[fazman]

Hello,

I'm a noobie to BMW's and to this forum. I'm actually coming over from the DSM world (I still have a '92 Eclipse GSX with 250k miles on it and it still runs like a champ).

I just became an owner of a CPO 335xi and I wanted to get my wheel alignment done at my local Firestone after installing a new set of Conti's SSR's. I was told that I need a special tool to adjust the camber in the front wheels, does anyone know where I can purchase that part?? How much it costs? How long it will take to get it? Is there an alternate/simple work around to adjusting the camber rather then getting this tool?


I have sport package and 17" wheels and I got the alignment done with a full tank of gas + weights in the car (150 lbs driver + 150 lbs passenger + 150 lbs rear center + 46 lbs trunk).

It turns out the my drivers side front wheel has a camber of -1.9 degrees which is out of spec (specs say -0.8 to -0.1 degrees is in range).

also my Cross Camber is -1.3 degrees when it should be between -0.5 and +0.5 degrees.

I was told that, in order to adjust the camber on the front wheels, Firestone will need a special BMW tool 32 3 140 to do the job.


Actual Instructions from machine and Bentley Publishing manual:
"Insert special tool 32 3 140 into opening in wheel arch. Note: The spindle 32 3 146 must be aligned in such a way that the short end of the guide sleeve (3) points upwards.

Screw Knurled nut 32 3 147 onto stud.

Replace nuts (1) and screw on but do not tighten down fully.

Turn nut (2) of special tool 32 3 140 to adjust CAMBER to specified value.

Tighten down nuts (1).

Tightening torque: 34 Nm"


Regards,
Faz

[e90pilot]

I've never heard of this tool. Ask someone at ticher BMW (www.getbmwparts.com). Also I find it VERY strange your front camber is at -1.9. I needed camber plates to get it there. With no camber plates I could only get -1.4.

[fazman]

Thanks e90pilot, I have sent both of them an email and referenced this posting. Since they are working at a BMW dealership, hopefully they can find out exactly what is required from their own alignment guys and help me order the correct part for my firestone alignment guys to use.

I think the BMW part number is suppose to be (But I'm not sure): 83300493325

[fazman]

bump to see if anyone knows anything about how to locate this special BMW tool. So far i have had no luck in tracking it down and/or where to purchase it.

- Faz

[1QuikWS6]

So let me get this straight (not tryin to be a dick), but you take your car to a shop to get it aligned, and they tell you they need a special tool to do the job correctly - then expect YOU to buy the tool so they can use it to correctly align your car???

Sorry, sounds as if you need to choose a different alignment shop that has all the correct tools and knows what the hell they are doing...

Personally I not only wouldn't buy tires from Firestone - I wouldn't let them touch my car either. They impress me as being the 'WalMart' of tire companies/shops.

[enrita]

when i aligned my car nothing was mentioned about a special tool... change shop...

[spk74]

I just got a similar response from Bob Sumerel Tire. They said something about a track bar or something being required for BMW's and MB's. He said he could get it close, but I'd be better off going to a BMW garage.

I'm wondering if he just didn't want to bother with it, or if he's more knowledgeable and honest than other shops who might align the car and say nothing.

[cssnms]

Originally Posted by 1QuikWS6

Sorry, sounds as if you need to choose a different alignment shop that has all the correct tools and knows what the hell they are doing...

This!

[michael1284]

I have a lifetime alignment deal at Firestone and they've never had any issue aligning my car.

[kdiggz]

bump...just got shot down by every shop in town. they said bmw's need special equipment and that only a dealership would be able to do it. anybody else have this problem?

[IllLojik]

Originally Posted by kdiggz

bump...just got shot down by every shop in town. they said bmw's need special equipment and that only a dealership would be able to do it. anybody else have this problem?

Move to a new Town?
Seriously, That's new to me.

[Chefcg1]

i just had mine done at Flow BMW today for $119. You also need to reset the sensors or you will get strange codes popping up, or at least i did after my M3 front suspension install.

