Alignment Issues (Please Help)

LYCANtreo · 03-07-2015, 09:46 AM

I can't get the car alignment straight after installing the TRW M3/M1 front control arms. The shop I took the car to couldn't get it straight and after 2 hours of trying the sent me to this other shop and they also couldn't get the car aligned.

Can anyone assist or suggest a shop who can properly align the car. Preferably a shop in NYC. Thanks for reading.

MightyMouseTech · 03-07-2015, 09:55 AM

What do you mean it could not be aligned? All you are doing is setting the toe. If they can't get that right, I would not trust them to even fill my washer fluid.

LYCANtreo · 03-07-2015, 10:00 AM

My thoughts exactly, and they want me to bring the car back.

MightyMouseTech · 03-07-2015, 10:02 AM

What EXACTLY do you mean by "can't get the car alignment straight"? That is a pretty vague statement.

LYCANtreo · 03-07-2015, 10:19 AM

The car is basically is pulling hard to the left.

LYCANtreo · 03-07-2015, 10:21 AM

At this point I'm thinking the shop installed them wrong.

MightyMouseTech · 03-07-2015, 10:26 AM

A pull is most likely your tires, and has nothing do to with the alignment.

LYCANtreo · 03-07-2015, 10:31 AM

Your saying that the wheels are off balance? They where fine before the attempted alignment? I will have them checked out and hopefully your right...
Thanks,

MightyMouseTech · 03-07-2015, 10:40 AM

Are you sure it is a pull and not just the steering wheel off center? A pull is when you let go of the steering wheel, and the car will pull dramatically to one side, but usually only at highway speeds, and will always do it to one side, in the far right or far left lane. If it pulls one way in the left lane, and to the other way in the right lane, it is just following road crown, and that is normal. Setting the front toe to maximum toe in can reduce the effect of road crown.

If you are driving straight, and the car tracks straight, just the wheel is at an angle, that is not a pull.

Not the balance. All tires have radial pull. If the radial pull is not the same left to right, the car will pull. If you don't have a machine that can measure the radial pull of the tires, just switching them left to right can tell you. If you switch the tires left to right and now the pull is in the other direction, then there you go.

Do you have a printout from the alignment?

LYCANtreo · 03-07-2015, 12:14 PM

It seems like I will have to go for a long ride at various speeds to get a better assessment and to determine exactly what the car is actually doing. Once I do that I will get back to you.

I didn't ask for it for the the print out. I'm going to go to another shop and perhaps get this issue resolve.

chris82 · 03-12-2015, 08:37 AM

Any update on this?

Xyloft · 03-12-2015, 08:49 AM

when i had my car aligned, I called a few local shops and as soon as I mentioned BMW, they said they wouldn't touch it. turned down my business straight up.

Ended up taking it to the dealer.

LYCANtreo · 03-12-2015, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris82

Any update on this?

Well A friend of a friend that works at Sears in Queens Blvd. in Queens NY. He was able to get the car aligned with no issues. He stated that the previous shop didn't take into account that the M3 CA upgrade have a .75 camber. He also set the front toe to maximum (toe in) just like MightyMouseTech suggested. The car is aligned and running smoothly. I must say that this is one of the best if not THE best Mod I have done to my car. I'm seriously thinking about getting the rears done before the summer gets here.

MightyMouseTech, I want to thank you for taking the time to help and the suggestions!

MightyMouseTech · 03-12-2015, 09:11 AM

Glad to have helped.

LYCANtreo · 03-12-2015, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xyloft

when i had my car aligned, I called a few local shops and as soon as I mentioned BMW, they said they wouldn't touch it. turned down my business straight up.

Ended up taking it to the dealer.

What did they charge you @ the stealership? Just curious...

Xyloft · 03-12-2015, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LYCANtreo

What did they charge you @ the stealership? Just curious...

the dealer where I bought the car wanted $189.

I checked the other dealer in the area and they wanted $130

LYCANtreo · 03-12-2015, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xyloft

the dealer where I bought the car wanted $189.

