Car still not going straight after alignment

E90angeleyes · 08-29-2020, 02:03 AM

Hello, I just had KW v2 coilovers installed on my 535i and brand new wheels. 19x9.5 and 19x9, 275/35 and 245/40 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. Almost factory sizing for M sport (which mine is). Coilover installation and mounting and balancing were done at a reputable tuner shop. However, they do not do alignment. So a couple of days later, I went to get the alignment. I noticed the car slightly pulling to the right. I took it back to the alignment shop and the tech checked it and said the alignment is fine. So he rotated the front tires, and now it pulls slightly to the left.

I'm confused. Shouldn't brand new parts and a fresh alignment result in a car going straight? The alignment tech he has been doing this for 18 years and it's normal. But it just doesn't seem right to me. He said something about "tire pressure changes while driving." He said it's normal and there is nothing he can do about it. But I'm skeptical and I spent a lot of money. Am I missing something?

I have emailed TireRack but they have not responded yet. Any ideas?

Update: Called Tire Rack and explained the situation. It's radial pull and they are sending me a new tire. Thanks everyone!

lsturbointeg · 08-29-2020, 07:18 AM

did they put weight in the vehicle like most alignments are done with BMW's? there's quite a dozen post on just alignment issues with people with new suspension, new tires, new rims and still the vehicle doesn't drive straight

SWFLf10 · 08-29-2020, 07:43 AM

I'm not sure how much this would affect the pulling, but could there be a caliper or wheel hub going bad causing it to pull in that direction?

Surly73 · 08-29-2020, 11:31 AM

It followed the wheel/tire swap side to side. Could be a faulty tire. I'd talk to the tire shop and/or Michelin.

Anything is possible, even though it might not be probably, including defective from the factory.

lsturbointeg · 08-29-2020, 07:57 PM

Are the tires directional. It light be install backwards

E90angeleyes · 08-29-2020, 08:14 PM

lsturbointeg No they did not put weight in. So are you suggesting it is indeed normal? And from my understanding no, the tires are not directional. I just wanna know if it is something I should be worried about or no...

SWFLf10 Got brand new (front) brakes too. Calipers and rotors. Car is 2016, with about 40k miles, no history of accident. I don't think there would be a wheel hub issue.

Surly73 Yeah, I've emailed TireRack, but no response yet. Guess I could reach out to Michelin as well. Thanks for the advice.

lsturbointeg · 08-30-2020, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E90angeleyes

lsturbointeg No they did not put weight in. So are you suggesting it is indeed normal? And from my understanding no, the tires are not directional. I just wanna know if it is something I should be worried about or no...

SWFLf10 Got brand new (front) brakes too. Calipers and rotors. Car is 2016, with about 40k miles, no history of accident. I don't think there would be a wheel hub issue.

Surly73 Yeah, I've emailed TireRack, but no response yet. Guess I could reach out to Michelin as well. Thanks for the advice.

it's been noted here from alot of members that when the BMW dealership performs an alignment they put some type of weight in the vehicle. hopefully those who are more knowledgeable on that can chime in but it was a pretty hot topic back in the day

Surly73 · 08-30-2020, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsturbointeg

it's been noted here from alot of members that when the BMW dealership performs an alignment they put some type of weight in the vehicle. hopefully those who are more knowledgeable on that can chime in but it was a pretty hot topic back in the day

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/f...ement/CN0fzmXM

Unspec · 08-30-2020, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsturbointeg

it's been noted here from alot of members that when the BMW dealership performs an alignment they put some type of weight in the vehicle. hopefully those who are more knowledgeable on that can chime in but it was a pretty hot topic back in the day

For what it's worth, I've been getting alignments at an alignment shop and they've never added the weights. Car tracks straight as an arrow, and tire wear is as even as it gets.

Boosted M5 · 08-30-2020, 10:11 PM

Define what you think a "pull" is. Could it be "drifting" instead? A lot of the times with radial tires you may experience a "radial pull". Cross rotating the front tires usually fixes this issue but it's apparent that now it drifts left. You'll need to talk to the business you purchase the tires from to have them warranty the left tire for you. Don't mess with your alignment specs as when or if you change the front tires you'll then have a real alignment issue

S1nner · 09-01-2020, 06:57 PM

I'm in the same boat. The shop that changed tires and did alignment on my 5 series told me that 1 tire has a defect - radial pull, hence car still drifts to the right. Got a brand new tire, swapped it, car still drifts/pulls to the right. Went for alignment to another shop, that specializes on BMWs, still not straight. Final stop was a dealership. Still having an issue. All specs are green. Drift/pull for me is that car goes straight like 300-400 feet, then pulls to the right. So I kinda have to always steer it(not sure if it's a right word in english) to the left a bit. Not sure what to do at this point. I was told it might be a suspension issue.