[fazman]

Okay so I had my local BMW dealer do the alignment for me... but I don't think they did anything with the camber (because the alignment pin, bolts, and strut bar all look untouched). They did say it was off and they did say they adjusted it. But I drove it right over to Firestone after the alignment to check the camber and it's still way off.

I looked in my Bentley manually and it lists a special BMW part for doing the front camber and I was able to get it from Tischer (GetBMWParts):
Front Camber Setting Tool (part number: 83300493325). Also the Hunter alignment machine also asks for this tool by the specific part number.

Now my problem is... How to remove the strut tower bar (seems like some funky torx bolt holding it down)? Like what size bolt is it... where do i get the socket adapter to remove it? Also how do i get to the firewall and remove the other bolt for the strut tower bar?

Finally, how are you suppose to remove the alignment pin??? It looks like some kind of Allen wrench will fit in it, but I'm not sure about what size??

Please help if you know. If your in the Central NJ area and need to borrow the camber alignment tool... let me know. I'll meet up with you to help out.

Regards,
Faz

[mike-y]

front camber is not adjustable unless you drill out the alignment pins. Once you do that, you will be able to adjust front camber a bit more. If your alignment is really off with the pins in place, that suggests that something is bent.


btw, an 11mm socket will remove the strut tower bolts, and I think a 15mm socket to loosen the center bolt at the cowl so you can move the braces around. But you shouldn't need to remove those to loosen the strut bolts.

[fazman]

Hi Mikey,

I believe you... but its just hard to wrap my mind around the idea that the alignment pin needs to be destroyed to be removed. There has to be a proper way to remove it so you can re-install it again later if you like.

Yea I suspect that I have something bent in that drivers side because that's where i hit a pothole and pop'ed a RFT. The dealership says nothing is wrong with that side from what they checked (but I'm thinking i should go to another dealer to get it inspected).

I know that if I try to drill out that alignment pin... I'll end up damaging everything else around it too There has to be a safer way to remove it (hoping)?

I'll have to look at the bolts again on the car in the day time... but I don't think the strut tower BAR is a mm style bolt. I think it's a male torx bolt on my car?? Most US/Jap cars have female torx bolts... I've noticed these male torx bolts all over the place on this BMW (like the door hinges).

Regards,
Faz

[fazman]

Okay I'm going to answer my own question... I went out at midnight into the street with my tool kit in hand and found out the following. A basic Allen wrench will fit into the Alignment Pin head so i should be able to unscrew it with that. I'm suspecting that I should loosen the suspension before messing with the pin.

Next I tried to fit the 11mm socket over the torx looking like bolt on the strut tower bar and it fit perfectly. So I have all I need to get my local Firestone to do the job. I personally feel the alignment pin is more harm then good (since i have a life time alignment deal with them) so it's safer to run around without that pin (I know someone will end up stripping the pin and it will be a PITA to fix).

Thanks

[mike-y]

my pin was actually cast as part of the upper strut mount, so the only way to remove it is to drill it out. but if yours has a place for an allen bolt, you may just be able to screw it off. I've heard some older cars are like that as well.

if you can remove it without loosening the other bolts, that would be preferred, as you won't need to worry about messing up the current alignment.

[fazman]

Okay an update... so i found out that my camber should never be off by that much with the pins in. Meaning that no matter if the camber is at the max or min... it should always be with in spec and just require tweaking of the other settings besides camber. So I'm guessing that there must be something bent! It also means there is no need for that tool, as long as you are able to fit the pin in there.

I also found out that I shouldn't use the 11mm socket to remove the strut bar... but rather I should get a e-14 socket (female torx 14 socket, rather then the T14 bit). While the 11mm socket does fit over the bolt... it will probably strip it, the correct set of e sockets can be purchased from your local harbor freight store really cheap for about $7 for a set of e torx sockets (including the e14 you need).

I was told by the dealership that to remove the pins, you just need to pound out the pin from the top (which doesn't really make sense because if you pound it from the top to remove it... what was holding it in place???) I mean obviously it's resting on something that is holding it in that spot and by pounding it....you are just damaging the part???

