[kmk09k]

Hi guys,

Just got an e92 a couple weeks ago and need coilovers. Im torn between BC racing and ST coils and its really coming down to camber plates. I dont want the tire wear problems I had on my old VW CC when I lowered it, so I was looking at BC. For the same price I can get ST which might be better quality/better warranty and I heard these cars don't necessarily have camber issues.

Anyway Im looking to drop my car about 2" and any advice is much appreciated

-K

[shadow191]

The front camber doesn't really change all that much when lowering since it's a strut. I'm lowered ~2" on V3's which don't have a camber plate and camber is still within spec.

Having said that, I'd get the camber plates because you never know when you'll need to adjust them in the future. I do wish mine had camber plates and at some point, I will get them. I have BC's on my other car and the quality is fine, no issues in 30K+ miles.

[iturbo_bmw]

not necessary but useful if u want the camber for grip..or fit wider wheels or watever ur in to

[kmk09k]

after doing a little research Imight go the camber plate route. Do you know how low I can go on BC off the top of your head? Again hoping for 2" but it is what it is.

-K

[kmk09k]

Originally Posted by iturbo_bmw

not necessary but useful if u want the camber for grip..or fit wider wheels or watever ur in to

Atm I am trying to build the perfect street car, so I am comfortable with the stock 18s. Tire preservation is my main concern and I would like to track it every now and then - nothing serious though.

[feuer]

Originally Posted by shadow191

The front camber doesn't really change all that much when lowering since it's a strut. I'm lowered ~2" on V3's which don't have a camber plate and camber is still within spec.

Having said that, I'd get the camber plates because you never know when you'll need to adjust them in the future. I do wish mine had camber plates and at some point, I will get them. I have BC's on my other car and the quality is fine, no issues in 30K+ miles.

Correct, when you lower the car the camber and toe alters a little bit and usually is the toe that will wear out your tires quick. that's why you need alignment afterwards.

Originally Posted by kmk09k

after doing a little research Imight go the camber plate route. Do you know how low I can go on BC off the top of your head? Again hoping for 2" but it is what it is.

look into Dinan fix camber plates, they are cheap, about $150.

[kmk09k]

Originally Posted by feuer

Correct, when you lower the car the camber and toe alters a little bit and usually is the toe that will wear out your tires quick. that's why you need alignment afterwards.

Thanks - that clears things up .
I guess my main question is: Will my tire wear be adversely (noticeably) affected by a 2" drop to the point where I would need the plates? Assuming a get an alignment and the car's not slammed will I be ago

Bonus question: More than likely gonna get M3 front control arms since mine are due for changing. Will this add any more neg camber that Im going to need to compensate for?

[The HACK]

Originally Posted by shadow191

The front camber doesn't really change all that much when lowering since it's a strut. I'm lowered ~2" on V3's which don't have a camber plate and camber is still within spec.

The front camber changes a huge amount when lowering because it IS a McPherson Strut. The problem is, a McPherson Strut is unpredictable when it comes to changes in camber angle, when you lower it past a certain point you actually start to lose camber. You're probably lowered past the roll center, therefore whatever camber you gained from lowering, you're giving back (and the problem with being lowered past the roll center, is you'll continue to lose more camber the more the suspension is compressed). That's why you didn't need a wide range of adjustment. Had it been say, ~1"-1.5", you'll likely see significant enough camber gains to require camber plates to bring camber back to reasonable, factory specs.

Here's an example of a camber curve in relation lowering (and dive) to show you what I'm talking about:



STi's are McPherson Strut similar to BMWs.

[feuer]

Originally Posted by kmk09k

Thanks - that clears things up .
I guess my main question is: Will my tire wear be adversely (noticeably) affected by a 2" drop to the point where I would need the plates? Assuming a get an alignment and the car's not slammed will I be ago

Bonus question: More than likely gonna get M3 front control arms since mine are due for changing. Will this add any more neg camber that Im going to need to compensate for?

with 2" and m3 ca you should be fine with out any camber plates, just get alignment done afterwards.

[shadow191]

True, on a strut, the camber will go positive eventually through the travel. But for lowering purposes, it doesn't seem to impact the static camber enough to take it out of spec. My E92 is -.9 in front at my current ride height without camber adjustment and it really didn't change from stock.

On my other car, I've played around with the ride height a lot. I've had it aligned at OEM height to where it currently sits at a 4" drop (Infiniti FX) and the camber ranged from -1.3 to -1.6, which is within spec for that car. There were some height changes in between as well, but the camber never got out of that range.

Maybe the STI has a more aggressive curve than what I've experienced.

Originally Posted by The HACK

The front camber changes a huge amount when lowering because it IS a McPherson Strut. The problem is, a McPherson Strut is unpredictable when it comes to changes in camber angle, when you lower it past a certain point you actually start to lose camber. You're probably lowered past the roll center, therefore whatever camber you gained from lowering, you're giving back (and the problem with being lowered past the roll center, is you'll continue to lose more camber the more the suspension is compressed). That's why you didn't need a wide range of adjustment. Had it been say, ~1"-1.5", you'll likely see significant enough camber gains to require camber plates to bring camber back to reasonable, factory specs.

Here's an example of a camber curve in relation lowering (and dive) to show you what I'm talking about:



STi's are McPherson Strut similar to BMWs.

[greg328]

So, how much factory built-in front camber adjustment is available on a 2008 E92 335i? I need to move my front left wheel out a bit according to my alignment reading results (the shop wouldn't do it because they didn't have the correct BMW tool). Is there about 1/2" worth of slot movement for the 3 strut bolts to move in the strut tower? That's all I need.

Car pulls to the right, all toe is in spec.

Greg

[chris82]

If your tires wore out after you lowered it then you had a bad alignment.

Originally Posted by greg328

the shop wouldn't do it because they didn't have the correct BMW tool

[Cloud9blue]

Originally Posted by greg328

So, how much factory built-in front camber adjustment is available on a 2008 E92 335i? I need to move my front left wheel out a bit according to my alignment reading results (the shop wouldn't do it because they didn't have the correct BMW tool). Is there about 1/2" worth of slot movement for the 3 strut bolts to move in the strut tower? That's all I need.

Car pulls to the right, all toe is in spec.

Greg

There is an alignment pin on the strut you need to tap/drill/pull out before you can slide the stock struts in the strut tower. Maybe that's why your shop doesn't want to do it?

[CPWINCH]

Camber plates are the single best suspension mod I have done. Even more so than my KW V3 coilovers

[matteblue3er]

Camber plates are not necessary and if you have to ask about it, you don't need them.

Adjustable plates will make noise on a street car. Brand new, they will be fine. But as dirt gets into the bearing races and wears away at them, creating play, you will get knocking noises.

I'm running fixed plates from Dinan. -2.4 camber in front on an E90 xDrive model. Toe is set to 0 to extend tire life/increase steering response. Very little to no tramlining

[justpete]

Originally Posted by matteblue3er

Camber plates are not necessary and if you have to ask about it, you don't need them.

Adjustable plates will make noise on a street car. Brand new, they will be fine. But as dirt gets into the bearing races and wears away at them, creating play, you will get knocking noises.

I'm running fixed plates from Dinan. -2.4 camber in front on an E90 xDrive model. Toe is set to 0 to extend tire life/increase steering response. Very little to no tramlining

Gotta say though it depends on the mfg. I've had Vorshlag camber plates on the car for better than 30K miles and they're still silent after chuckholes and city driving year round.

But gotta also agree that if you gotta ask you likely really don't need them.