E90angeleyes · 09-02-2020, 07:22 PM

I called Tire Rack and explained the situation. They told me this is radial pull and are sending me a new tire. Thanks everyone!

E90angeleyes · 09-02-2020, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by subkg

I'm in the same boat. The shop that changed tires and did alignment on my 5 series told me that 1 tire has a defect - radial pull, hence car still drifts to the right. Got a brand new tire, swapped it, car still drifts/pulls to the right. Went for alignment to another shop, that specializes on BMWs, still not straight. Final stop was a dealership. Still having an issue. All specs are green. Drift/pull for me is that car goes straight like 300-400 feet, then pulls to the right. So I kinda have to always steer it(not sure if it's a right word in english) to the left a bit. Not sure what to do at this point. I was told it might be a suspension issue.

Damn, that's really annoying. Hope you get it figured out soon!

Surly73 · 09-03-2020, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E90angeleyes

I called Tire Rack and explained the situation. They told me this is radial pull and are sending me a new tire. Thanks everyone!

Excellent! The fact that the pull changed when you swapped fronts really was in your favour.

The folks with F10s that "pull to the right" no matter what is a different and much more annoying problem.

After doing all that work - coilovers, wheels and new 4Ss it must have been very annoying and a let down. I'm curious to hear your impressions of the KWs and how you set them up after it's all sorted.

E90angeleyes · 09-03-2020, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Surly73

Excellent! The fact that the pull changed when you swapped fronts really was in your favour.

The folks with F10s that "pull to the right" no matter what is a different and much more annoying problem.

After doing all that work - coilovers, wheels and new 4Ss it must have been very annoying and a let down. I'm curious to hear your impressions of the KWs and how you set them up after it's all sorted.

Thank you! Yes, I was pretty let down after spending all that money and looking forward to a transformed car.

As for the KWs, I didn't give any specific instructions to the shop. I just said "not too low" lol. But overall, I'm very happy with the result

Surly73 · 09-03-2020, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E90angeleyes

As for the KWs, I didn't give any specific instructions to the shop. I just said "not too low" lol. But overall, I'm very happy with the result

But... there's more to suspension impressions than height

I know it's the sole reason many people get coilovers. For me it was a side effect and not the main reason. Once your tires are sorted, I'm still interested in the rest of the story.

ezaircon4jc · 09-04-2020, 12:36 AM

Want to talk pulling? We're in eastern Washington and the ruts in the road practically rip the steering wheel out of my hands!

1margarette · 09-06-2020, 09:40 PM

Try to have it rechecked again by a mechanic. A bent tie rod is also the reason why you have an alignment problem.

E90angeleyes · 09-08-2020, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Surly73

But... there's more to suspension impressions than height

I know it's the sole reason many people get coilovers. For me it was a side effect and not the main reason. Once your tires are sorted, I'm still interested in the rest of the story.

Yes I know! I agree, the lowering is a side effect for me as well. The car feels much, much better than it did before. With the addition of the coilovers, it feel planted now. With the new tires, it sticks.

I don't do any autocross or track days with the car, and even if I did, I never tried it with the previous setup. It's just my daily. All I can say is that the car feels much better. If you have any specific questions I would be happy to answer. But as stated in the earlier paragraph, it's planted and it sticks! So one happy driver here

