Some E36 camber questions

[Dr.AK]

Hey guys.

1. Rear camber

As it is currently, my Touring has almost no camber in the rear. I want / need some more.

Now I thought I might try it first with just getting an alignment done and telling the guy to set it up for more neg. camber.

How much neg. camber is possible with stock parts?

I've been thinking about buying adjustable lower control arms for the rear, but I'm not sure if that's necessary to get the camber to where I want it.

Oh, fyi the Touring's got the same rear axle as al the other E36s apart from the ti.


2. Front camber.

I've been thinking about installing excentric M3 3.2 strut bearings.

http://www.bmw-syndikat.de/bmw-syndikat/archiv/e36_fahrwerk/gfx/DomVA_M32.gif

If you mount them stock as is, they will add caster but remove camber. If you swap the left one to the right and the right one to the left, they will add caster and negative camber.

Anyone on here can tell me how much more camber they add?

[cabezzz]

Rear camber you can do by yourself, but the stock rear control arm adds about 3 degress if that, barely noticeable but for me it helped alot with the rubbing issue, if you look at the rear lower control arm, the part that goes to the hub, you will see the bolt that holds the 2 parts together is off center and has small lines, in order to get negative camber you have to move the bolt, when you do this you will see the whole assembly slightly moves in and out, when youve reached the camber point that you want re tighten the bolt and do the same with the other side, if youre lowered once you drive it around a bit and the car settles you will see a difference

For the front ive been thinking also about the offset M3 upper mounts, ive heard they also add about 2.5 degrees of negative camber, but have no experience myself

[Dr.AK]

Sounds good.

I'll have a look at the rear tomorrow and see what I can do.

Afaik when you modify the camber at the E36s rear axle you also modify the toe and it has to be aligned later??

[cabezzz]

Sounds good.

I'll have a look at the rear tomorrow and see what I can do.

Afaik when you modify the camber at the E36s rear axle you also modify the toe and it has to be aligned later??

Toe is adjusted by the trailing arm bushing, if you never changed them, they are probably bad, the bushing replacement itself requires the whole trailing arm and hub removal if you dont have a BMW special bushing tool, camber adjustment of the lower control arm does not change toe settings

[Dr.AK]

Awesome. Thanks man!

I'll see how much camber I can get tomorrow... if it ends up not being enough I'll install adjustable camber arms.

[Dr.AK]

Tried to fiddle with the camber in the rear today but I couldn't get the bolt to move it was so rusted. :rofl

So I decided, fuck it, 'll throw the wheels on and see how it looks and drives and tada - no rubbing issues so far and the wheels do have some slight visible camber.

Should I experience some rubbing issues, I'll try to get more camber.

[cabezzz]

Tried to fiddle with the camber in the rear today but I couldn't get the bolt to move it was so rusted. :rofl

So I decided, fuck it, 'll throw the wheels on and see how it looks and drives and tada - no rubbing issues so far and the wheels do have some slight visible camber.

Should I experience some rubbing issues, I'll try to get more camber.

Damn, you couldnt get it loose? just break it and get another one:D

[Edirty6]

SPC makes some adjustable camber arms, about $200/set...but seeing as how we are in Germany, you would have to run them w/o TUV. Though at your height, they're not even visible. Plus they are matte black anyway.

[2JZ M3]

i am loving the e36 wagon..super rare here in the states