Vorshlag plates installed. Small issue. Thoughts?

jeremydgreat · 07-10-2010, 09:39 PM

I lifted the car and did a little test run adjustment, the golden bolt slid all the way forward in its place. See the pics below for an example of what I'm talking about. My shop told me not to touch the large golden bolt on the top because it's not something I'm supposed to adjust. So how do I close the gap?

Secondary question: think it's okay to drive like this (need to drive from San Diego to LA tomorrow).

Thanks all!
~ Jeremy

jeremydgreat · 07-10-2010, 09:46 PM

hmm.. from the looks of it, now I'm thinking that the top doesn't "slide" along that slot. It looks like there's three possible places to screw it in and one is installed in the center, and the other is installed all the way forward.

hmmm.

aisthetes · 07-11-2010, 08:46 AM

Hey Jeremy - congratulations on the plates. Now you'll really be able to take advantage of your Star Specs.

Your shop is right, you don't try to loosen the large nut in the strut tower. You loosen up the three nuts on the strut tower for camber adjustment. For negative camber, the large nut in the center will move toward the inward edges of the tower openings, closest to the motor, as you adjust either right or left.

I jacked up the car after the nuts were loose and pushed the top of the tire (very hard) inward, which will cause the large nut/plate to move inward at the same time. It's a PITA to hold the tire in with one arm and hand tighten the nuts on the strut tower to lock in your setting. My alignment guy used a screwdriver to pry the large nut inward while loosened up on the alignment rack without jacking the car up, so either way works. His method was definitely easier.

The key is to stick to the marks your alignment shop made, but I've found even that isn't a perfect science to get the specs even on both sides and can't compare to the accuracy setting up a particular setting on the rack. I chose to go back and have the shop set up -2.5 deg and align it perfectly in that setting, and I leave it that way all the time. My concern was uneven tire wear by trying to hit the marker ticks or altering toe a bit from moving back and forth, so I'd rather not deal with the hassle.

Even after being perfectly aligned, the large nut is all the way near the motor on one side to the edge of the strut tower opening, and the other has a little gap to the strut tower edge to get it to measure the same on both sides, so visually trying to set up camber by using the strut tower openings isn't an accurate method, either.

I know, all of this can be confusing (I was there a few months ago when I got mine), but once you get in there and play with it, it'll make sense.

jeremydgreat · 07-11-2010, 11:20 AM

Thanks Doug. That was really helpful.

I'm actually able to adjust the camber just fine- I loosen the three nuts at the top, push hard on the top of the tire and woop!... slides right over. SO I got that part.

It's the other adjustment that's off- I guess that's the toe. Think I can close that gap myself? It looks as if I just take out those 4 silver screws at the top with a hex tool, slide it to the proper position, and put the screws back in. I'm not sure though. Any ideas?

Dackelone · 07-11-2010, 12:50 PM

Just a general Question here... So the Vorschlag plates replace the OE strutbearing on top of the strut? Seems to me it would really make the ride harsh - since there is no rubber to give when you hammer a dip or pot hole!?

Also... these Vorschlag plates looks to ADD some distance to the top of the shocks. So would they make the ride hight higher somewhat? Like say 5 or 10mm higher? Am I missing something here?

aisthetes · 07-11-2010, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Just a general Question here... So the Vorschlag plates replace the OE strutbearing on top of the strut? Seems to me it would really make the ride harsh - since there is no rubber to give when you hammer a dip or pot hole!?

Also... these Vorschlag plates looks to ADD some distance to the top of the shocks. So would they make the ride hight higher somewhat? Like say 5 or 10mm higher? Am I missing something here?

Correct, the OE strut bearing is removed. You get more feedback through the steering wheel and better suspension responsiveness as a result. There is increased suspension noise when going over rough roads (mild "thumping" sound), but I haven't found the ride quality to have changed.

Actually, they lower the front ride height with the OE bearing removed. The car has noticeably less fender to tire clearance now.

jeremydgreat · 07-11-2010, 01:05 PM

aisthetes, you think I'm okay to drive like this? Have about 3 hrs of freeway driving to do today.

aisthetes · 07-11-2010, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeremydgreat

Thanks Doug. That was really helpful.

I'm actually able to adjust the camber just fine- I loosen the three nuts at the top, push hard on the top of the tire and woop!... slides right over. SO I got that part.

