wheel alignment specs E89 = specs E85?

[GeneticX]

That's what they told me today at the tireshop when I went for a wheel-alignment.
They didn't have the specs for my e89 withs sport suspension, they only had the specs for the E85 but they assured the specs are the same...
They also said the chassis is the same?

I don't know about the alignments specs but I do know the layout of te rear axle is different on both cars.

Can anybody confirm the alignment specs are the same or not?

thx!

[Memphis1]

why would you take a car under warranty to an external tireshop??

[GeneticX]

Originally Posted by Memphis1

why would you take a car under warranty to an external tireshop??

Because hitting a pothole isn't under warranty?
second: Don't want to pay what the stealer would charge me for this, and i even doubt if they have the equipment.

[Memphis1]

can't be that much cheaper at the tireshop for them to screw up the OEM settings as opposed to spending a bit more for the dealership to do it right.

[GeneticX]

Originally Posted by Memphis1

can't be that much cheaper at the tireshop for them to screw up the OEM settings as opposed to spending a bit more for the dealership to do it right.

Oh yes it is!
And what will they propably do... i'll have to leave the car for a whole day at the stealership, they'll take it to a local tireshop to do the job... charge me twice the price of the tireshop...

On topic please?

[taYab]

They dont share the same spec.
Just go to any Tirerack approved shop and most of them know that they are different.
Fender also has different shape.
I am not sure about the chassis,
but if I remember correctly, E89 has larger and longer chassis.
E89 should have different chassis from E85
because of the weight distribution due to hardtop.

But having said that, most setup from E85 will work.

[rmorin49]

The E89 is a totally different car than the E85 so i doubt the specs will be the same but they could be. Personally I would not trust your run of the mill tire shop to be able to properly align the car. Check the Tire Rack website and see if there is a recommended shop near you and check to see if they do alignments but I would check with a BMW dealer as you may be surprised to learn their prices are that much higher.

[fontana302]

Can someone provide camber, caster & toe specs for front & rear please for the E89. I'd like to see what they are meant to be too.

[GeneticX]

anybody who knows a site where the alignments specs are published?

[Alext]

Good post. I would like to know the specs also!

[teagueAMX]

Originally Posted by GeneticX

anybody who knows a site where the alignments specs are published?

I tried to find them myself a while back but was unsuccessful. You'll have to get it from a dealership or a more professional alignment shop.

Although the rear suspension appears to have come out of the e85 parts bin, the front is different. But, even if specs are similar it's not worth it to prematurely wear out a set of tires to save a few bucks on an alignment. And yes it's inconvenient.

Additionally, I wouldn't trust a shop that doesn't have up to date info. Now days they all use pretty much the same top brands of alignment equipment and have subscriptions for the new car data. You have to ask yourself, the e89 has been out since 2009 and these guys don't have the info? Do yourself a favor - take it to BMW or as recommended go to tirerack.com and scope out a few of their connections in your area.

Most likely a top grade shop will have Hunter Equipment and you can ask for that brand of equipment by name, they have specific programs for BMW.

http://www.hunter.com/oem/bmw/kds2/index.cfm

They also have the latest specs for the newest cars:

http://www.hunter.com/company/news/p...r_2011spec.cfm

So I would steer away from whoever you've talking to and find one of these guys in your area.

[Silver-Bolt]

Most dealers do not have alignment racks in house. They farm it out. In the NW we have a chain of tire stores Les Schwab that does great work.

According to my print out from them here are the specs.

"BMW - e89 sport suspension (includind VDC suspension/adaptive M suspension) 19" wheels". (2009-up)

Front:

Camber: -.1 to -1.1 degrees
Caster: 6.5 degrees (no range listed)
Toe: .02 deg to .22 deg
SAI: 14.2 deg
Included Angle: 13.6 deg

Rear:

Camber: -1.9 to -2.8 deg
Toe: .05 deg to .25 deg.

Those are listed as the factory recommended specs.

[teagueAMX]

Originally Posted by Silver-Bolt

In the NW we have a chain of tire stores Les Schwab that does great work.

That name rang a bell so I looked them up. We used to have one in So Cal Riverside area, but now the closest is 300 miles away. I think they're getting bought out. But I remember they did good work.

Originally Posted by Silver-Bolt

Rear:

Camber: -1.9 to -2.8 deg

He would do well to reduce that number to around 1.0 deg if possible.

[GeneticX]

I'm pretty sure they don't have alignment equipment at my BMW-dealer.
Thx for the advise guys but I live in belgium.
I'm very positive about the shop i went to yersterday, they really work very accurate... one alignment they spent minimum an hour and set the toe and camber etc. really in hte middle of the tolerance specs. I went to several other shops with my previous 123D and they were done in a quarter. So if i find out that te specs are not the same I'll defenitely go back and they will do it over for free.

[GeneticX]

Originally Posted by Silver-Bolt

Most dealers do not have alignment racks in house. They farm it out. In the NW we have a chain of tire stores Les Schwab that does great work.

According to my print out from them here are the specs.

"BMW - e89 sport suspension (includind VDC suspension/adaptive M suspension) 19" wheels". (2009-up)

Front:

Camber: -.1 to -1.1 degrees
Caster: 6.5 degrees (no range listed)
Toe: .02 deg to .22 deg
SAI: 14.2 deg
Included Angle: 13.6 deg

Rear:

Camber: -1.9 to -2.8 deg
Toe: .05 deg to .25 deg.

Those are listed as the factory recommended specs.

Thx for the specs... unfortunately I don't know how to interpretate them.
Here the specs are expressed in degrees and minutes.

[GeneticX]

Originally Posted by teagueAMX

That name rang a bell so I looked them up. We used to have one in So Cal Riverside area, but now the closest is 300 miles away. I think they're getting bought out. But I remember they did good work.



He would do well to reduce that number to around 1.0 deg if possible.

My camber on the rear is now -2° 31' left & right.

Damn that's excessive!
And if the specs are right it's actually to little...
The specs on the printout say: -2° 50' with a tolerance of +-0° 15'

[GeneticX]

FYI... Toe on the rear axle says:

0° 11' +- 0° 3' both left&right.

So the guy set left and right exactly @ 0° 11'.

[HerrK]

Originally Posted by GeneticX

Thx for the specs... unfortunately I don't know how to interpretate them.
Here the specs are expressed in degrees and minutes.

1° = 60', 0.1° = 6'

so you rear camber @ 2° 31" = 2.517°

[teagueAMX]

@GenericX - Minimizing your rear camber will extend your tire life by reducing the excessive wear on the inner tread area.

[GeneticX]

Originally Posted by teagueAMX

@GenericX - Minimizing your rear camber will extend your tire life by reducing the excessive wear on the inner tread area.

I also prefer to have less camber.
I think more camber also doesn't improve traction in the snow, and that's really a problem here the last days.
But give the car less camber and the handling wil probably get worse.
But if BMW says the E89 needs that much camber i'll stick with it... to my experience they usually know it better...
I would prefer to set the camber at the lowest within the tolerance.

[GeneticX]

Originally Posted by HerrK

1° = 60', 0.1° = 6'

so you rear camber @ 2° 31" = 2.517°

Yeps... indeed, so I'm within the tolerance of the factury specs.

[Alext]

Thanks for posting the specs - that's a pretty wide variance. Anyone know what the optimal specs are for street?