[k44ENT]

When traveling in a straight line my steering wheel appears to be slightly rotated to the right (car does not pull or anything). When travelling in a straight line I have equal amounts of the indicator and wiper stalks showing although it seems very slightly off to the fuel and temp dials. If I rotate the wheel so it looks level (BMW badge looks level) I can see more of the stalk on the left than the right and more of the left gauge than the right BUT the car starts to go left. Could you guys with F10's / F11's have a look and let me know how yours is please when travelling in a straight line, is it lined up with the two stalks or not.

Thanks

[BimmerGuyFL]

Originally Posted by E61

When traveling in a straight line my steering wheel appears to be slightly rotated to the right (car does not pull or anything). When travelling in a straight line I have equal amounts of the indicator and wiper stalks showing although it seems very slightly off to the fuel and temp dials. If I rotate the wheel so it looks level (BMW badge looks level) I can see more of the stalk on the left than the right and more of the left gauge than the right BUT the car starts to go left. Could you guys with F10's / F11's have a look and let me know how yours is please when travelling in a straight line, is it lined up with the two stalks or not.

Thanks

Would help if you took a picture and showed us the differences.

[indus]

Originally Posted by E61

When traveling in a straight line my steering wheel appears to be slightly rotated to the right (car does not pull or anything). When travelling in a straight line I have equal amounts of the indicator and wiper stalks showing although it seems very slightly off to the fuel and temp dials. If I rotate the wheel so it looks level (BMW badge looks level) I can see more of the stalk on the left than the right and more of the left gauge than the right BUT the car starts to go left. Could you guys with F10's / F11's have a look and let me know how yours is please when travelling in a straight line, is it lined up with the two stalks or not.

Thanks

Somebody else posted this exact same issue a month or so ago. He did get it fixed by BMW

[k44ENT]

A couple of not very good pictures (in a rush to get to work) but the first one shows the steering wheel with the badge near level,and the second picture is the steering wheel as my car is when traveling in a straight line (it's maybe very very slightly more to the right to give equal amounts of stalk showing). Looking at these photos is my BMW steering wheel badge twisted giving the illusion of the steering wheel being out of line??

[JOHNBMWM5]

Turn the "BADGE ROUND" then it will be ok, it's not far out at all.

[BimmerGuyFL]

Originally Posted by johnbmw6

Turn the "BADGE ROUND" then it will be ok, it's not far out at all.

Doesn't the badge attachedment already have pre determinded detents on lining up with the airbag cover?

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by BimmerGuyFL

Doesn't the badge attachedment already have pre determinded detents on lining up with the airbag cover?

Not sure but come on that's not far away is it.

[N16E]

I think this is caused by misaligned tracking, which should have been picked up at the PDI.

N16e

[mikestrete]

I obsessed about the same thing with my E60.

My F10's wheel does exactly the same thing on the same stretches of road. It's the camber of the road, I'm sure.

[BimmerGuyFL]

I just checked today on my E90 328i Sport. I took out a ruler and placed it on the center of the roundel lining up with the center line. Mine is also off. the horizontal line going across the roundel does not match with the side lower casing line of the side steering wheel buttons on the left and the right. This is VERY annoying.

[tallshorty]

I really don't see it as being that off. Seems very slight. It's a little silly IMO to get worked up about this. This will take the fun out of enjoying the car.

[Titanflux]

Originally Posted by mikestrete

I obsessed about the same thing with my E60.

My F10's wheel does exactly the same thing on the same stretches of road. It's the camber of the road, I'm sure.

+1 it's just road camber on my E60 LCI on 18" wheels. If I drive straight down the centre of a road straddling both carriageways it goes away. My E46 320ic was the same, but my E92 on 18"s was fine.

To explain my thinking:

All motorways/highways have some level of camber to allow drainage of rainwater, otherwise it floods and pools to cause hydroplaning.

If you are on a UK motorway in lane 3 then the camber is usually pulling to the left (you steer slightly right to stay straight). Less commonly the motorway has drainage at the central reservation as well as the hard shoulder, so in those cases the camber in lane 3 pulls you to the right (and you sterr a little left to stay straight). The effect can be more pronounced on non-motorways, and depends on the drainage employed. I think it's usually worse the wider the tyre width is, partcularly for the front wheels.

I say lane 3, because that's where I nearly always am, and where most of you guys will be too!

