[UPDATE] 4-wheel Alignment

lucasxdiniz

Active member
 Northamptonshire
Hi everyone,

I changed my shocks and springs last week and whilst the suspension settles, I'm looking for a place to get a geo set-up done.

I know I want to get as close to as the CSL set up as possible as a starting point. From what I read it's fairly neutral leaning towards overseer, which is exactly what I would like for fast road use.

I got quoted £160 by a BMW specialist based in Banbury. He doesn't have the equipment to do himself, but he will take my car to his trusted alignment place and help them achieve the CSL figures. Is this a reasonable quote? Might not be for those up north, but seems fairly reasonable to me, just want confirmation as he's the first person I contacted.

I paid £96 for a 4-wheel alignment in Windsor, so £160 doesn't seem that unreasonable.

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Took the car to Black Boots in Chesham this morning. My car was on the ramp exactly at the booked time, no need to wait around. The guy who aligned my car was extremely to the point, asked what I wanted, to which I said "from the car I want neutral handling with oversteer bias, some people in the forum suggested that the M3 CSL geo setup offers just that". He just nodded and got to work.

He was fine with me just watching next to the car, told me what he was doing at each stage, answered some of my curiosities about the Hunter machine and had a good ol' rant about people who try tracking the front wheels without referencing the rear wheels (thrust angle).

30 min later (all bolts were easy to undo apart from the N/S rear camber adjustment bolt) I was £162 poorer and had a car properly set up.

My 'OCD' loved the fact he tried his best to get exactly the target values, not just be within tolerance of them. Great guy.

9RFgpnd.jpg
 
Simon Thorpe motor services (google his web site)

He charges an hour to do an alignment so £60 inc or was for me on a Saturday morning.

He will set to what ever you want.

Just at the end of the A180 near Grimsby.
 
PDJ said:
Simon Thorpe motor services (google his web site)

He charges an hour to do an alignment so £60 inc or was for me on a Saturday morning.

He will set to what ever you want.

Just at the end of the A180 near Grimsby.

Great price but I think I'll pass on the 400miles round trip...
 
abar121 said:
Just find a local shop with the Hunter alignment machine. There are loads out there.

I tried that with the closest shop I could find, and very quickly noticed that having the best equipment doesn't mean they know how to adjust camber in these cars. I was told that I would need special top mounts for camber to be adjusted...
 
lucasxdiniz said:
abar121 said:
Just find a local shop with the Hunter alignment machine. There are loads out there.

I tried that with the closest shop I could find, and very quickly noticed that having the best equipment doesn't mean they know how to adjust camber in these cars. I was told that I would need special top mounts for camber to be adjusted...

Just tell them to take out the alignment pins and move the struts inwards, it's a 5 min job. Or do that yourself and drive it over there.
 
R60BBA said:
Black Boots in Chesham.

+1

You won’t get much change from £160 but they’re really good. It’s worth just talking to them about the CSL settings first, just so you know what you’re getting.
 
brillomaster said:
Could try spires technologies in leamington, did a great job on my z4. Where are you based?

Heard good things but they charge top money.
 
brillomaster said:
Could try spires technologies in leamington, did a great job on my z4. Where are you based?

Windsor and Brackley so anywhere near these two areas is fine. I'll give them a call.
 
Just booked my car in for a geo set-up at Black Boots/Wheels in Motion in Chesham. Thanks for the replies everyone.
 
lucasxdiniz said:
Just booked my car in for a geo set-up at Black Boots/Wheels in Motion in Chesham. Thanks for the replies everyone.
Let us know how it goes. I've not had my Zed there, but they worked wonders for my SLK. My Zed needs doing, but they're not exactly local to me so needs to coincide with a journey in that direction.
 
Sidewaze Samm said:
Let us know how it goes.

Took the car to Blackboots this morning. My car was on the ramp exactly at the booked time, no need to wait around. The guy who aligned my car was extremely to the point, asked what I wanted, to which I said "from the car I want neutral handling with oversteer bias, some people in the forum suggested that the M3 CSL geo setup offers just that". He just nodded and got to work.