I checked the other dealer in the area and they wanted $130

That's not bad, Sears charged me $110 Plus the guy told me that if within the year if i have issues with the alignment i can bring it back to them and they will realign the car at no charge...

jafo1701 · 03-13-2015, 08:59 PM

hmmmm.....weird, glad you got it to work out though. I have the M3 arms and run a tiny bit of Toe out on each tire. The rear tires are of course toed in. Helped immensly with turn in at the track, car tracks straight too.

03-07-2015, 09:46 AM	#1
LYCANtreo Private First Class 25 Rep 305 Posts Drives: LYCAN 09 AW 135i M Sport Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: New York iTrader: (2)	Alignment Issues (Please Help) I can't get the car alignment straight after installing the TRW M3/M1 front control arms. The shop I took the car to couldn't get it straight and after 2 hours of trying the sent me to this other shop and they also couldn't get the car aligned. Can anyone assist or suggest a shop who can properly align the car. Preferably a shop in NYC. Thanks for reading. __________________ AW '09 135i M package \| aFe Intake \| aFe Axle Back \| aFe Throttle Body Spacer \| Vishnu Procede 2.5 \| Alpina B3 Flash \| BMS Cowl Filters \| Matte Black Kidneys \| AA Charge Pipe \| Tial BOV\| VRSF DP's \|M3/1M Front Control Arm Upgrade Kit \| Last edited by LYCANtreo; 03-09-2015 at 08:23 AM..
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03-07-2015, 09:55 AM	#2
MightyMouseTech Major General 4338 Rep 6,196 Posts Drives: 13 135i 6MT LeMans Blue MSport Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Ottawa, Canada iTrader: (0)	What do you mean it could not be aligned? All you are doing is setting the toe. If they can't get that right, I would not trust them to even fill my washer fluid.
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03-07-2015, 10:00 AM	#3
LYCANtreo Private First Class 25 Rep 305 Posts Drives: LYCAN 09 AW 135i M Sport Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: New York iTrader: (2)	My thoughts exactly, and they want me to bring the car back. __________________ AW '09 135i M package \| aFe Intake \| aFe Axle Back \| aFe Throttle Body Spacer \| Vishnu Procede 2.5 \| Alpina B3 Flash \| BMS Cowl Filters \| Matte Black Kidneys \| AA Charge Pipe \| Tial BOV\| VRSF DP's \|M3/1M Front Control Arm Upgrade Kit \|
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03-07-2015, 10:02 AM	#4
MightyMouseTech Major General 4338 Rep 6,196 Posts Drives: 13 135i 6MT LeMans Blue MSport Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Ottawa, Canada iTrader: (0)	What EXACTLY do you mean by "can't get the car alignment straight"? That is a pretty vague statement.
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03-07-2015, 10:19 AM	#5
LYCANtreo Private First Class 25 Rep 305 Posts Drives: LYCAN 09 AW 135i M Sport Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: New York iTrader: (2)	The car is basically is pulling hard to the left. __________________ AW '09 135i M package \| aFe Intake \| aFe Axle Back \| aFe Throttle Body Spacer \| Vishnu Procede 2.5 \| Alpina B3 Flash \| BMS Cowl Filters \| Matte Black Kidneys \| AA Charge Pipe \| Tial BOV\| VRSF DP's \|M3/1M Front Control Arm Upgrade Kit \|
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03-07-2015, 10:21 AM	#6
LYCANtreo Private First Class 25 Rep 305 Posts Drives: LYCAN 09 AW 135i M Sport Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: New York iTrader: (2)	At this point I'm thinking the shop installed them wrong. __________________ AW '09 135i M package \| aFe Intake \| aFe Axle Back \| aFe Throttle Body Spacer \| Vishnu Procede 2.5 \| Alpina B3 Flash \| BMS Cowl Filters \| Matte Black Kidneys \| AA Charge Pipe \| Tial BOV\| VRSF DP's \|M3/1M Front Control Arm Upgrade Kit \|
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03-07-2015, 10:26 AM	#7
MightyMouseTech Major General 4338 Rep 6,196 Posts Drives: 13 135i 6MT LeMans Blue MSport Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Ottawa, Canada iTrader: (0)	A pull is most likely your tires, and has nothing do to with the alignment.