08-29-2020, 02:03 AM	#1
E90angeleyes Private 7 Rep 90 Posts Drives: 325i Join Date: May 2008 Location: california iTrader: (1)	Car still not going straight after alignment Hello, I just had KW v2 coilovers installed on my 535i and brand new wheels. 19x9.5 and 19x9, 275/35 and 245/40 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. Almost factory sizing for M sport (which mine is). Coilover installation and mounting and balancing were done at a reputable tuner shop. However, they do not do alignment. So a couple of days later, I went to get the alignment. I noticed the car slightly pulling to the right. I took it back to the alignment shop and the tech checked it and said the alignment is fine. So he rotated the front tires, and now it pulls slightly to the left. I'm confused. Shouldn't brand new parts and a fresh alignment result in a car going straight? The alignment tech he has been doing this for 18 years and it's normal. But it just doesn't seem right to me. He said something about "tire pressure changes while driving." He said it's normal and there is nothing he can do about it. But I'm skeptical and I spent a lot of money. Am I missing something? I have emailed TireRack but they have not responded yet. Any ideas? Update: Called Tire Rack and explained the situation. It's radial pull and they are sending me a new tire. Thanks everyone! Last edited by E90angeleyes; 09-02-2020 at 07:24 PM..
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08-29-2020, 07:18 AM	#2
lsturbointeg Lieutenant General 9159 Rep 14,522 Posts Drives: 2011 535i Jet Black Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Asian lost in OH iTrader: (0)	did they put weight in the vehicle like most alignments are done with BMW's? there's quite a dozen post on just alignment issues with people with new suspension, new tires, new rims and still the vehicle doesn't drive straight __________________ ~F90Conversion~21"3Piece Forged AvantGardeWheels~KWV1Coilovers~CQUENCE slotted/drilled rotors~GoodridgeStainlesslines~MeisterschaftQuadEx haust~Akrapovic 4"tips~VRSF DP~VRSF CP~TurboSmart BOV~K&N filter~CarbonFiberExteriorComponents~GladenAlphaCo mponents~MatchUp7BMW~Punch P300-12T~ Follow me on Instagram: lsturbointeg
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08-29-2020, 07:43 AM	#3
SWFLf10 Captain 374 Rep 639 Posts Drives: 2016 Alpina B6, 2015 535i Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Florida iTrader: (0) Garage List 2016 BMW Alpina B6 ... [10.00] 2015 BMW 535i [8.83]	I'm not sure how much this would affect the pulling, but could there be a caliper or wheel hub going bad causing it to pull in that direction?
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08-29-2020, 11:31 AM	#4
Surly73 Lieutenant Colonel 535 Rep 1,873 Posts Drives: '11 535xi 8AT KWv3 MPE MHD xHP Join Date: May 2012 Location: Oakville, Ontario iTrader: (1)	It followed the wheel/tire swap side to side. Could be a faulty tire. I'd talk to the tire shop and/or Michelin. Anything is possible, even though it might not be probably, including defective from the factory.
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08-29-2020, 07:57 PM	#5
lsturbointeg Lieutenant General 9159 Rep 14,522 Posts Drives: 2011 535i Jet Black Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Asian lost in OH iTrader: (0)	Are the tires directional. It light be install backwards __________________ ~F90Conversion~21"3Piece Forged AvantGardeWheels~KWV1Coilovers~CQUENCE slotted/drilled rotors~GoodridgeStainlesslines~MeisterschaftQuadEx haust~Akrapovic 4"tips~VRSF DP~VRSF CP~TurboSmart BOV~K&N filter~CarbonFiberExteriorComponents~GladenAlphaCo mponents~MatchUp7BMW~Punch P300-12T~ Follow me on Instagram: lsturbointeg
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08-29-2020, 08:14 PM	#6
E90angeleyes Private 7 Rep 90 Posts Drives: 325i Join Date: May 2008 Location: california iTrader: (1)	lsturbointeg No they did not put weight in. So are you suggesting it is indeed normal? And from my understanding no, the tires are not directional. I just wanna know if it is something I should be worried about or no... SWFLf10 Got brand new (front) brakes too. Calipers and rotors. Car is 2016, with about 40k miles, no history of accident. I don't think there would be a wheel hub issue. Surly73 Yeah, I've emailed TireRack, but no response yet. Guess I could reach out to Michelin as well. Thanks for the advice.
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08-30-2020, 10:11 PM	#10
Boosted M5 Private First Class 69 Rep 193 Posts Drives: F10 m5 Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: Sf bay area iTrader: (0)	Define what you think a "pull" is. Could it be "drifting" instead? A lot of the times with radial tires you may experience a "radial pull". Cross rotating the front tires usually fixes this issue but it's apparent that now it drifts left. You'll need to talk to the business you purchase the tires from to have them warranty the left tire for you. Don't mess with your alignment specs as when or if you change the front tires you'll then have a real alignment issue
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09-01-2020, 06:57 PM	#11
S1nner Private First Class 126 Rep 109 Posts Drives: 2018 F15 N55, 2014 F10 N55 Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Chicago,IL iTrader: (0)	I'm in the same boat. The shop that changed tires and did alignment on my 5 series told me that 1 tire has a defect - radial pull, hence car still drifts to the right. Got a brand new tire, swapped it, car still drifts/pulls to the right. Went for alignment to another shop, that specializes on BMWs, still not straight. Final stop was a dealership. Still having an issue. All specs are green. Drift/pull for me is that car goes straight like 300-400 feet, then pulls to the right. So I kinda have to always steer it(not sure if it's a right word in english) to the left a bit. Not sure what to do at this point. I was told it might be a suspension issue.
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09-02-2020, 07:22 PM	#12
E90angeleyes Private 7 Rep 90 Posts Drives: 325i Join Date: May 2008 Location: california iTrader: (1)	I called Tire Rack and explained the situation. They told me this is radial pull and are sending me a new tire. Thanks everyone!
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09-04-2020, 12:36 AM	#17
ezaircon4jc Major General 4484 Rep 5,365 Posts Drives: 2019 540i M Sport Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: San Diego iTrader: (0)	Want to talk pulling? We're in eastern Washington and the ruts in the road practically rip the steering wheel out of my hands!
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09-06-2020, 09:40 PM	#18
1margarette Enlisted Member 20 Rep 31 Posts Drives: 2014 BMW X1 Join Date: May 2018 Location: Georgia iTrader: (0)	Try to have it rechecked again by a mechanic. A bent tie rod is also the reason why you have an alignment problem.
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