» Site Navigation | | » Recent Threads | | | | | | | 05-26-2006, 12:34 AM | #1 | Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Manassas, VA Posts: 4,129 | Wheel alignment I just went to Firestone, to see if they could do a wheel alignment on my car. It was lowered last weekend, and needs to be aligned. He punched in the data into his computer, and the machine said weights must be added to the driver's and passengers front seats. Also the car needs a full tank of gas to do it correctly. Anyone ever heard of this? I know he wasn't jerking me around, because I watched him type the info into the computer, and a diagram of my car appeared, along with the points shown where weight must be added. He said they do not perform alignments on BMW cars because of the procedure called out by BMW. Do you think there are other European repair shops that will do the job, besides the dealerships? __________________ 1998 (July) 318ti, 5-spd OEM Armrest Blaupunkt Heidelberg CD50 CD Player/Compact Drive MP3 Player Diamond Audio 5.25" rear speakers Navman ICN 530 GPS BMWALARM.COM (with comfort settings) after market alarm system Magnecor 8.5mm wires M-Z3 Shifter/Momo Knob Burlwood Dashboard Stromung Exhaust X-brace Racing Dynamics Front Strut Bar Carbonio C.A.I. 17" Rial Rims Vader Seats/Heated/Lumbar Support M-tech Steering Wheel/Front Sway Bar/Front & Rear Bumper Depos/w 6500K Angel Eyes/6000K HIDs Clear Corners M3 Mirrors UUC Light Weight Flywheel/M5 Clutch/M3 Clutch Slave E28 3.46 LSD/Mcoupe Cover/E30 Flanges & Halfshafts UUC S.S. Brake/Clutch Lines Hartge Roof Spoiler BavAuto Springs Bilstein Sport Struts/Shocks E46 M3 Rear Shock Mounts SPC Front Camber Kit Reiger Hatch Spoiler BavAuto Rear Camber Kit Dinan Stage II Software Turner Rear Sway Bar Reinforcements BMW E46 Auto dimming mirror with Clown Nose alarm Engine Compartment Light Heated Wiper Fluid Retrofit OEM Fire Extinguisher Da'lan Trailer Hitch Rear Sun Shade OEM Fog Light Retrofit H & R MZ3 Rear Sway Bar/ UUC Adjustable End Links Cruise Control Retrofit On Board Computer Retrofit M3 twistie style side skirts Carbon Fiber Hood | | | 05-26-2006, 12:45 AM | #2 | Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 1,587 | The Bentley mentions doing this for alignments and for the front control arm bushings. When I did mine (LCAB) I loaded it as closely as possible to that spec. If you were to bring it in loaded correctly you'd think they could then do it. But maybe they don't want to deal with that?? For those interested, The Bentley says: 150 lbs. Front Right Seat 150 lbs. Front Left Seat 150 lbs. Rear Seat (Center) 46 lbs. in trunk Full Fuel | | | 05-26-2006, 12:48 AM | #3 | Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Potomac, Maryland Posts: 230 | thats really interesting, i never heard anything like it lol | | | 05-26-2006, 12:56 AM | #4 | Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Walnut Creek, CA Posts: 642 | Yes, proper alignment ideally calls for you to sit in the drivers seat and have half to a full tank of gas. Besides the dealer, there are some alignment shops I would trust which service high end cars/race cars. You usually find them by word of mouth. I would not trust the run of the mill pep boys, firestone, sears, etc. The ones I know are on the west coast, so sorry I can't help you out east. __________________ '95 330ti CS w/sr delete, S50USB30, cams, 24# inj, Conforti SW, Euro HFM, Samco Silicone Intake Boot, BBTB, Euro Oil Cooler, JTD CAI Duct, RE DMS exhaust, RE Tranny mounts, CF Valve Cover, LTW flywheel/Kevlar sprung hub clutch, RE SSK, 3.46 Finned LSD (M6) , M3 tranny, Brembos, RE Wheel Studs, SS brake/clutch lines, CF interior, Rear Headrest retrofit, Tilt Steering retrofit, 13.5 lb DynaBatt in rear, LED interior/footwell lights, ZKW HID, Headlight Aim Control, Rear fog light w/cluster indicator, CF 3 Aux gauge pod, BMW Traffic Pro/Alpine MP3-CD Changer, Staggered LTW wheels, '95 M3 steering rack, VIS CF Hood, M3 LTW Strut