He was fine with me just watching next to the car, told me what he was doing at each stage, answered some of my curiosities about the Hunter machine and had a good ol' rant about people who try tracking the front wheels without referencing the rear wheels (thrust angle).

30 min later (all bolts were easy to undo apart from the N/S rear camber adjustment bolt) I was £162 poorer and had a car properly set up.

My 'OCD' loved the fact he tried his best to get exactly the target values, not just be within tolerance of them. Great guy.

9RFgpnd.jpg
 
lucasxdiniz said:
Sidewaze Samm said:
Let us know how it goes.

Took the car to Blackboots this morning. My car was on the ramp exactly at the booked time, no need to wait around. The guy who aligned my car was extremely to the point, asked what I wanted, to which I said "from the car I want neutral handling with oversteer bias, some people in the forum suggested that the M3 CSL geo setup offers just that". He just nodded and got to work.

He was fine with me just watching next to the car, told me what he was doing at each stage, answered some of my curiosities about the Hunter machine and had a good ol' rant about people who try tracking the front wheels without referencing the rear wheels (thrust angle).

30 min later (all bolts were easy to undo apart from the N/S rear camber adjustment bolt) I was £162 poorer and had a car properly set up.

My 'OCD' loved the fact he tried his best to get exactly the target values, not just be within tolerance of them. Great guy.

9RFgpnd.jpg

So what do you think now you've driven it?
 
abar121 said:
Just find a local shop with the Hunter alignment machine. There are loads out there.

Many of our cars have non OEM springs, bushes, wheels and tyres I've previously posted at length about trying to get my car set up properly to take account this. Unfortunately having a Hunter doesn't mean the operator will do anything more than set it to OEM spec, it's all about finding an operator who fully understands the knock-on effect of changes that have been made to your car (I don't) and what you are looking for. Any recommendations for a top-notch operator are gold-dust TBH.
 
MACK said:
lucasxdiniz said:
Sidewaze Samm said:
Let us know how it goes.

Took the car to Blackboots this morning. My car was on the ramp exactly at the booked time, no need to wait around. The guy who aligned my car was extremely to the point, asked what I wanted, to which I said "from the car I want neutral handling with oversteer bias, some people in the forum suggested that the M3 CSL geo setup offers just that". He just nodded and got to work.

He was fine with me just watching next to the car, told me what he was doing at each stage, answered some of my curiosities about the Hunter machine and had a good ol' rant about people who try tracking the front wheels without referencing the rear wheels (thrust angle).

30 min later (all bolts were easy to undo apart from the N/S rear camber adjustment bolt) I was £162 poorer and had a car properly set up.

My 'OCD' loved the fact he tried his best to get exactly the target values, not just be within tolerance of them. Great guy.

9RFgpnd.jpg

So what do you think now you've driven it?

I've not driven it hard enough yet to fully answer your question. But as the car dropped and gained camber it felt much better than stock, even though the camber and toe were not properly set up, grip improved and the balance wasn't understeer-y. From what I felt so far in a relaxed drive home, the 'planted' feeling around corners is still the same, but now that the toe has been properly set up and is more positive than before, turn-in is sharper and car feels smoother to drive.

All that I need to find out now is whether the balance of the car is truly neutral or has some bias. Hopefully it's going to be neutral and let me get the rear out should I want to/push hard enough. Stock was very understeer-y which I managed with some trail braking but I just don't find it fun.
 
That looks like a decent setup. Was 2-ish -ve camber the best they could get out of the rears?

Mine feels pretty neutral now and I didn’t go as aggressive as you with the toe angle, but I have a fair amount more caster. I’m sure having a locking diff helps things too as you don’t seem to need as big a brave pill to experiment on the limit of grip.

Glad the forum recommendation came good. WIM charge based on adjustment time so I think I might get mine re-done very 18mths or so.
 
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