3.23, m3 3.15)


I was through the steel belt on both rear tires last time before changing them.. Very bad in the wet! When it finally started to go I had 10+ leaks in one tire.. patched them all at a friends house and made it about 5 miles before it went flat again, by then I was 10 blocks from home.

I didn't mean that it bent because of the weight. It just went lower so it rubbed on the tire maybe... the inside WALL was ripped all across.. not the thread of the tire... it's weird! and yea I think subframe would be the correct term.. not the whole frame. I will make sure to check all that!

Stock alignment is 2 to 3 degrees....

Dave

Yep, that's how these lo-pro tires come apart when low on air.

How hard is it to replace the trailing arm? I have to replace the driver side arm soon. Is there a write up on it somewhere as well as one covering replacing the wheel bearings? I got the hub/bearing tool from Pelican Parts but I think the directions need some work or maybe they don't apply with ti's...

I haven't done it in the car, but it shouldn't be too bad at all..

You'll need a 30mm socket for the axle after punching the retainer clip out

remove shock
undo swaybar
jack up car
remove wheel
unclip brake/abs sensors
remove brake caliper
remove spring
remove the trailing arm!

I think that's it..

... sorry I don't know about the rear wheel bearing..