Wheel Alignment after Changing Suspension Question!

[TripleM]

Sam,
BMW cars have a natural negative camber for a start and that is a factory design.

Why ur car camber looks more negative after lowering it? That is because the position in a way "pushes" ur rear wheels inside a little bit more..It's normal, or else u will have so much rubbing..

Suspension is an integral part of car's travel. It can affect ur traction, ur steering wheel feed back, your ride comfort among many others.
It's necessary to undergo that wheel allignment process once you have changed ur suspension. Many advised that you do it after say a week or 2 after the susp install. That is fine.

I went thru similar experience some months ago when I upgraded to PSS9.

Cheers bro
Happy modding

 

[wilman2772]

Re: Wheel Alignment after Changing Suspension Question!

Hi all,

I've replaced my stock sports suspension with KW Var 1 suspension and I noticed that my rear wheels have very high negative camber, resulting in an aggressive stance. But I know that with such negative camber, grip is increased at the expense of tire life!

The question is what, how, why a lowered suspension changes the camber of the wheels and makes us go for a wheel alignment?

Cheerio!

Our stock rear lower control arms can't really adjust much on our -ve camber unless we get this....

More details here.... http://www.activeautowerke.com/suspension/e36-camber-correction-RCCA.cfm

Den U can dial more +ve or lagi -ve camber settings.... :roll:

'The Great White'

 

[Azrielsc]

Wil, i ain't looking for something to dial in more or less camber, i'm just trying to understand how does a lowered suspension push out the wheels.

I'll definitely go for a wheel alignment once my new suspension settles down a 1 or 2 weeks. Can't have my inner thread to wear off so fast!!

Cheers!

 

[Whisky_Tango]

Wil, i ain't looking for something to dial in more or less camber, i'm just trying to understand how does a lowered suspension push out the wheels.

I'll definitely go for a wheel alignment once my new suspension settles down a 1 or 2 weeks. Can't have my inner thread to wear off so fast!!

Cheers!

Bro,

With lowered springs, the vehicle ride height is dropped, causing excessive negative camber which can not be corrected with the factory Rear Camber Arm.

Imagine, stock springs height vs ur current spring height. If im not wrong, it is about 25mm to 30mm difference. Thus when the shocks+springs are mounted, the rear control arm is lifted by somewhat the 25mm to 30mm distance. So before the wheels touches the ground, you can already see the negative camber.

The factory provision for rear camber adjustment is very limited. 1 to 3 deg max I think.

After market Rear Camber Correction Arm will address most issues dealing with excessive negative (-) camber.

 

[wilman2772]

Wil, i ain't looking for something to dial in more or less camber, i'm just trying to understand how does a lowered suspension push out the wheels.

I'll definitely go for a wheel alignment once my new suspension settles down a 1 or 2 weeks. Can't have my inner thread to wear off so fast!!

Cheers!

Paiseh, my england no good....can't really explain properly, Eric said it all!!

Even stock suspension for bimmers will see -ve camber, but not so aggressive....

Our cars are lowered alot....so inner wear is unavoidable, have to swap tires more frequent loh...

'The Great White'

 

[Azrielsc]

So Wil, how do u compensate for the excessive negative camber, besides changing tires more often and using aftermarket RCCA? Wheel Alignment does help but only to a certain degree right?

Cheers and thanks dudes!!

 

[Whisky_Tango]

So Wil, how do u compensate for the excessive negative camber, besides changing tires more often and using aftermarket RCCA? Wheel Alignment does help but only to a certain degree right?

Cheers and thanks dudes!!

Bro, wheel alignment process are limited by the components on board your car.
For example, your stock camber arm can allow you to adjust (-3.0 to +3.0 degrees ??? please confirm actual range) and stock setting say is -1.5degrees.
After you lowered your car, the camber now reads -4.5degrees, so effectively once you lowered, an additional of -3.0degrees.

With the above, you can still adjust to reduce negative camber since you have up to +3 degrees max.

If you have adjusted to the max positive setting and you still have negative camber, then you will need RCCA.

After market RCCA has the range of (-5.o to +5.0 deg).


Wilson bro, paiseh I kapoh abit. But please comment if above is not correct.

 

[Racebred]

Sam, due to the way our Multi-link rear suspension is designed, there will ALWAYS be negative camber whenever suspension travel is compressed. It's due to the geometry of the entire rear suspension. Actually even the front too.

Compression= lower camber, extension= positive camber.

notice when you jack up your car totally and your wheel is free hanging it gains positive camber? The wheel never travels up and down in a vertical straight line; it moves in an arc motion.

so the same happens even while you're driving. upon reaching a hole in the road, your suspension is extended and for a split second you have positive camber, then when you exit the hole and the car squats down for a split second, you have even more negative camber, then it returns to the usual ride height and usual camber.

so naturally when you lower the car the negative camber will be always there, at higher magnitude. without a camber adjustment kit like the one wilson posted, you cant change it. the only adjustable alignment in our E46 is our toe. so just live with it you guniang. it's part and parcel of lowering your car.

 

[rodders]

Does that mean that for any of us who has lowered our ride, we'll need to fit a new RCCA?

 

[Whisky_Tango]

Does that mean that for any of us who has lowered our ride, we'll need to fit a new RCCA?

Yo Rodney,

It depends how excessive the negative camber is and also the preferences of the owner. Some like more negative camber, etc...

 

[TripleM]

Does that mean that for any of us who has lowered our ride, we'll need to fit a new RCCA?

No need...
Only when the drop is too low and u need some correction as discussed above.
For ur ride on 18inch Sachs Suspension, absolutely not necessary thou as I mentioned above, ur car will always have negative camber. Try to sit 3 adults behind and u will see how the car squats down like ai pang sai like that..

 

[rodders]

Ok. Thanks for the info.