uneven suspension height - BMW Forum

Bleier325 · 05-20-2006, 11:36 PM

i have recently noticed that my suspension is uneven, for example the front drivers side ishigher than the pass. side front and in the back the pass. side is lower than the drivers side. What do you guys think this could be, the car has 118000 miles and the sports suspension??? I dont know whats wrong. the car drives fine, i dont feel anything wierd and i check the car on a level surface in neutral with no e-brake so im sure it is sitting uneven and it just got aligned like a week ago.

94BMW325i · 05-20-2006, 11:51 PM

have you tried pushing down on the rear shocks and seeing if they rise back up quickly? I forget how to test the front ones, I believe that it is different.

SHAHAB323IS · 05-21-2006, 12:45 AM

don't worry e36's were engineered this way

supposedly compensates for the weight of the driver

so that when you get, in your car is more level

don't you just love BMW lol

WarNox · 05-21-2006, 07:10 AM

can u actually see that its uneven to the ground or just the distance between the front wheel to the fender and rear to the fender is different? the distance to the ground at front and back in ment to be the same (given that the bumpers are the same length) but the wheel to fender distance is bigger in the front than back.

ok im not fully sure on the word "fender" but in this post it means the panel above your wheel

WarNox · 05-21-2006, 07:21 AM

here is my work of art:

in the pic it kinda looks like its higher in the back but i think its the angle of the photo!

Bleier325 · 05-21-2006, 11:09 AM

i understand that there is a difference in the gap between the front and the back but an noticing an obvious difference from side to side, like left front to right front and left rear to right rear. could my springs be saging due to wear and tear, could it be worn shocks and struts, any ideas?

Teh Prof · 05-21-2006, 01:22 PM

Wouldn't hurt to test shocks and struts. I'd be surprised if your springs were sagging, unless your shocks and struts have been bad for a long time.

Bleier325 · 05-21-2006, 01:52 PM

how do you test the shock and struts?

SHAHAB323IS · 05-21-2006, 02:07 PM

hello is there anybody out there

e36 were engineered this way

there is nothing wrong with anything

all e36's are like this

Bleier325 · 05-21-2006, 02:43 PM

i believe you but i still want to test my shock, i think they are original and i want to know how they are hodling up...

SHAHAB323IS · 05-21-2006, 02:50 PM

ok good lol

Gkamysz · 05-22-2006, 10:50 AM

Somehow, I doubt BMW engineered their cars for handling with the driver only. Our cars, do after all, have four seats.

The Bentley manual says that if there is more than .40" variation side to side you should be fixing something.

Do the math. Stock spring rates average to 300Lb/in. This means that if you sit your 200Lb ass in the driver seat the side would drop no more than 200Lb/600Lb per inch = .333inches.

It's more complicated than that because the front springs are much softer than the rear, but you get the idea.

Does anyone know the actual stock spring rates? I found 160Lb/inch front and 440Lb/inch rear. Also those who have installed aftermarket springs, are the springs marked for left and right?

I don't know about your car, but mine is level. I actually measured it. If the variation is obvious, I would check things.

thekid · 05-22-2006, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SHAHAB323IS

hello is there anybody out there

e36 were engineered this way

there is nothing wrong with anything

all e36's are like this

+198562 because I have heard that about that many times. Either it is the case that BMW did engineer their cars that way or, that many BMWs all have the same weird problem.