Alignment Required with new struts?

Need to get the front struts replaced in my 97 328i. How much does this
mess up wheel alignment - particularily Castor and Camber, since they
are not adjustable once the struts are mounted?

I've been getting absolutely "perfect" tire wear across the front - sure
would like to keep it that way.

Thanks,

Frank

In article >,
Raybender > wrote:
> Need to get the front struts replaced in my 97 328i. How much does this
> mess up wheel alignment - particularily Castor and Camber, since they
> are not adjustable once the struts are mounted?

> I've been getting absolutely "perfect" tire wear across the front - sure
> would like to keep it that way.

Are you replacing the struts complete - or only the damper inserts? If the
latter, nothing will change. If the complete struts, have the tracking
checked. Which I'd do anyway after any such work, since it costs pennies.

--
*If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Raybender" > wrote in message
...
> Need to get the front struts replaced in my 97 328i. How much does this
> mess up wheel alignment - particularily Castor and Camber, since they
> are not adjustable once the struts are mounted?
>
> I've been getting absolutely "perfect" tire wear across the front - sure
> would like to keep it that way.

It shouldn't affect the castor or camber at all, as they are set by the body
and lower arm mounting points.
So theoretically a new strut should have the same settings as the one it
replaces.
Mike.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:

> In article >,
> Raybender > wrote:
> > Need to get the front struts replaced in my 97 328i. How much does this
> > mess up wheel alignment - particularily Castor and Camber, since they
> > are not adjustable once the struts are mounted?
>
> > I've been getting absolutely "perfect" tire wear across the front - sure
> > would like to keep it that way.
>
> Are you replacing the struts complete - or only the damper inserts? If the
> latter, nothing will change. If the complete struts, have the tracking
> checked. Which I'd do anyway after any such work, since it costs pennies.
>

Just the dampers, but the whole strut has to be removed, doesn't it? I was
assuming that slop in the mounting screws on the front shock tower and the
spindle could change the alignment.

Frank

Mike G wrote:

> "Raybender" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Need to get the front struts replaced in my 97 328i. How much does this
> > mess up wheel alignment - particularily Castor and Camber, since they
> > are not adjustable once the struts are mounted?
> >
> > I've been getting absolutely "perfect" tire wear across the front - sure
> > would like to keep it that way.
>
> It shouldn't affect the castor or camber at all, as they are set by the body
> and lower arm mounting points.
> So theoretically a new strut should have the same settings as the one it
> replaces.
> Mike.

So the "slop" in the bolts for these mounting points in negligible?

Frank

On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 06:03:59 +0000, Raybender wrote:

> "Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:
>
>> In article >,
>> Raybender > wrote:
>> > Need to get the front struts replaced in my 97 328i. How much does this
>> > mess up wheel alignment - particularily Castor and Camber, since they
>> > are not adjustable once the struts are mounted?
>>
>> > I've been getting absolutely "perfect" tire wear across the front - sure
>> > would like to keep it that way.
>>
>> Are you replacing the struts complete - or only the damper inserts? If the
>> latter, nothing will change. If the complete struts, have the tracking
>> checked. Which I'd do anyway after any such work, since it costs pennies.
>>
>
> Just the dampers, but the whole strut has to be removed, doesn't it? I was
> assuming that slop in the mounting screws on the front shock tower and the
> spindle could change the alignment.
>
Camber isn't adjustable at all without aftermarket parts and isn't a part
of an alignment. Caster is fixed by the geometry of the attach points and
suspension components other than the struts.

So the bottom line is that R&R'in the struts shoudn't affect
adjustable alignment at all.

--
The instructions said to use Windows 98 or better, so I installed RedHat.

In article >,
Raybender > wrote:
> > Are you replacing the struts complete - or only the damper inserts? If
> > the latter, nothing will change. If the complete struts, have the
> > tracking checked. Which I'd do anyway after any such work, since it
> > costs pennies.
> >

> Just the dampers, but the whole strut has to be removed, doesn't it? I
> was assuming that slop in the mounting screws on the front shock tower
> and the spindle could change the alignment.

I'd assume the alignment is provided by the top of the strut being an
exact fit in the housing, and the studs etc merely to secure it - hence
some tolerance in their holes. That's how it works on most strut
suspension - or indeed anything where accurate location is needed like,
for example, the road wheels.

--
*I'd kill for a Nobel Peace Prize *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Raybender" > wrote in message
...
> Mike G wrote:

> > > Need to get the front struts replaced in my 97 328i. How much does
this
> > > mess up wheel alignment - particularily Castor and Camber, since they
> > > are not adjustable once the struts are mounted?
> > >
> > > I've been getting absolutely "perfect" tire wear across the front -
sure
> > > would like to keep it that way.
> >
> > It shouldn't affect the castor or camber at all, as they are set by the
body
> > and lower arm mounting points.
> > So theoretically a new strut should have the same settings as the one it
> > replaces.
> > Mike.
>
> So the "slop" in the bolts for these mounting points in negligible?

Yes.
Negligable as far as altering the castor and camber is concerned, as the
mounting holes only have a little slop or clearance on the mounting screws.
To give you a rough idea, 1 degree is about 17 thou (0.017") over 1".
Lets say the strut is 12" long fitted, and the holes for the strut top
mounting are in their correct position, which appears to be the case. To
alter the castor or camber by 1 degree at this end in any direction, the
mounting holes would have to allow the strut to move 0.200" in any
direction. IOW they'd have to be 0.400" larger than the bolt diameter.
In fact they're only 10-15 thou larger, meaning the castor or camber could
only alter by a maximum of 2 or 3 minutes at most.
Too small to have any noticeable affect on steering or tyre wear.
Mike.

Raybender wrote:

> Need to get the front struts replaced in my 97 328i. How much does this
> mess up wheel alignment - particularily Castor and Camber, since they
> are not adjustable once the struts are mounted?
>
> I've been getting absolutely "perfect" tire wear across the front - sure
> would like to keep it that way.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Frank

Thanks much, everyone. Looking forward to testing handling with the new
struts. Hope to get them this next week, but shop says struts are on
backorder at their supplier. Guess when the gov'nator says in his State of
the State speech that our roads are in bad shape he wasn't kidding -
everyone seems to be replacing struts.

Frank

"Raybender" > wrote in message
...
> "Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:
>
>> In article >,
>> Raybender > wrote:
>> > Need to get the front struts replaced in my 97 328i. How much does
>> > this
>> > mess up wheel alignment - particularily Castor and Camber, since they
>> > are not adjustable once the struts are mounted?
>>
>> > I've been getting absolutely "perfect" tire wear across the front -
>> > sure
>> > would like to keep it that way.
>>
>> Are you replacing the struts complete - or only the damper inserts? If
>> the
>> latter, nothing will change. If the complete struts, have the tracking
>> checked. Which I'd do anyway after any such work, since it costs pennies.
>>
>
> Just the dampers, but the whole strut has to be removed, doesn't it? I
> was
> assuming that slop in the mounting screws on the front shock tower and the
> spindle could change the alignment.

Frank,

Having done this on a '95, I would be surprised if you could replace just
the damper on your '97. The damper is integral to the strut housing and you
replace the whole thing, transferring all of the other parts (springs,
perches, upper bearings) over onto the new one.

That said, there is no *need* for a full alignment after replacing these
parts, but it is a good time to check it (or have it checked). That way you
will know that all of your angles are within specs.

The only real adjustment, per se, is for Toe-in. You can actually do that
at home with a little ingenuity, some fishing line, a ruler and Google.

-Fred W

Fred W