Control arm install - adjust toe

[ShocknAwe]

I just installed the M3 front control arms. What a great fun install! The M3 arms are much beefier than the stockers, and the bearings are awesome.

Now, I am taking it for an alignment (new tires too) in the morning.

On to the question:
How do I set the toe CLOSE to zero so I can drive it? I could have it towed to the shop but I'd really rather not. It's only ~6 miles. I found one post that said 10 turns, one said 3.5 turns. How many turns is it typically to zero and, most importantly, WHICH DIRECTION? I have never done any alignment adjustment before.

[ShocknAwe]

Originally Posted by stevew145

If you are not sure, don't do it! I had them installed a couple weeks ago along with swift springs and koni yellows, and the car was toed in 1.67"! Yours is likely toed in close to the same amount. Driving it is fine for 6 miles, just don't drive around. Take your time, and hold on to the wheel with both hands, the car will be skittish and unpredictable, especially if its raining. It will not straighten itself up after a turn, you'll have to manually straighten the wheel. No one can say for sure how much you will need to adjust the toe without measuring it. Google instructions how to do a rough at home toe alignment, but honestly, 6 miles wont hurt anything if you take your time. I went probably 20 miles on mine and it was fine.

Thanks for the confirmation. Yeah I expect it to be a "fun" drive to the shop in the morning. Was looking to make it a bit more predictable since rush hour lasts from 0700-1030 here. I know where the toe is adjusted, just not which rotation on the bolt leads to toe in vs toe out. Agreed though, if no one can chime in here I'm going to leave it alone.

I imagine it will be less toe than you had since I installed my bilstein/swift combo a while back and got a BMW alignment (wont be doing that again if I can help it) done in the interim while I waited for my font tires to die.

[fe1rx]

Originally Posted by stevew145

Take your time, and hold on to the wheel with both hands, the car will be skittish and unpredictable, especially if its raining. It will not straighten itself up after a turn, you'll have to manually straighten the wheel. No one can say for sure how much you will need to adjust the toe without measuring it.

Here we have the stupid leading the blind.

I can say how much you need to adjust your toe, and I have:

Before driving the car, adjust the alignment yourself. Adding the M3 bits results in severe toe in. To get the toe back to where it was before you added the M3 bits, adjust both tie rods by exactly 3.5 turns (longer). Mark the tie rod so you can count the rotations, and make sure you start and finish with the tie rod outer end centered in its range of travel.

from #5:

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...4#post12391804

[houtan]

Lol!

Just FYI, link doesn't work

[The Transporter]

I followed Fe1rx advice and it worked for me. Here is a link to another thread on the same subject:

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=949470

See post #10

[ShocknAwe]

Originally Posted by The Transporter

I followed Fe1rx advice and it worked for me. Here is a link to another thread on the same subject:

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=949470

See post #10

Hit 100 degrees outside so I just called a tow truck. Too hot to bother with it. Took it around.d my neighborhood to see, steering is dangerous and I have tire roar from all the toe. Fuck trying to drive it like that. Tires are too low on tread and I do.t need a blowout or a totally preventable accident.

Thanks for the KNOWLEDGE guys. I'll keep it in mind for the future.

[ShocknAwe]

Update. New alignment, new front tires, new 4 corner balance. Car drives better than it did when it was new. This is really how the car should have come stock.

Also, went to a proper old school tire shop, and their alignment hands down embarrassed the paltry effort by BMWs techs. Less than half the cost. Been dealing with 4 wheel tire vibration for the past year too, and now thats gone too. BMW has balanced these tires SIX TIMES What's up with that? Starting to wonder if I will ever go back to the dealership.

[128Convertibleguy]

When I had these installed, my mechanic said it took substantially more than 3.5 turns to get it close.

You can set up a pair of strings parallel to the body of the car and measure toe from them. It won't be precisely accurate, but it should get the car close enough to drive to the alignment shop.

I would never try to drive the car with the toe as far out as it would be if you did nothing. Way too dangerous.

[fe1rx]

Originally Posted by 128Convertibleguy

When I had these installed, my mechanic said it took substantially more than 3.5 turns to get it close.

That is because an anecdotal "turn" is not the same as an actual turn. I mean it in the literal 360° sense of a "turn". A turn of the wrench is probably somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 of a 360° turn depending on the context and wrench accessibility.

So, we have me who measured, The Transporter who confirmed, and you with an anecdote. I figure data trumps anecdote.

Incidentally, I measured from a known toe prior to installing the M3 bits to the same toe after installing the M3 bits. The only reason to actually measure and not simply do was to add to the knowledge base on this forum. Obviously if your toe is off before you change the bits, you have to adjust for both that error and the change due to the increased track.

[128Convertibleguy]

Originally Posted by fe1rx

That is because an anecdotal "turn" is not the same as an actual turn. I mean it in the literal 360° sense of a "turn". A turn of the wrench is probably somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 of a 360° turn depending on the context and wrench accessibility.

So, we have me who measured, The Transporter who confirmed, and you with an anecdote. I figure data trumps anecdote.

My mechanic is a very smart guy, who knows what a "turn" is. I told him 3.5 turns each side, he said it took more. Actual data.

I'm not saying 3.5 doesn't work for some people. I am saying it's better to do some kind of measurement, however imprecise, rather than just relying on 3.5.

It's not that hard to set up a couple of parallel strings. Or build a trammel bar, which is what I believe he used. Below shows you how. The ruler is a refinement, which is not necessary. Move the movable pointer to fit the wheel, or even the tire, in back. Move the trammel bar to the front side of the wheel, or the tire. Measure the gap. If there's no gap, fit the movable pointer to the front side. It's pretty easy to get it down within 1/16th. NASCAR guys do this during a pit stop, if the car has been crunched.

http://enderw88.wordpress.com/2008/1...e-trammel-bar/