How level is your rear???

[NZ_M3]

Every single one I've measured have had one side sit higher than the other (and I've measured quite a few cars now) .... It's normal.

I think if you chuck the car on a corner weight scale you'll see why it was done that way.

[chrisburns]

Originally Posted by NZ_M3

Every single one I've measured have had one side sit higher than the other (and I've measured quite a few cars now) .... It's normal.

I think if you chuck the car on a corner weight scale you'll see why it was done that way.

Agreed, not many sit perfectly level. Remember you are not sitting in it when looking are you

[Pip1968]

Well that has reassured me slightly. Initially the BMW dealership claimed it was all fine even though as I said one side was about an inch higher than the other. This was to the point at which it was damned obvious just looking at the car that it was crooked. It was really only after my persistance after it had been once in that they finally changed the springs. I was going to be done with it and take it to ELMs. Their cheif technician finally came out to speak to me and said he would personally oversee it. There seemed to be some fuss about the car having aftermarket modifications ie poly bushes that meant he 'could not' sort the problem out under warranty. In the end when I told him to return them to OEM and have another look he said it was just the Turner Motorsport limiting kit and not poly bushes. He did not change them in the end but instead put in new springs and tried swapping the struts over L/R - R/L to see if this changed the game.

With new springs in pace it finished up 7mm difference between each side. Note the springs were not cracked or broken

Does anyone know if they generally sit higher on one side as opposed to the other to offset the driver weight (if this was indeed factored in).

Special thanks to the post by the colonial .

Pip

[CraigMillwardCroft]

Don't BMW build them like it to allow for driver weight, look at it when you are sat in the car

[adem.csl]

I was told by bmw that because they were made with left hand drive chassis that they were built half inch higher on left side to compensate for driver weight once in car.now silly they never changed the chassis setting for right hand drive that's why all e46 are same.I've got 6 in My family and all exactly same difference.

[Pip1968]

Originally Posted by adem.csl

I was told by bmw that because they were made with left hand drive chassis that they were built half inch higher on left side to compensate for driver weight once in car.now silly they never changed the chassis setting for right hand drive that's why all e46 are same.I've got 6 in My family and all exactly same difference.

OCD - Please clarify Adem. Do you mean that all six e46 are 13mm higher on one side over the other. The BMW directive is apparently within 10mm of each other.

Pip

[adem.csl]

Originally Posted by Pip1968

OCD - Please clarify Adem. Do you mean that all six e46 are 13mm higher on one side over the other. The BMW directive is apparently within 10mm of each other.

Pip

Ok I measures my csl.14 inch from arch to wheel centre driver side.14.5 inch passenger side.changed my springs to eibach exactly the same.measures a customers m3 same day same height.changed my springs for personal identity springs same thing.got my wife 325i exactly same.put csl springs on back same.my brother in law broke a spring I changed them pair from bmw 14 inch driver side 14.5 pass side.every bmw customer I get complains the car won't sit right so forced to put thin spring cups on pass side and thick spring cups driver side to even it up.this is not the answer but it works.