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'62 Reg E89 Steering

W

WFLYNN

Member
Hi all,

New to this forum and I apologise if there is already a thread that covers my query, though I haven't found one yet.

In January this year, I realised a boyhood dream of owning a Z4, purchased from a used car dealership in the midlands.

Everything great with the car, its got very low mileage for its age, is very clean and a lark to drive.
Except the steering loves to pull to the left.

I have taken it to be tracked 3 times now, the first time, the garage did a poor job, so I took it elsewhere to a more trustworthy establishment. The second time, it seemed to go out again rather quickly. The third time, they did free of charge and reassured me they had tested it.

However it became apparent on the drive home that in order to go straight, the steering wheel still needs to be turned slightly to the right (off centre) which is a very irritating problem, especially on long straight roads. :headbang:

So, either they didn't do anything the third time, or there is another problem at play here, not solved by the wheel alignment correction
The place I bought it from MoT'd it and replaced the two front tyres between me test driving it, and picking it up. I later learned they had put conventional tyres on the front, whilst the rears were still run-flats.

I am reluctant to take it to my local main dealer, BMW Sytner whom I went to before buying mine to see what stock they had. They came across as the most arrogant people I have ever met in my entire life, and I simply wouldn't trust them.

Is this a familiar issue? has anyone solved it before?

Much appreciated

Will
 
Hi Will,

Welcome to the forum. I am no expert on this topic, but there are several threads on here debating the issues that mixing run flats and conventional tyres can cause, that may be your issue. No doubt others will be along shortly with other suggestions but the tyre mix may be at the heart of it.

Pleased to be the first to welcome you. Also the photo police will be along shortly as we like to see photos of new members Zeds đź‘Ť
 
Hello and welcome.

Is the car pulling to the left of it it just to hold the car in a straight line the steering wheels is slightly offset from centre?

If the later they may have changed something at the suspension end to align it properly that required the steering wheel to be put back to centre.

Also as covered by Boris, mixing tyres isn’t ideal and the photo police will be along shortly.
 
might seem an obvious question but have you checked the tyre pressures?
by the way welcome to the forum and lets see a photo or two of your pride and joy :D
 
Welcome to the forum Will. :thumbsup:

I can't offer any advice but would definitely avoid a main dealer for an issue like that.

If you give an indication of whereabouts you are someone might be able to recommend a good Independent specialist.
 
Cheers for the replies everyone, its much appreciated! And thank you for your warm welcome to the forum!

Im Nottingham based if anyone else is out there? C4F6483B-29DE-4CFD-A3B6-ADE6853F2ADE.jpeg

The in order to drive straight, the steering wheel needs to be turned a few degrees to the right;

When the steering wheel is fully centred by eye, the car drifts to the left.

After getting it tracked the 3rd time, the steering wheel seemed to be further turned to the right in order to go in a straight line.

Does this make sense?

In terms of pictures, here she is!
 
WFLYNN said:
I having had alignment done on previous cars, I always thought this was standard practice?
Click to expand...

If you ignore the position of the steering wheel, if you let go of the wheel does the car drive straight?
The wheel should be centred when the tracking’s adjusted but it’s not always carried out diligently.
Rob
 
WFLYNN said:
Cheers for the replies everyone, its much appreciated! And thank you for your warm welcome to the forum!

Im Nottingham based if anyone else is out there? C4F6483B-29DE-4CFD-A3B6-ADE6853F2ADE.jpeg

The in order to drive straight, the steering wheel needs to be turned a few degrees to the right;

When the steering wheel is fully centred by eye, the car drifts to the left.

After getting it tracked the 3rd time, the steering wheel seemed to be further turned to the right in order to go in a straight line.

Does this make sense?

In terms of pictures, here she is!
Click to expand...

Beautiful Vehicle!!!

BMWMAN in Heanor, which is right on your doorstep id highly recommend as a local indy. I live in Leicester and I drive down for any work on my car. However, if this is an alignment issue then its best to go to tracking specialist.

I would personally get a second opinion on the tracking/alignment then dependant on that, to take it further with tyres.
Do you have the print outs of the alignment you could share?

If the alignments all good then what's the tyre combo & sizes, have they accidentally put on the wrong tyres, pressures okay?

Get rid of the run-flats and go for NRFs if it still persists then move onto a specialist.
 
Steering offset causing the symptoms you have is listed in the technical repair manuals..