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03-07-2015, 10:31 AM	#8
LYCANtreo Private First Class 25 Rep 305 Posts Drives: LYCAN 09 AW 135i M Sport Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: New York iTrader: (2)	Your saying that the wheels are off balance? They where fine before the attempted alignment? I will have them checked out and hopefully your right... Thanks, __________________ AW '09 135i M package \| aFe Intake \| aFe Axle Back \| aFe Throttle Body Spacer \| Vishnu Procede 2.5 \| Alpina B3 Flash \| BMS Cowl Filters \| Matte Black Kidneys \| AA Charge Pipe \| Tial BOV\| VRSF DP's \|M3/1M Front Control Arm Upgrade Kit \|
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03-07-2015, 10:40 AM	#9
MightyMouseTech Major General 4338 Rep 6,196 Posts Drives: 13 135i 6MT LeMans Blue MSport Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Ottawa, Canada iTrader: (0)	Are you sure it is a pull and not just the steering wheel off center? A pull is when you let go of the steering wheel, and the car will pull dramatically to one side, but usually only at highway speeds, and will always do it to one side, in the far right or far left lane. If it pulls one way in the left lane, and to the other way in the right lane, it is just following road crown, and that is normal. Setting the front toe to maximum toe in can reduce the effect of road crown. If you are driving straight, and the car tracks straight, just the wheel is at an angle, that is not a pull. Not the balance. All tires have radial pull. If the radial pull is not the same left to right, the car will pull. If you don't have a machine that can measure the radial pull of the tires, just switching them left to right can tell you. If you switch the tires left to right and now the pull is in the other direction, then there you go. Do you have a printout from the alignment?
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03-07-2015, 12:14 PM	#10
LYCANtreo Private First Class 25 Rep 305 Posts Drives: LYCAN 09 AW 135i M Sport Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: New York iTrader: (2)	It seems like I will have to go for a long ride at various speeds to get a better assessment and to determine exactly what the car is actually doing. Once I do that I will get back to you. I didn't ask for it for the the print out. I'm going to go to another shop and perhaps get this issue resolve. __________________ AW '09 135i M package \| aFe Intake \| aFe Axle Back \| aFe Throttle Body Spacer \| Vishnu Procede 2.5 \| Alpina B3 Flash \| BMS Cowl Filters \| Matte Black Kidneys \| AA Charge Pipe \| Tial BOV\| VRSF DP's \|M3/1M Front Control Arm Upgrade Kit \|
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03-12-2015, 08:37 AM	#11
chris82 Brigadier General 827 Rep 3,856 Posts Drives: 128i Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: NY NY iTrader: (8) Garage List 2009 BMW 128i [9.80]	Any update on this?
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03-12-2015, 08:49 AM	#12
Xyloft Lieutenant 34 Rep 504 Posts Drives: 2008 AW 128i Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Ohio iTrader: (0)	when i had my car aligned, I called a few local shops and as soon as I mentioned BMW, they said they wouldn't touch it. turned down my business straight up. Ended up taking it to the dealer. __________________ 2008 BMW 128i 2022 BMW 330e
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03-12-2015, 09:11 AM	#14
MightyMouseTech Major General 4338 Rep 6,196 Posts Drives: 13 135i 6MT LeMans Blue MSport Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Ottawa, Canada iTrader: (0)	Glad to have helped.
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03-13-2015, 08:59 PM	#18
jafo1701 Second Lieutenant 39 Rep 257 Posts Drives: 2011 135i, 2016 VW GTI Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Iowa iTrader: (0)	hmmmm.....weird, glad you got it to work out though. I have the M3 arms and run a tiny bit of Toe out on each tire. The rear tires are of course toed in. Helped immensly with turn in at the track, car tracks straight too.
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