M Roadster (Z3) Handling

[belly2002]

Hi all - hope someone might be able to help!

Just had cosmetic damage to my M Roadster repaired, but now it's come back the handling's not quite as it was. The wheels were aligned after they repaired the scuffs on them and they seem to check out - all is square. I'm wondering if perhaps they should be 'not quite' square though - perhaps a bit of camber etc?

Best way I can descirbe the problem (it's subtle) is 3 things I'm noticing:

- It's tramlining and getting knocked off line by bumps more than before
- The 1st eighth of a turn of lock seems unresponsive
- The steering is weighting up more than before round corners.

Anyone had similar problems or know of a solution?

Best wishes

Chris

[Morcilman]

it looks like a problem caused of something a bit loose on the car. I think you should go to a worksop with an elevator and look for the problem from bellow the car

[Zead]

This may seem obvious so dont be offended if you have checked, but did they take the tyres off to repair wheels, are they directional and on the same corner they came off? are the tyre pressures correct. The first two things sound like tyre pressure. Cars with much wider rears often tramline anyway. Also the alignment may not be correct for the M.

Putting a rear tyre on the front after it has bedded in on a different camber rear can make the steering feel weird too, but your M has much wider rears so this is not possible, but if it was swapt left to right, may have the same effect. When I changed from Pirellis to Bridgestone the car felt totally different. So much better.

let's know how you get on Zead

Edited by Zead on Tuesday 29th January 12:09

[jezrider]

def sounds like tyre pressures to me, check them tonight on the way home.. 1 - 2 psi can make a massive difference...

[belly2002]

Hi guys, thanks for replies.

Morcilman - had already checked nothing was bent or loose but thanks anyway.

Zead and Jezrider - thanks for the thoughts. Tyre pressures are about right (I've checked them with the gauge on a petrol station's air machine, but will get an accurate measurement to be sure.

Interesting what you said about the tyres going back onto the same side they came off though Zead - possibly they didn't. I'm guessing it could be a combiniation of that and alignment.

Anyone out there know what the exact settings for camber, castor and toe-in should be for the M roadster?

Chris