It's the other adjustment that's off- I guess that's the toe. Think I can close that gap myself? It looks as if I just take out those 4 silver screws at the top with a hex tool, slide it to the proper position, and put the screws back in. I'm not sure though. Any ideas?

Okay, I'm with you. Toe isn't adjustable with the plates - it's a job for the alignment shop from the suspension links underneath the car. You're talking about caster, which you don't want to start messing with either without an alignment rack.

It may be worth going back to the alignment shop to double check that everything is installed and set up properly if you're not sure.

aisthetes · 07-11-2010, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeremydgreat

aisthetes, you think I'm okay to drive like this? Have about 3 hrs of freeway driving to do today.

Shouldn't be an issue if you've already had the car aligned, which I assume you have. Have them double-check things when you can to avoid potential premature tire wear in the long run.

jeremydgreat · 07-11-2010, 01:38 PM

Had the alignment done after the coil over install, but not after the camber plates.

aisthetes · 07-11-2010, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeremydgreat

Had the alignment done after the coil over install, but not after the camber plates.

Then you definitely need another alignment. The plates attach from underneath and above the strut towers, so the struts have to be removed to install them. That'll throw off whatever alignment specs you had done prior.

nordique14 · 07-12-2010, 11:58 PM

The caster is actually 2 position not 3. Seeing 3 bolts makes you assume it is 3 position but is only 2 position. Both plates should have caster in the same position. My bolts are both near the front.

For the person concerned with the plates raising the ride height, see the pic below. It is the "stock" suspension version (which is also used for KW susp). Props to the original owner of the pic (I hope he doesn't mind me using it).

jeremydgreat · 07-13-2010, 01:32 AM

Got the word back from my shop. Installed incorrectly and they'll be fixing it so that both bolts are in the same position. After that, I guess it's alignment time.

aisthetes · 07-13-2010, 08:36 AM

Glad to hear the issue has been identified and will be corrected.

nordique14 · 07-13-2010, 12:28 PM

Post up you alignment specs afterward. I would be interested to see the max camber with a coilover setup.