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e89-z4-sdrive28i-roa/repair-manuals/32-steering-wheel-alignment/32-00-steering-measurement/8IsV8vsP

I can’t find, yet, the specific expanded detail, but the TIS refers to the reset process..
 
Just a thought have they set the tracking with the steering in lock position. It might not be true centre.
I did my own tracking using fishing wire and two parallel bars, never had any problems and virtually no tyre wear in 30k + miles.
Not even the dreaded BMW toe in wear.
Only vehicle i have come across with rear toe in, probably explains why i can't reverse it in a straight line.
Tracking 1_zpss42w0phm.jpg
 
Smartbear said:
WFLYNN said:
I having had alignment done on previous cars, I always thought this was standard practice?
Click to expand...

If you ignore the position of the steering wheel, if you let go of the wheel does the car drive straight?
The wheel should be centred when the tracking’s adjusted but it’s not always carried out diligently.
Rob
Click to expand...

Off the top of my head, I think if I take my hands off the wheel, the car remains relatively straight.
I do trust the garage where I normally take it to. They are a small Nottingham based family chain of garages who have been very helpful in the past. That said, its only the second time I have taken it to that particular branch.
I do have a service booked in with them in the next couple of weeks, so I intend to query it again with them then.
 
Adil_3 said:
WFLYNN said:
Cheers for the replies everyone, its much appreciated! And thank you for your warm welcome to the forum!

Im Nottingham based if anyone else is out there? C4F6483B-29DE-4CFD-A3B6-ADE6853F2ADE.jpeg

The in order to drive straight, the steering wheel needs to be turned a few degrees to the right;

When the steering wheel is fully centred by eye, the car drifts to the left.

After getting it tracked the 3rd time, the steering wheel seemed to be further turned to the right in order to go in a straight line.

Does this make sense?

In terms of pictures, here she is!
Click to expand...

Beautiful Vehicle!!!

BMWMAN in Heanor, which is right on your doorstep id highly recommend as a local indy. I live in Leicester and I drive down for any work on my car. However, if this is an alignment issue then its best to go to tracking specialist.

I would personally get a second opinion on the tracking/alignment then dependant on that, to take it further with tyres.
Do you have the print outs of the alignment you could share?

If the alignments all good then what's the tyre combo & sizes, have they accidentally put on the wrong tyres, pressures okay?

Get rid of the run-flats and go for NRFs if it still persists then move onto a specialist.
Click to expand...

Thanks dude! I'm really enjoying owning it, especially when the sun is out and the roof can come down!

I have some printouts, I will dig them out. The second time it was tracked, I believe they got it damn close to nominal
It wouldn't surprise me if they have put on the wrong sized tyres, though, that said, the place I bought it from specialised in BMWs and so should have known their onions! - the owner drove an early 00s Z8, which was just stunning to look at!

Heanor isn't too far for me at all, so Ill give BMWMAN a call, thanks for the advice!
 
flybobbie said:
Just a thought have they set the tracking with the steering in lock position. It might not be true centre.
I did my own tracking using fishing wire and two parallel bars, never had any problems and virtually no tyre wear in 30k + miles.
Not even the dreaded BMW toe in wear.
Only vehicle i have come across with rear toe in, probably explains why i can't reverse it in a straight line.
Tracking 1_zpss42w0phm.jpg
Click to expand...

Now that is impressive! How did you manage to measure the before and after to get the required precision?
 
WFLYNN said:
flybobbie said:
Just a thought have they set the tracking with the steering in lock position. It might not be true centre.
I did my own tracking using fishing wire and two parallel bars, never had any problems and virtually no tyre wear in 30k + miles.
Not even the dreaded BMW toe in wear.
Only vehicle i have come across with rear toe in, probably explains why i can't reverse it in a straight line.
Tracking 1_zpss42w0phm.jpg
Click to expand...

Now that is impressive! How did you manage to measure the before and after to get the required precision?
Click to expand...

Digital vernier caliper. Could have gone a bit more toe in, but turned out fine.
 
Try swapping the front wheels side to side.

I had this problem on a car that went in for new tyres (Firestone) It drove into the garage perfectly straight and true but on the drive home it pulled left.
I got tosh from the tyre fitter who wanted to re track and more bull shit about road camber.

The two wheels were swapped side to side and it then pulled to the right.

A pair of new tyres solved the problem. :thumbsup:
 
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