[bimmer320]

Hiya all heres one to pick your brains. Ive noticed that my car does sit lower on the drivers side rear compared to the passenger side rear and was wondering if there are any common culprits to cause this. Ive recently serviced the car about 3k miles ago and had a good poke around with a bar and torch checking all the bushes on the rear and i know my coils are not snapped as i checked that the other week when i had the rear wheels off. Ive since noticed a few more e46's on the road that seem to do the same. Any help much apreciated

 

[craigledden]

mines exactly the same aswell but it was;nt a week ago! however my car is going in today to have some work done on the left hand drive shaft

 

[xXNealXx]

BMW says it's a tolerance factor - within 10mm is ok. More than this and I think your camber may be out. Had an alignment done lately?

 

[bimmer320]

thx for the reply guys ill have a measure up latersee what the diff actually is but i think its within the 10mm tolerance

 

[328mark]

the germans,being an efficient race,have set up their cars so when 1 person sits in them the car runs level.
however,their efficiency doesn't extend to rhd cars.
now this anecdote may be apocryphal,i dont know.
another thing to check is the condition of the springs,as they have been known to rust,weaken and eventually snap.
and dont get me started on the top mounts being made out of chocolate.
all food for thought

 

[bimmer320]

Thx mark ill have another look see at the springs while im at it. I take you are refering to the top mounts on the shocks? someone at work mentioned that today.

 

[Ste Gough]

mine does exactly the same, as does the one over the road from my work...

 

[Ronnie]

I would have a good check of your rear springs and also of your rear subframe mounts/mounting points... see here http://www.bimmerforums.co.uk/forum/f91/e46-rear-subframe-technical-service-bulletin-t4244/

 

[bimmer320]

Had a measure up today o/s sits 15mm lower than the n/s :frown guess ill have to have another proper look over the weekend think ive put it off long enough. Ronnie i was under the impression the subframe issue only affected the 323 and the 328?

 

[shaft69]

O/s always sits lower than n/s for some reason but 15mm a bit much. couple reasons battery and fuel sits on o/s, fuel tank are twin and most fuel sits o/s. If you see touring car racing cars are l/h/d as most weight is on o/s.

 

[bimmer320]

Whipped the wheel on the o/s back off today had a good look around nothing obvious at fault, Spring is not broken, subframe hasnt gone through floor, couldnt move any of the bushes:confused. Only thing i didnt have time to check as it started p**sing down was the top shock mounts but id be concerend if a worn one of those could drop the car 15mm on one side...

 

[Ronnie]

Had a measure up today o/s sits 15mm lower than the n/s :frown guess ill have to have another proper look over the weekend think ive put it off long enough. Ronnie i was under the impression the subframe issue only affected the 323 and the 328?

I've seen a all powerful 318i e46 W reg split the floor, so it would appear not :hihi

Also seen a 328i on a W or a V IIRC, I did post about it on here somewhere

 

[Ronnie]

Whipped the wheel on the o/s back off today had a good look around nothing obvious at fault, Spring is not broken, subframe hasnt gone through floor, couldnt move any of the bushes:confused. Only thing i didnt have time to check as it started p**sing down was the top shock mounts but id be concerend if a worn one of those could drop the car 15mm on one side...

Were your spring pads ok? (fitted?)

 

[bimmer320]

I didnt take the spring out but they visually looked fine and not perished or crushed i thought of that earlier when havehaving a looksee

 

[shaft69]

May need new springs just if one is weak due to everyday wear seen it before.

 

[bimmer320]

Got my parts department at work to phone up local stealer and they wanted 70.47 per rear spring + the dreaded, I found them on www.eurocarparts.com for 66 +vat but now not sure weather to get a full set of Eibach ones for 130 :lol they are supposidlt designed to work with standard shocks and only lower coupes by 25mm at fornt and 10mm at back desicions decisions...

 

[328mark]

go nice with your wheels

 

[bimmer320]

Yeah was thiniojng the same, especially now i just found this on bay of the E
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/EIBACH-SUSPEN...14&_trkparms=72:1432|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318

 

[328mark]

aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh...damn you...they fit my car too....i'm gonna have to get some now...call it an early xmas pressy to myself.
tell you what...try them and let us know your thoughts on ride quality please

 

[bimmer320]

Lol Mark, well they are suppost to be progressive so in theory shouldnt be much more harsher normal driving if you want a set the auction runs out on the 14th :thumbsup