Alignment Q.

Got an alignment about a month ago, just the front after replacement of my tie rod ends and the links. The mechanic put a rod on the seat and wheel to keep it straight while they worked. I knew I needed one for a while since I replaced my shocks/springs, bushings, etc.

They adjust my camber and toe because that's the only thing that can be done to the E36/7, then I drive away.

It just takes me a minute to realize that the wheel is off center by just an inch and enough to piss me off. Reluctant to drive back, I tough it out and await the next track day for adjustment. Track day is next Monday.

Since the bottom is aligned and just my wheel is off center,

Here's my options :

1. Take it back for adjustment, have THEM remove the wheel and center
2. Remove the wheel myself and rotate it that half inch.. DONE.

The car is straight and doesn't pull. Etc..

About a year ago I replaced my steering wheel and might not have put it back in the right direction.

Thoughts..

Put zip ties on the tie rods so you can easily see how much you turn them, and turn them both the same direction, the same amount. Alignment will be the same, steering wheel will be straight. It's a bit of a guess and check thing but I've done it before. It's not too bad.

INGRISH PREEZE! I'm more lost now than earlier.

Hey now it's not that simple. You may now have more lock in one direction than the other. Moving the steering wheel on the splines will (most likely) only fix an appearance and comfort problem.

You have to first make sure that the rack is centered, then make sure the steering wheel is centered, before adjusting anything else. This should be part of any alignment service.

So I'd say you should do what any average customer would and take it back to the shop and have them fix it. An inch off-center at the outer diameter is a lot. With a good alignment, it should be so close to perfectly straight that it's hard to measure.

GameboyRMH wrote: Hey now it's not that simple. You may now have more lock in one direction than the other. Moving the steering wheel on the splines will (most likely) only fix an appearance and comfort problem. You have to first make sure that the rack is centered, then make sure the steering wheel is centered, before adjusting anything else. This should be part of any alignment service. So I'd say you should do what any average customer would and take it back to the shop and have them fix it. An inch off-center at the outer diameter is a lot. With a good alignment, it should be so close to perfectly straight that it's hard to measure.

Got it. I'll leave a little early today from work to get this done. Thanks.

Lengthen one, shorten the other. An inch off center will probably be one to two flats on the locknuts.

Does it matter if I replaced the steering wheel about a year ago and "thought" I had properly aligned it?

Can't I just move it a few degrees and DONE?

M3Loco wrote: Does it matter if I replaced the steering wheel about a year ago and "thought" I had properly aligned it? Can't I just move it a few degrees and DONE?

If it was off the whole time since then I'd say go for it...but since you say it's only been off since the alignment, I'm pretty sure you'd just be moving your steering wheel off-center to match your off-center rack.

Your wheel would point straight when driving straight but you'd have uneven amounts of lock on each side and probably a weird steering feel as well.

Edit: Another possibility: They centered your rack and not your wheel, so moving the wheel on the splines would solve the problem in this situation. Too many variables to know without an alignment machine or at least some testing.

M3Loco wrote: Does it matter if I replaced the steering wheel about a year ago and "thought" I had properly aligned it? Can't I just move it a few degrees and DONE?

You can, but that's just like painting over sprayfoamed rust. It's not fixing the problem.

The problem is that they used up too much of the toe in/out setting on one side, and then adjusted the other side until it was parallel. So in other words, the wheels were steered one way or the other a little, and instead of straightening the steering input, they used the toe adjustment to dial it back out.

So now the steering will turn more sharply one way than the other, because they've built in a bias in the opposite direction.

GameboyRMH wrote:

M3Loco wrote: Does it matter if I replaced the steering wheel about a year ago and "thought" I had properly aligned it? Can't I just move it a few degrees and DONE?

If it was off the whole time since then I'd say go for it...but since you say it's only been off since the alignment, I'm pretty sure you'd just be moving your steering wheel off-center to match your off-center rack. Your wheel would point straight when driving straight but you'd have uneven amounts of lock on each side and probably a weird steering feel as well. Edit: Another possibility: They centered your rack and not your wheel, so moving the wheel on the splines would solve the problem in this situation. Too many variables to know without an alignment machine or at least some testing.

When I bought the car, it was slightly off. Right after, I bought a newer steering wheel and "centered" it.

Regardless, I'll take it back to them later and see if the alignment is correct, then, we'll ensure to match the wheel.

Thanks!

Turn the wheel lock to lock. Is full lock in each direction a mirror image of the other? Or are they off by the same inch as strait?

If mirror image, then the rack is not centered, but your steering wheel is. If off by the same amount as when strait, then the rack is centered, but your wheel is off.

If the wheel is off, correct the wheel. If the rack is off, take it back to the shop to fix.

Beer Baron wrote: If mirror image, then the rack is not centered, but your steering wheel is.

Wait wut? If you have equal lock in both directions then the rack is centered and the wheel is off.

Besides the rack possibly not centered, it could also mean that your toe is off. They don't center it with the rack, they center it with the steering wheel, which is why they lock the steering wheel in place during adjustment. Even then, I never lock the steering wheel during alignment. Any machine built in the last couple of decades can compensate for movement during adjustment. Incorrect toe will dramatically change your steering response and wear the E36 M3 out of your tires.

Take it back and have them do it right.

Another possibility is that the rear suspension is causing dog tracking. I had an MG 1100 that was so bad that sometimes it was to the right and other times to the left.

GameboyRMH wrote:

Beer Baron wrote: If mirror image, then the rack is not centered, but your steering wheel is.

Wait wut? If you have equal lock in both directions then the rack is centered and the wheel is off.

No. If it turns an equal amount between locks, the rack is centered. But the wheel is 1" off when pointed strait ahead. So if it turns the same amount each direction, the wheel will point 1" farther to one side.

DONE.. They re-centered it for FREE and they also installed my rear brake pad shims on the house.

The driver's side toe was way off. Readjusted and all great now. Only took them about 10 minutes max. He moved the steering wheel a few times left and right while looking at the screen, then readjusted.

Thanks again for all your help guys.