I'm getting closer to the truth of this matter. Also I don't have to worry about getting the bolts and stuff removed because I have a Firestone lifetime alignment program purchased (so they do it all for free)

Oh oh... one other thing I learned, the weight bags... so I was cruising thru my local toys r us for a gift for a kid, when I came across a section for trampolines and other large out door things that kids can bounce around in/on. These things need some weights to help hold them in place. They are selling 50lb bags for $6/each That is a whole lot less then buying bar weights from sporting goods stores!!!! In the process for alignments it lists you need the following:
1) Driver seat = 150 lbs
2) Passenger seat = 150 lbs
3) Rear center = 150 lbs
4) Trunk = 45 lbs
5) Full tank of gas

So 500 lbs of bar weights = ~$500 at a sporting goods store.
But 500 lbs of toys r us silica weight bags = $60

and honestly... even in the future with other vehicles that don't require weight in the car... it's always better to put some weight in there to approximate the weight you normally would have in the car to get a perfect alignment. So I see this as a re-useable investment of $60.

Regards,
Faz

[clairvoyant]

I spoke to Jason from Tischer (GetBMWParts), he told me that the part number: 83300493325 was for E46 not E90.
Damn it, I just need the right wheel alignment tool for my car so I don't have to make an appointment with dealer all the time.

Originally Posted by fazman

Okay so I had my local BMW dealer do the alignment for me... but I don't think they did anything with the camber (because the alignment pin, bolts, and strut bar all look untouched). They did say it was off and they did say they adjusted it. But I drove it right over to Firestone after the alignment to check the camber and it's still way off.

I looked in my Bentley manually and it lists a special BMW part for doing the front camber and I was able to get it from Tischer (GetBMWParts):
Front Camber Setting Tool (part number: 83300493325). Also the Hunter alignment machine also asks for this tool by the specific part number.

Now my problem is... How to remove the strut tower bar (seems like some funky torx bolt holding it down)? Like what size bolt is it... where do i get the socket adapter to remove it? Also how do i get to the firewall and remove the other bolt for the strut tower bar?

Finally, how are you suppose to remove the alignment pin??? It looks like some kind of Allen wrench will fit in it, but I'm not sure about what size??

Please help if you know. If your in the Central NJ area and need to borrow the camber alignment tool... let me know. I'll meet up with you to help out.

Regards,
Faz

[MilehighM3]

E46s the pins are cast as part of the top mount. Use a hammer and small punch to drive them out. Very simple and easier than drilling. E90s use a 4mm allen and thread it out. To adjust camber on either car, you an use the special tool or use a hammer and punch on the strut mount. Just tap it in or out for your adjustment. The special tools don't even work that well. Should only need adjustment if you've hit something to effect it.
Also I don't think weighting the car is best for aligning unless you're a track junkie. Then weight it for you and you alone. Due to camber and toe changes throughout the suspension travel, aligning the car weighted can actually make tire wear worse. Unless you always drive with a car load of people. Just my .02

[fazman]

Originally Posted by clairvoyant

I spoke to Jason from Tischer (GetBMWParts), he told me that the part number: 83300493325 was for E46 not E90.
Damn it, I just need the right wheel alignment tool for my car so I don't have to make an appointment with dealer all the time.

Jason was the one who sold me the part from Tischer for my e90, based on my VIN. I'd be surprised that he is now telling you that it's for an e46? I never really got around to having my local firestone do the job because I found out that I need to get the correct Torx bolt for the strut bar and it's a pain to take everything apart so I can adjust the camber. Honestly... with the pins in and on stock wheels... unless something is bent... there is no reason to adjust the camber. I just have my local firestone make sure everything is pointing straight and my tire wear is fine.

If you are in or around Central NJ clairvoyant, I have no problem meeting up with you an letting you borrow the alignment tool. Contact me if you need help.

[e90Luis]

Firestone told me the same thing when I tried to get an alignment done. They said they needed a special machine that only BMW has in order to do the alignment.