[n55jb4]

Just came back from alignment shop and owner told me that to properly do alignment for e90 328xi - he needs 150lbs weight on both front seats - apparently this is BMW and Mercedes recommendations for alignment. Sounds complete BS and I'll be looking for another shop, but I'm curious where that idea came from?

[justpete]

Originally Posted by n55jb4

Just came back from alignment shop and owner told me that to properly do alignment for e90 328xi - he needs 150lbs weight on both front seats - apparently this is BMW and Mercedes recommendations for alignment. Sounds complete BS and I'll be looking for another shop, but I'm curious where that idea came from?

Yes, that's SOP and not bullshit at all. Properly preloads the suspension.

[n55jb4]

Originally Posted by justpete

Yes, that's SOP and not bullshit at all. Properly preloads the suspension.

Live and learn! So that owner basically denied doing alignment because he didn't have proper weights. I'm not sure what to do now? Any wide chain tire shops that have everything to do alignment?

P.S. Any difference for AWD? After this I won't be surprised to hear that for AWD e90 one needs 150lbs on each seat including rear and on top of that owner has to be doing Irish riverdance during alignment to properly align everything

[justpete]

Originally Posted by n55jb4

Live and learn! So that owner basically denied doing alignment because he didn't have proper weights. I'm not sure what to do now? Any wide chain tire shops that have everything to do alignment?

P.S. Any difference for AWD? After this I won't be surprised to hear that for AWD e90 one needs 150lbs on each seat including rear and on top of that owner has to be doing Irish riverdance during alignment to properly align everything

Sorry, never had anything done on the car outside of the dealership so no clue what chains know what they're doing, if any. And alignments on my car have been done with Accu-Lign plates by the race team for a few years anyway so they preload my weight in the driver's seat only, for both alignment and corner balance work.

I'm sure it's just driver and passenger weights for AWD as well.

[feuer]

Driver side yes, not both, and yes, BMW and Mercedes, that is why most lean to right, especially in the rear.

[n55jb4]

Originally Posted by feuer

Driver side yes, not both, and yes, BMW and Mercedes, that is why most lean to right, especially in the rear.

In that case - can I just sit in drivers seat lol and help make it easier? In addition I can hold steering wheel - so it will be set straight - I hate when they don't really care often about exact steering wheel position, they just set it approximately in the center, but there's always some tilt

[feuer]

Originally Posted by n55jb4

In that case - can I just sit in drivers seat lol and help make it easier? In addition I can hold steering wheel - so it will be set straight - I hate when they don't really care often about exact steering wheel position, they just set it approximately in the center, but there's always some tilt

Most shops won't let sit in the car due to insurance policies. Also, most shops don't reset the steering angle position sensor which will also contribute to steering wheel being off and not completely centered.

[Lshaw]

Originally Posted by feuer

Most shops won't let sit in the car due to insurance policies. Also, most shops don't reset the steering angle position sensor which will also contribute to steering wheel being off and not completely centered.

This....

[1QuikWS6]

I totally understand the reasoning for weight in DS to simulate driver - but they are gonna need to add a leetle more than 150# to simulate me

[BlueSander]

When it comes to alignment, please make sure to bring it to BMW. I learned my lesson twice before. One with my Audi and the later with my BMW. Both cars behaved very different from how it was stock. It drove me nut on so many small little things that had never bothered me before I did the alignments. It wasted me more money after to bring the cars back to BMW & Audi to do the proper work over again. BMW was able to do it okay, Audi tried twice but I still notice something a bit off.

I tried sitting in the car (175 lbs) last time I did an alignment. I hopped in the car before/during/after. It made zero difference to the static figures/specs.

[feuer]

Originally Posted by FCobra94

I tried sitting in the car (175 lbs) last time I did an alignment. I hopped in the car before/during/after. It made zero difference to the static figures/specs.

There are few official BMW TIS on alignment requiring weights. When I do mine as little as leaning on the car affects the values. I do it twice a year, winter at -1.5 camber and summer -3.5 camber. Also, weights help to simulate the ride height when vehicle is on the hwy at high speed and suspension is loaded by aerodynamics.

After that debacle of a fuel injector coding thread, I expected you to be the LAST person to suggest BMW recommendations on something as subjective as alignment procedures

[feuer]

Originally Posted by FCobra94

After that debacle of a fuel injector coding thread, I expected you to be the LAST person to suggest BMW recommendations on something as subjective as alignment procedures

I was thinking about it too, and seriously was considering to leave the BMW TIS out, especially because I have not learn about this weight thing from BMW, but it will do us a favor since is matter of time before those guys that are obsesses with following BMW recommendations start posting. So it was kind of preventative now they don't have to!

[bcoffin23]

Originally Posted by feuer

Most shops won't let sit in the car due to insurance policies. Also, most shops don't reset the steering angle position sensor which will also contribute to steering wheel being off and not completely centered.

happened to me last week.

[rbeck]

Was told by my tire shop more than once that they couldn't/wouldn't align BMWs because of the weighting required. So, I went to the dealer. Where I was told they haven't used the weighting technique for a while. New alignment technologies, they said.

[matteblue3er]

Last time I aligned my car the alignment didn't change with me in the car or out. I even got in and sat down while the car was on the rack and the angles barely moved as I sat. I'm on coilovers but some setups the weight is negligible.

[V.I.335is]

Originally Posted by feuer

Most shops won't let sit in the car due to insurance policies. Also, most shops don't reset the steering angle position sensor which will also contribute to steering wheel being off and not completely centered.

This just answered a question i always had in my head when I did my alignment and corner balance, after doing a m3 suspension conversion.. Always wondered why my steering wheel was a tad bit off and not all the way centered..