07-10-2010, 09:39 PM	#1
jeremydgreat Captain 76 Rep 676 Posts Drives: 2009 135i Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: San Diego, CA (Carlsbad to be exact) iTrader: (1)	Vorshlag plates installed. Small issue. Thoughts? I lifted the car and did a little test run adjustment, the golden bolt slid all the way forward in its place. See the pics below for an example of what I'm talking about. My shop told me not to touch the large golden bolt on the top because it's not something I'm supposed to adjust. So how do I close the gap? Secondary question: think it's okay to drive like this (need to drive from San Diego to LA tomorrow). Thanks all! ~ Jeremy __________________ 135i // M-Sports Package // RR Oil Catch Can // Black Kidneys // iCarbon Hood // Alum Pedals // KW v2 Coilovers // Vorshlag Camber Plates // Hotchkis Sway Bar // Wheel Studs. Best mod ever? Tires. 255's in front, 275's in back.
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07-10-2010, 09:46 PM	#2
jeremydgreat Captain 76 Rep 676 Posts Drives: 2009 135i Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: San Diego, CA (Carlsbad to be exact) iTrader: (1)	hmm.. from the looks of it, now I'm thinking that the top doesn't "slide" along that slot. It looks like there's three possible places to screw it in and one is installed in the center, and the other is installed all the way forward. hmmm.
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07-11-2010, 08:46 AM	#3
aisthetes First Lieutenant 13 Rep 340 Posts Drives: 2013 M3 Competition Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Colorado iTrader: (0)	Hey Jeremy - congratulations on the plates. Now you'll really be able to take advantage of your Star Specs. Your shop is right, you don't try to loosen the large nut in the strut tower. You loosen up the three nuts on the strut tower for camber adjustment. For negative camber, the large nut in the center will move toward the inward edges of the tower openings, closest to the motor, as you adjust either right or left. I jacked up the car after the nuts were loose and pushed the top of the tire (very hard) inward, which will cause the large nut/plate to move inward at the same time. It's a PITA to hold the tire in with one arm and hand tighten the nuts on the strut tower to lock in your setting. My alignment guy used a screwdriver to pry the large nut inward while loosened up on the alignment rack without jacking the car up, so either way works. His method was definitely easier. The key is to stick to the marks your alignment shop made, but I've found even that isn't a perfect science to get the specs even on both sides and can't compare to the accuracy setting up a particular setting on the rack. I chose to go back and have the shop set up -2.5 deg and align it perfectly in that setting, and I leave it that way all the time. My concern was uneven tire wear by trying to hit the marker ticks or altering toe a bit from moving back and forth, so I'd rather not deal with the hassle. Even after being perfectly aligned, the large nut is all the way near the motor on one side to the edge of the strut tower opening, and the other has a little gap to the strut tower edge to get it to measure the same on both sides, so visually trying to set up camber by using the strut tower openings isn't an accurate method, either. I know, all of this can be confusing (I was there a few months ago when I got mine), but once you get in there and play with it, it'll make sense.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-11-2010, 11:20 AM	#4
jeremydgreat Captain 76 Rep 676 Posts Drives: 2009 135i Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: San Diego, CA (Carlsbad to be exact) iTrader: (1)	Thanks Doug. That was really helpful. I'm actually able to adjust the camber just fine- I loosen the three nuts at the top, push hard on the top of the tire and woop!... slides right over. SO I got that part. It's the other adjustment that's off- I guess that's the toe. Think I can close that gap myself? It looks as if I just take out those 4 silver screws at the top with a hex tool, slide it to the proper position, and put the screws back in. I'm not sure though. Any ideas? __________________ 135i // M-Sports Package // RR Oil Catch Can // Black Kidneys // iCarbon Hood // Alum Pedals // KW v2 Coilovers // Vorshlag Camber Plates // Hotchkis Sway Bar // Wheel Studs. Best mod ever? Tires. 255's in front, 275's in back.
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07-11-2010, 12:50 PM	#5
Dackelone European Editor 10532 Rep 22,992 Posts Drives: N54 e82 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Bayern, Germany iTrader: (1)	Just a general Question here... So the Vorschlag plates replace the OE strutbearing on top of the strut? Seems to me it would really make the ride harsh - since there is no rubber to give when you hammer a dip or pot hole!? Also... these Vorschlag plates looks to ADD some distance to the top of the shocks. So would they make the ride hight higher somewhat? Like say 5 or 10mm higher? Am I missing something here?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-11-2010, 01:05 PM	#7
jeremydgreat Captain 76 Rep 676 Posts Drives: 2009 135i Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: San Diego, CA (Carlsbad to be exact) iTrader: (1)	aisthetes, you think I'm okay to drive like this? Have about 3 hrs of freeway driving to do today.
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07-11-2010, 01:38 PM	#10
jeremydgreat Captain 76 Rep 676 Posts Drives: 2009 135i Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: San Diego, CA (Carlsbad to be exact) iTrader: (1)	Had the alignment done after the coil over install, but not after the camber plates.
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07-12-2010, 11:58 PM	#12
nordique14 Major 53 Rep 1,477 Posts Drives: SGM 135i 'vert Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Sharks Territory iTrader: (5)	The caster is actually 2 position not 3. Seeing 3 bolts makes you assume it is 3 position but is only 2 position. Both plates should have caster in the same position. My bolts are both near the front. For the person concerned with the plates raising the ride height, see the pic below. It is the "stock" suspension version (which is also used for KW susp). Props to the original owner of the pic (I hope he doesn't mind me using it).
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-13-2010, 01:32 AM	#13
jeremydgreat Captain 76 Rep 676 Posts Drives: 2009 135i Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: San Diego, CA (Carlsbad to be exact) iTrader: (1)	Got the word back from my shop. Installed incorrectly and they'll be fixing it so that both bolts are in the same position. After that, I guess it's alignment time. __________________ 135i // M-Sports Package // RR Oil Catch Can // Black Kidneys // iCarbon Hood // Alum Pedals // KW v2 Coilovers // Vorshlag Camber Plates // Hotchkis Sway Bar // Wheel Studs. Best mod ever? Tires. 255's in front, 275's in back.
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07-13-2010, 08:36 AM	#14
aisthetes First Lieutenant 13 Rep 340 Posts Drives: 2013 M3 Competition Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Colorado iTrader: (0)	Glad to hear the issue has been identified and will be corrected.
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07-13-2010, 12:28 PM	#15
nordique14 Major 53 Rep 1,477 Posts Drives: SGM 135i 'vert Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Sharks Territory iTrader: (5)	Post up you alignment specs afterward. I would be interested to see the max camber with a coilover setup.
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