[Medal]

Quick question everyone that I'm hoping someone can help me out with:

I had the H&R sport springs put on my 13' 335xi on Friday with 13mm spacers all the way around, and when I stopped by a shop yesterday to do a alignment, he asked me what H&R recommended for my car for alignment settings? He said dropping would make it so I wouldn't want to do factory settings. Can anyone confirm that? I looked through the paperwork from H&R and found nothing other than on their website that says this:

4) Do I need an alignment when I install springs or suspension?
Alignment should be checked after any suspension ride height modification. Follow the guidelines in the factory service manual to ensure that alignment is as close to factory specification as possible.

I want to get an alignment done asap, preferably today, but not sure what the right settings are, or should I just tell them do match factory specification as close as possible like the recommendation from H&R on their website?

Thanks....

[utenigma]

The H&R sports won't mess with the camber more than ~0.2 degrees negative and they don't affect toe at all.

Camber and caster on the front of our cars is not adjustable - just toe
Camber and toe are adjustable on the rear

They should have no problem aligning the car to factory spec's with the adjustments that the car has after the spring install. The only thing they won't be able to get "perfect" is the front camber (since it can't be adjusted), but they'll be able to get within the factory spec no problem (which is +/- 0.5 degrees)

[utenigma]

Originally Posted by utenigma

The H&R sports won't mess with the camber more than ~0.2 degrees negative and they don't affect toe at all.

Clarification - the springs don't affect toe, the act of installing the springs does mess with the rear toe, so you do need an alignment after install

Didn't want to lead you to thinking that you should just leave it alone

Other thing - you should wait a few days or 100 miles or so before getting the alignment done. The springs should break in and settle in before you get the alignment done.

[drob23]

Originally Posted by utenigma

Clarification - the springs don't affect toe, the act of installing the springs does mess with the rear toe, so you do need an alignment after install

Didn't want to lead you to thinking that you should just leave it alone

Other thing - you should wait a few days or 100 miles or so before getting the alignment done. The springs should break in and settle in before you get the alignment done.

+1, good advice. Wait until the springs settle, you can usually tell by measuring fender to ground, took mine about a week.

[Medal]

Originally Posted by utenigma

Clarification - the springs don't affect toe, the act of installing the springs does mess with the rear toe, so you do need an alignment after install

Didn't want to lead you to thinking that you should just leave it alone

Other thing - you should wait a few days or 100 miles or so before getting the alignment done. The springs should break in and settle in before you get the alignment done.

Thanks for the info! I have not yet done an alignment but have over 100 miles on the new springs so I will schedule today/tomorrow and ask them to use factory specs. I appreciate the insight!!

[M3AWD]

Originally Posted by Medal

Thanks for the info! I have not yet done an alignment but have over 100 miles on the new springs so I will schedule today/tomorrow and ask them to use factory specs. I appreciate the insight!!

Medal, do you have an update post-alignment? Any feedback you want to share with us?

[Medal]

Originally Posted by M-SP0RT

Medal, do you have an update post-alignment? Any feedback you want to share with us?

I haven't done it yet, my schedule hasn't allowed....I plan to do is asap and when I do, I'll scan and post the results

[M3AWD]

Originally Posted by Medal

I haven't done it yet, my schedule hasn't allowed....I plan to do is asap and when I do, I'll scan and post the results

I received my H&R Sport Springs and dropped the car off at the shop to get them installed. I'm planning to wait a week before getting an alignment. Did you get it close to factory specs? Could you please share your experience?

[momo3605]

I would say for the front, at least get the toe to 0, or a little inward toe. And for the rear, inward toe and negative camber, as much as you want. 2 degrees if you want to track the car. Anyone know if 2 degrees will be really bad for tire wear? I'm pretty sure the front is already like 1.75 degrees right?

[Dippydo]

Originally Posted by momo3605

I would say for the front, at least get the toe to 0, or a little inward toe. And for the rear, inward toe and negative camber, as much as you want. 2 degrees if you want to track the car. Anyone know if 2 degrees will be really bad for tire wear? I'm pretty sure the front is already like 1.75 degrees right?

I am running 3 degrees neg camber in the rear and after 7000 miles of fairly hard driving on my tires, both inner and outer tread is wearing perfectly even.

[momo3605]

Originally Posted by Dippydo

I am running 3 degrees neg camber in the rear and after 7000 miles of fairly hard driving on my tires, both inner and outer tread is wearing perfectly even.

Do you have a camber kit, or is that natural camber from the drop?

[Dippydo]

Originally Posted by momo3605

Do you have a camber kit, or is that natural camber from the drop?

Rear camber is adjustable from the factory, no kit needed. You can adjust the front, but you will need to get a kit.