Bar, TCK SA coilovers, Red LTW Motorsport Seatbelts, OEM Fire Extinguisher, Z8 Starter button, Auto dim rear view mirror w/ Homelink/Compass, PDC, Rear Sun Shade, Euro Gauge Cluster w/oil temp/shift light , Headlight Washers, "Motorsport" Door Handles, CF Grills, French ZKW Fogs, Euro dash bins, Power Lumbar Support is next, Coming e39 M5 interior light, Bimmer Magazine 8/2007 | | | 05-26-2006, 12:53 AM | #5 | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Muncie, Indiana Posts: 1,551 | That seems like it would give the car too little camber in daily driving. I had my car aligned with as much fuel as I plan to have during autocrosses (1/4 tank)and nothing in the seats. If you want a good handling car you do want to have negative camber. Do you know what kind of specs you are going for? | | | 05-26-2006, 01:12 AM | #6 | aka Stabby Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mead, CO Posts: 5,336 | sounds like bmw specifies a more comprehensive way to do it. how much weight in each of the seats? other places likely just ignore the bmw specs. EDIT: nm, someone else posted the info. i would more or less agree with clex2. have it aligned how you normally drive it (or what state you'd want the best handling). i would go with what clex said, me in the driver's seat and half tank of gas. __________________ 1996 318ti, California package, 267k miles current mods: bilstein sports, bavauto springs, e30 m3 LCABs, solid metal ball joints, bavauto RSMs w/reinforcements, e30 3.73 LSD & halfshafts, supersprint cat-back exhaust, turner rear sway bar reinforcements, IE poly subframe & RTABs + camber/toe kits, powdercoated e36 32x front calipers, sport mirrors, H&R 28mmF/19mmR sway bars, x-brace, auto solutions SSK w/poly bushing upgrade, BMW CD43 head unit, DICE HD Radio w/iPod integration and "stealth" HD antenna, staggered style 68s, orange electronic TPMS, leather arm rest, JT Designs metal undertray acquired and awaiting install: heated seat kit, cali top switch relo, lumbar support kit, park distance control kit, heated washer nozzle kit, m-coupe rear subframe, trailing arms, differential, and halfshafts, m-coupe front/rear brakes with master cylinder, under hood light kit, mud flaps, rear sun blind, auto-dimming rear view mirror, tilt steering wheel retrofit, apexcone 5000K HIDs with 55W ballasts 2002 X5 4.4 Sport Package, 53.5k miles Current Mods: e46 m3 steering wheel | | | 05-26-2006, 01:24 AM | #7 | doesn't care about you. Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 3,925 | Does anyone have a procedure for doing an alignment themselves? Like a DIY aligment write up? I know lots of people do their own alignments, just curious if it was documented somewhere. __________________ '99 Dinan M3 | | | 05-26-2006, 03:43 AM | #8 | Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 1,587 | Quote: Originally Posted by DustenT Does anyone have a procedure for doing an alignment themselves? Like a DIY aligment write up? I know lots of people do their own alignments, just curious if it was documented somewhere. | You'd think you could come up with a way to do it on the 318ti. Front toe is really the only readily adjustable spec. on the whole car. Google here I come.... I installed new shocks a couple months ago and I've yet to get an alignment. oops | | | 05-26-2006, 07:07 AM | #9 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Portland Or Posts: 2,666 | Its best to align a car as it is normally loaded, The BMW spec assumes some average of 2 adults 1.2 kids and a Weimaraner. If I was tracking the car I want it setup with me in it. and a fuel load that I can reproduce... Thats for track handling. BMW does pretty well on specs for general use. (IMHO) Dave __________________ Dave - PDX 1995 318ti - Active Black and Tan. 2005 330xi - Mtech 1 - 6spd - Orient Blue/Black | | | 05-26-2006, 07:23 AM | #10 | Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: CG68 Posts: 280 | I had a shop in Flint turn me down