WHEEL ALIGNMENT

[beldeino]

Hi Guys.

I got 4 new Michelin Sports 4S installed to my Z4 E89 M sport 2.0 - 19 inch wheels.

I was told that the car needed wheel alignment which I found bizarre, but given that I spent a good amount of money on the tyres I thought I should get the wheels aligned too.

According to them they had to adjust the camber and carry out a geometry check including front toe adjustment and rear toe adjustment. The total price £131.00. Please see attached images. The first one relates to how the car was before the "alignment".

After checking some posts here trying to make sense of the figures in the report sheet I noticed that they aligned the car as if it was a regular E89 ie. without M sport suspension. Also, it seems to me that before the alignment the wheel were actually aligned but it must have been aligned as per the sports suspension. Also, the work they did at the back seems nothing and still got charged £44 for that, £44 for the camber adjustment and £44 for the front toe adjustment.

Today I went to the garage and spoke to the manager who says that the specifications should be the same for E89 and E89 sport which I know it is not correct. Now he want me to go back so they can see if they have the correct figures. However, I do not trust these garage any longer . It is clear to me that they are going to put the car as it was before and still charge me the £132. I will take the car to a garage with Hunter alignment.

Could some one who has any idea about Msport alignments fro this car let me know if I am correct as to the fact the car did not need any work? If someone has the values for this particular model that would be helpful to know.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Steve67]

The only significant change seems to be the front toe, and the total toe has hardly changed, just moved from one side to balanced.

Question ... was your steering wheel not exactly level before the tracking or is it not level after the tracking when driving straight ahead?!

[flimper]

Interesting you should post this now, was it at F1 Autocentre by any chance?

I had the same done today on the M but only the toe and not the camber as he was happy with it, for £95.

I noticed it said E89 on the sheet but he checked and said it didn't matter

[beldeino]

The only significant change seems to be the front toe, and the total toe has hardly changed, just moved from one side to balanced.

Question ... was your steering wheel not exactly level before the tracking or is it not level after the tracking when driving straight ahead?!

To be honest it did not have any issues. I just took their word that the car required alignment which seems it was a mistake as clearly saying that it is the same configuration for E89 and E89 sports is wrong. I spoke to Supertraker and they said that they can do M sports only with some of their machines. Which to me it seems to suggest that they do not have the data for the M suspension in that machine. For what I have seen in other posts the front camber should be negative to -0.1 to -1.1 degrees. Not sure if that is correct. The correct equipment has the option to align the vehicle with the sport suspension as can bee seen from this picture taken from youtube of an alignment using Hunter's equipment. I believe the correct setting should be sport suspension (with lower ride-height).

[Steve67]

Both those aligments hardly changed the total toe (front) - moving the steering wheel a fraction left or right would have the same effect on the before / after ... Is there any sign of a spanner having touched the track rod end lock-nut?!

The second car had a significant rear-toe adjustment though!

[flybobbie]

flimper, they have set toe in 1 degree per side at the front?
Be surprise if your tyres will last 10k miles.

[flybobbie]

I did this on my car and absolutely no strange wear patterns.
viewtopic.php?f=46&t=77875&p=1146923&hi ... t#p1146923
Download manual from how-to sections, shows toe/front rear same for std and m.

Front 0.17 0.23 0.3
Rear 0.23 0.30 0.37

Middle number preferred in degrees total toe..

[srhutch]

Interesting you should post this now, was it at F1 Autocentre by any chance?

I had the same done today on the M but only the toe and not the camber as he was happy with it, for £95.

I noticed it said E89 on the sheet but he checked and said it didn't matter

Mark

I’d take it back and ask them to show you it against the right settings. I’d bet it’s out.

I had mine done last weekend. I’ll post the results later, but it was done against E85 ///M.

I lowered mine late last year so not sure if mine was out due to that.

[Pbondar]

According to TIS, the only variation in steering geometry on E89s occurs on the front for the electronic damped variation vs normal springs.

Whether its Msport or noon msport steering geometry stays the same..

First link normal suspension second link electronic damping

From what I briefly saw rear geometry identical more camber of front on the electronically controlled version..

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e89- ... t/8H96WFqU


https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e89- ... t/8HF5jj09

[Pbondar]

According to TIS, the only variation in steering geometry on E89s occurs on the front for the electronic damped variation vs normal springs.

Whether its Msport or noon msport steering geometry stays the same..

First link normal suspension second link electronic damping

From what I briefly saw rear geometry identical more camber of front on the electronically controlled version..

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e89- ... t/8H96WFqU


https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e89- ... t/8HF5jj09

Also note loading required!!!!

32 00 Chassis/wheel alignment - normal position E89
Car loaded down to normal position Vehicle with complete equipment for normal operation with:
2 x 68 kg on front seats (seats in central position);
1 x 14 kg in luggage compartment (centre) and full fuel tank.

[flybobbie]

I used the TiS figures, yet the BMW 2013 manual i have shows slightly different figures. Was the suspension changed on later cars, i thought BMW tweaked the steering geometry..
And of course weight of cars varies across the range.
Round the corner from me is a Chemix, they have an alignment booth. Might ask them what they align to.

[srhutch]

Interesting you should post this now, was it at F1 Autocentre by any chance?

I had the same done today on the M but only the toe and not the camber as he was happy with it, for £95.

I noticed it said E89 on the sheet but he checked and said it didn't matter

I’d be taking his back mark. If they won’t sort and you paid with a credit card then you can use charge back.

[flimper]

Interesting you should post this now, was it at F1 Autocentre by any chance?

I had the same done today on the M but only the toe and not the camber as he was happy with it, for £95.

I noticed it said E89 on the sheet but he checked and said it didn't matter

I’d be taking his back mark. If they won’t sort and you paid with a credit card then you can use charge back.

Paid with debit card unfortunately. Will take it back and have it out with them