[HighlandPete]

To my eye the second picture looks a more accurate position, as the wheel is virtually correct against the instrument binnacle. Look at the small gauges.

May be different in the car, but from the pictures, top one looks wrong.

HighlandPete

[k44ENT]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

To my eye the second picture looks a more accurate position, as the wheel is virtually correct against the instrument binnacle. Look at the small gauges.

May be different in the car, but from the pictures, top one looks wrong.

HighlandPete

HighlandPete, thats is what I have been using to line it up with, the two small gauges. Anyway I have just got back from the dealer who seem to have sorted it. Even though all the readings on the previous alignment were in tolerance when it went back on the machine today some were out, mainly front right wheel toeing in to much. I dealt with a very nice chap called Ian who was a master tech and he explained to me what all the values mean, how important putting the data in was very important (ride height, tyre pressures etc) we than discussed what effects different setting, camber and toe would do to the car and agreed on what range of the target data he would aim for. He then agreed with me the central position of the steering wheel so that it would sit in a position that I viewed as central.
The journey back has been like driving a different car so hopefully it will stay like that.

Values achieved are
-Geometrical driving axis +0deg 00' (was -0deg 04')
- left front toe +0deg 08' (was +0deg 05')
- right front toe +0deg 08' (was +0deg 15')
- left rear toe +0deg 04' (was +0deg08')
- right rear toe +0deg 04' (was +0deg 00')

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by E61

HighlandPete, thats is what I have been using to line it up with, the two small gauges. Anyway I have just got back from the dealer who seem to have sorted it. Even though all the readings on the previous alignment were in tolerance when it went back on the machine today some were out, mainly front right wheel toeing in to much. I dealt with a very nice chap called Ian who was a master tech and he explained to me what all the values mean, how important putting the data in was very important (ride height, tyre pressures etc) we than discussed what effects different setting, camber and toe would do to the car and agreed on what range of the target data he would aim for. He then agreed with me the central position of the steering wheel so that it would sit in a position that I viewed as central.
The journey back has been like driving a different car so hopefully it will stay like that.

Values achieved are
-Geometrical driving axis +0deg 00' (was -0deg 04')
- left front toe +0deg 08' (was +0deg 05')
- right front toe +0deg 08' (was +0deg 15')
- left rear toe +0deg 04' (was +0deg08')
- right rear toe +0deg 04' (was +0deg 00')

Was this "Listers" by any chance?.

[k44ENT]

Originally Posted by johnbmw6

Was this "Listers" by any chance?.

Rybrook Warwick, they supplied the car from new.

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by E61

Rybrook Warwick, they supplied the car from new.

Aah ok, only the head tech @ Listers is called ian also.

[DuneMan]

wow... you guys have really good eyes.
i just can't make out any difference between the 2 photos.

[N16E]

Ian was the Master Technician that sorted out my steering by insisting they change the rack, he also accompanied the ZF Tech from Germany on the 120 mile test drive...Rybrook Warwick are proffessional, helpfully and friendly dealer.

N16e

[k44ENT]

Originally Posted by N16E

Ian was the Master Technician that sorted out my steering by insisting they change the rack, he also accompanied the ZF Tech from Germany on the 120 mile test drive...Rybrook Warwick are proffessional, helpfully and friendly dealer.

N16e

Ian mentioned that he had changed a rack on an F10, something to do with the amount of effort required to turn the wheel. I have been using Rybrook for over 6 years now and always found them very professional as you say.

[N16E]

Yep, that'll be mine. My steering was horrible, I described it as "cogging" (notchy). I've read many posts on steering feel, but I'm surprised I haven't read that anyone else had a new rack..it fixed my problem.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by E61

... Anyway I have just got back from the dealer who seem to have sorted it. Even though all the readings on the previous alignment were in tolerance when it went back on the machine today some were out, mainly front right wheel toeing in to much..... The journey back has been like driving a different car so hopefully it will stay like that.


Values achieved are
-Geometrical driving axis +0deg 00' (was -0deg 04')
- left front toe +0deg 08' (was +0deg 05')
- right front toe +0deg 08' (was +0deg 15')
- left rear toe +0deg 04' (was +0deg08')
- right rear toe +0deg 04' (was +0deg 00')

The new figures make sense, the car was actually not going straight and the odd steering wheel position was necessary to compensate.

I'm sure the car feels much better, it's now tracking straight.

Good result.

HighlandPete