because of the weighting. They sent me to another shop, and I mentioned the weights and they said, ah it doesn't matter much, we just do the alignment. LOL | | | 06-09-2006, 08:50 AM | #11 | Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 308 | That whole 150lb. front seats, 150lb. centered back seat, full tank of gas and whatever weight in the trunk is for measuring fender gap/checking ride height and condition of springs. Unless I read it wrong, it has nothing to do with adjusting one's alignment, just for checking ride height which in this case doesn't apply. __________________ '99 ti /Mtechnic, Schwartz II, Meyle Control Arms w/Full Metal Ball Joints, PowerFlex poly LCAB's, Pirelli P Zero/Nero 225/50/16, "the d-baffle"...... | | | 05-26-2006, 07:26 AM | #12 | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Plano Texas Posts: 206 | I heard that NTB will do them the right way __________________ K&N Cone Filter with Heat Shield, Racing Dynamics Strut bar, Blisten yellow sport suspension, Clears all around, Angel eyes, Dinan Engine Chip, Infinity BassLink 10" Sub, Lightweight Aluminum Flywheel | | | 06-09-2006, 02:05 AM | #13 | Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 14 | Camber What do you guys use for camber in the back? i currenlty have -2.2. its being changed now to -1.9. I have the H&R sports racing springs installed. | | | 06-09-2006, 03:02 AM | #14 | aka Stabby Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mead, CO Posts: 5,336 | Ireland engineering camber and toe adjustment kits. the kits are pretty cheap, but it'll take a good bit of labor to get them installed (slotted brackets need to be welded in where the trailing arms bolt to the subframe and then eccentric bolts allow adjustment). the other choice is eccentric trailing arm bushings (a number of sources). think there might be more information in the KB article on camber correction. __________________ 1996 318ti, California package, 267k miles current mods: bilstein sports, bavauto springs, e30 m3 LCABs, solid metal ball joints, bavauto RSMs w/reinforcements, e30 3.73 LSD & halfshafts, supersprint cat-back exhaust, turner rear sway bar reinforcements, IE poly subframe & RTABs + camber/toe kits, powdercoated e36 32x front calipers, sport mirrors, H&R 28mmF/19mmR sway bars, x-brace, auto solutions SSK w/poly bushing upgrade, BMW CD43 head unit, DICE HD Radio w/iPod integration and "stealth" HD antenna, staggered style 68s, orange electronic TPMS, leather arm rest, JT Designs metal undertray acquired and awaiting install: heated seat kit, cali top switch relo, lumbar support kit, park distance control kit, heated washer nozzle kit, m-coupe rear subframe, trailing arms, differential, and halfshafts, m-coupe front/rear brakes with master cylinder, under hood light kit, mud flaps, rear sun blind, auto-dimming rear view mirror, tilt steering wheel retrofit, apexcone 5000K HIDs with 55W ballasts 2002 X5 4.4 Sport Package, 53.5k miles Current Mods: e46 m3 steering wheel | | | 06-09-2006, 07:01 PM | #15 | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: cary, nc Posts: 2,259 | i got an alignment yesterday at a shop called European Performance....really awesome shop....cost 140 though! they never mentioned any weighting issues though... __________________ 1995 318ti Active Pioneer Speakers [] Aluminum Billet door locks [] ACS Pedals/Deadrest [] ACS Shift Knob / E-Brake Handle [] Clear Corners/Tails/Sides [] Sylvania Exterior Lighting [] Custom CAI [] Dinan Engine Chip [] Dinan Transmission Chip [] H&R Race Springs [] Tokico Illumina Shocks [] BMW X-Brace [] Relocated Lighter Mod [] Custom iPod Mod http://www.cardomain.com/id/robcarync | | | | | Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Posting Rules | You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | Similar Threads | Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post | WTB: Bent OEM Wheel | CirrusSR22 | US and North America | 5 | 11-25-2008 04:14 PM | |