Wheel Alignment - Page 2

jeffko · #21 (**permalink**) 06-19-2005, 08:55 AM

Badrich, please explain.

jeffko · #22 (**permalink**) 07-07-2005, 11:47 AM

Well, the saga continues. Got the new brackets from Reg last Monday afternoon. I could not make it to the shop I use until saturday. When I got there they told me that the toe went from a positive 1.3 to a negative 1.8. I called Reg from the shop to find he decided to send me the brackets from another car instead of fabricating new brackets from the previous alignment results I sent him. That's a pretty big shot in the dark that cost me $260 (150 to remove and install brackets and 80 for new alignment) and the alignment is still not withing spec. Frankly this is a very uncomfortable position to be in that has the potential of turning a simple $80 alignment into an $800 alignment. So far I have spent $140 and $260. #$!^~^&%&!!@#~$%^

Nor Cal Al · #23 (**permalink**) 07-07-2005, 01:20 PM

Jeffko, sorry you are having so much trouble. I have been following this thread, re-reading past ones and talking with some other folks because 'ol 128 has yet to be aligned.

I presume you are talking about camber not toe. In talking with a local shop about BMW camber/caster plates and reading past notes from Tony I have figured out that the "Hats" they installed on top of the uprights have been altered from original. That the uprights are narrower than OEM. I also found out from a local shop that the "hats" are different from left to right and if they are switched it will change the camber. I believe though, that it will actually make the camber be less negative.

The shop also indicated that their aftermarket camber plates may not work due to the upper strut spring retainer. They said that up to 2 degrees negative was ok. They do not have an eccentric for the spindle arm. Maybe that is all we need and BDR can develop one.

I have stuck my finger into the "hat" and I do think you have very much to gain by slotting unless you change the washer OD.

The just of what I hear and see is that if chamber falls between zero and minus 2, call it good. That does not mean that BDR shouldn't be working on a fix for this.

I think that it has been shown that there are those of us out here who love our BDR's but have put up with enough of the growing pains and need to see some better customer service in the US. Maybe BDR Factory needs to provide that support directly to the local dealers like Vintage Motorsports and California Cobra who seem more interested in service to their customers and non-customers alike than the group in Florida.

As others have said before, "that's my 2 cents".

jeffko · #24 (**permalink**) 07-09-2005, 05:27 PM

Al, It's toe that can not be properly set. First it was negative 1.5 degrees and now with Reg's brackets it went back past zero to a positive 1.8 degrees. That will really chew up tires in a hurry.

I guess I misunderstood Reg when he said he would pay to have the alignemnt shop set the car right by fabricating their own brackets. It has been 2 weeks since I faxed him the estimate and a check has not arrived yet. More than anything, this is what I am steamed about.

He could not possibly want to stop hearing from me more that I want to not have to call him!

madmaxx · #25 (**permalink**) 07-11-2005, 07:19 AM

Toe is set by adjusting the tie rod ends. You would never need brackets to adjust toe, you simply loosen the lock nut and turn them. I am pretty sure you are talking camber here.

Cashburn · #26 (**permalink**) 07-11-2005, 09:20 AM

Rear toe?

jeffko · #27 (**permalink**) 07-11-2005, 11:22 AM

I am not even slightly familiar with suspensions, but I thought that tie rods were a front end component even on IRS suspensions. No???

madmaxx · #28 (**permalink**) 07-11-2005, 12:03 PM

My apology I thought you were talking front, you are correct!!

jeffko · #29 (**permalink**) 07-11-2005, 08:10 PM

Yeah Cashburn..Toe. What would you suggest for the limits of toe angle?

Cashburn · #30 (**permalink**) 07-12-2005, 03:33 PM

I can not suggest anything different than what you know by that piece of paper. The rear is adjustable in all regards... toe and camber. If we are talking rear I am confused why they cannot achieve it.

It's tough supporting this from a distance just typing. This is why people need real dealers in their general area that are willing to help. If you could pull it into our shop we'd get it done; one way or another.

jeffko · #31 (**permalink**) 07-12-2005, 07:54 PM

I wish we had someone like you and Vintage Motorsports here. This is a huge area and there is really nobody on the north side.

Thanks for all the help and advice you give us all here. It is very appreciated.

Hank Steckel · #32 (**permalink**) 07-12-2005, 10:14 PM

This afternoon I was at an alignment shop visiting my new BDR as it gets it initial 4 wheel alignment. The man doing the work has done lots of BackDraft alignments for Armond. He was having difficulty with the rear toe on the left rear and was elongating the hole where the lower control arm attaches to the frame. He said it would be just fine and ready to go tomorrow. I can't wait!!!

Well, along comes this fellow from "next door" who is a BMW tuner. He buys and sells Beemers and knows how to fix things on them. After admiring the suspension on my BDR, he said there is an adjustable lower control arm available on eBay. So I chased it down and here is the link:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...spagename=WDVW
AKG Motorsport. $235.00.

Take a look. Maybe it will solve some problems.

Hank

Cashburn · #33 (**permalink**) 07-13-2005, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jeffko

I wish we had someone like you and Vintage Motorsports here. This is a huge area and there is really nobody on the north side.

Thanks for all the help and advice you give us all here. It is very appreciated.

Wish I could do more... but as our area starts to heat up for the Backdrafts I imagine it will be less on the Web and more in person

jeffko · #34 (**permalink**) 07-13-2005, 08:21 PM

Hey Cashburn, will the items that Hank is showing the link for do the job instead of all these new brackets, grinding and such?

Jeff

got snake? · #35 (**permalink**) 07-14-2005, 02:55 PM

Hey guys,

Contacted the guys doing my aligment about this thread. They are putting these control arms on my cobra tomorrow. I'll take pics and get some more input from them tomorrow.

Sid

Cashburn · #36 (**permalink**) 07-14-2005, 07:33 PM

Will have to see what results Sid finds...

DC COBRA · #37 (**permalink**) 07-14-2005, 09:14 PM

GUYS

I put a set of those arms on my BDR when I got it about 1.5 years ago. They were a different manufacturer and cost about $200 shipping and all, Bracket was billet aluminum and had aluminmu tube with aurora heim ends, both ends were double adjustable. Made alignment fairly easier to do and looked really *****in on car. My BDR when delivered had a bent lowere trailing on the right rear, not much but it was bent Told Reg , he said to send pictures but he had never seen that before, Month later I got to go to BDR shop in Florida to help Boudy pickup and deliver a car. They had 10=12 cars down there and there was one on the rack and I politely pointed out another bent trailing arm on it, I will just leave it at that. Those arms are really cool though.

DON

got snake? · #38 (**permalink**) 07-20-2005, 11:59 AM

Finally got the cobra back! Will take pics tonight if I can get my fat butt under the thing. (of all the tools I bought I don't have a freakin jack!)

SID

Cashburn · #39 (**permalink**) 07-21-2005, 01:09 AM

Did a little research on those arms... they are great for gettting additional adjustment but you have to monitor them. I hear they have a tendency to loosen over time so if you use them you need to keep on top of them.

got snake? · #40 (**permalink**) 07-28-2005, 06:42 AM

Thanks for the info Cash! Pics are in the gallery now...I have not pushed my car too much lately need to find some back roads but It does feel a lot better all around. I want to see how that rear end feels when I kick it out a bit. Tuning part sucks. But the testing part ROCKS!!!

Jeff remember to call me so you can take a look at this setup up close.

SID