Post your alignment specs!

[Casa de Mesa]

Here are stats from my alignment yesterday and results from the dealers complimentary inspection.

Alignment guy said he thinks my drivers front control arm is slightly bent as he couldn't man handle it into position and barely got any change despite working it.

That doesn't look like a bent control arm to me. Was he calling out the roughly 1° difference in camber between left and right front measurements? If all else is within spec, that feels more like he couldn't get camber on your right side more negative. That's usually something at the top of the strut.

[Casa de Mesa]

Here is my current alignment.

[Thoglan]

If you don't take into account what that 1/8 inch or 1.5mm or other non-angle unit of measure translates into degrees, then he's right. If you have 2 theoretical tires with different diameters - let's just say one with a 50" diameter and one with a 25" diameter - a measurement of "1/8 inch of toe" will translate into different angles.

But your point (repoman) is taken - the effects are relatively nominal within the dimensions we're talking about (a passenger car tire), which is why inches or millimeters are generally accepted as "just fine".

If you're a nerd and do this yourself, go here and the spreadsheet will calculate everything for you:

https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/m...up-spreadsheet

This is true for doing a string alignment such as in that thread. But modern alignment machines will have you plug in the tyre dimensions. They then measure the angle with the laser and covert to whatever unit you want. Neither is more accurate than the other.

[Casa de Mesa]

This is true for doing a string alignment such as in that thread. But modern alignment machines will have you plug in the tyre dimensions. They then measure the angle with the laser and covert to whatever unit you want. Neither is more accurate than the other.

So what you're saying is 2+2=4 and 1+3=4. Got it.

[Arith2]

6 minutes is exactly equal to 0.1 degrees, and decimals and inches are both perfectly capable of representing arbitrary precision

My point is the difference of 5 minutes of a degree will cause a pull. I wouldn't accept anything with a split greater than 2 minutes of a degree. 4 minutes of a degree of camber is enough to compensate for road crown but will pull on a flat road. German cars are sensitive. A Porsche is even more sensitive. If it isn't almost dead on, it's going to have to be redone.

[CybrSlydr]

That doesn't look like a bent control arm to me. Was he calling out the roughly 1° difference in camber between left and right front measurements? If all else is within spec, that feels more like he couldn't get camber on your right side more negative. That's usually something at the top of the strut.

He was calling out the lack of improvement from where it started.

He could only get the 0.1 degree despite taking the wheel off and even did something with the strut - I don't recall exaty.

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[cornerbalanced]

My super scuffed alignment — once I get adjustable camber arms, going back for -1deg more negative camber & ~1.5deg more positive caster.

[Cubieman]

I'm going to ask a rookie question, I have never had the vehicle aligned and it's time.

I am looking for an "semi-aggresive" street setup that could also see the track a few times a year. I understand you can't do both with a single alignment but you get the idea.

I am running BC Coilovers (yea, they came w/ the car) and the vehicle sits fairly low currently and I don't necessarily want to raise for aesthetic reasons unless it would be of great benefit.

13&1/4" fender>center in the back

18" 9.5" et22 wheel 275/35 tire

13.5" fender>center in the front

18" 8.5" et32 wheel 245/40 tire

Thanks for any help, unfortunately the one euro place here doesn't do alignments and the local dealership's machine is down for a month+, I found a place that does sports car but tempted to take it to the next town over to the dealership.
Not a great town if you want work done on your M3.

[Wernd]

Ride Height (Measured at bottom of rocker)

Front: 4.5"
Rear: 4.75

Camber (CSL front spindles)

Front: -3.9
Rear: -2

Toe Settings

Front: 1/8" out
Rear: 1/8" in

These are recommendations from James Clay at Bimmerworld for my race car. No weird tire wear and the car handles really great on the track. Fair amount of other suspension changes as well to tie it all together.

Feff

This is also the same spec I was given but I'm not sure I want that much toe in, in the rear. Are you able to get any yaw angle you want under trailbraking or is it just super stable on corner entry? I assume at corner exit you can load the rears up as much as you want but can you over power the rears and get the tail out?

Thanks for any info

[Feffman]

This is also the same spec I was given but I'm not sure I want that much toe in, in the rear. Are you able to get any yaw angle you want under trailbraking or is it just super stable on corner entry? I assume at corner exit you can load the rears up as much as you want but can you over power the rears and get the tail out?

It's very stable under braking in high & low speed corners which is what I prefer. I'm not looking for tail out, just the ability to load up under acceleration out of the corner. The roll center correction with Bimmerworld front arms dialed out the last bit of mid-corner push allowing full acceleration as needed.

Feff

[01SG]

I'm going to ask a rookie question, I have never had the vehicle aligned and it's time.

I am looking for an "semi-aggresive" street setup that could also see the track a few times a year. I understand you can't do both with a single alignment but you get the idea.

I am running BC Coilovers (yea, they came w/ the car) and the vehicle sits fairly low currently and I don't necessarily want to raise for aesthetic reasons unless it would be of great benefit.

13&1/4" fender>center in the back

18" 9.5" et22 wheel 275/35 tire

13.5" fender>center in the front

18" 8.5" et32 wheel 245/40 tire

Thanks for any help, unfortunately the one euro place here doesn't do alignments and the local dealership's machine is down for a month+, I found a place that does sports car but tempted to take it to the next town over to the dealership.
Not a great town if you want work done on your M3.

I think the CSL spec is a good baseline to start from. You will just have more camber in the front.

[Feffman]

I think the CSL spec is a good baseline to start from. You will just have more camber in the front.

Agree. I installed the CSL spindles for just this reason.

Feff

[Cubieman]

With 18" wheels and US spindles what changes to the CSL spec alignment should I consider?

[zzyzx85]

Just got a re-alignment this past weekend and I'll get to test it out at Buttonwillow on April 9th.

Front:
camber: -3.0deg
toe: 0deg

Rear:
camber: -2.5deg
toe: 0.1deg

[Wernd]

It's very stable under braking in high & low speed corners which is what I prefer. I'm not looking for tail out, just the ability to load up under acceleration out of the corner. The roll center correction with Bimmerworld front arms dialed out the last bit of mid-corner push allowing full acceleration as needed.

Feff

Are you running a square or staggered setup?