Car pulling to the right after "zeroed in" alignment

[zamm3k]

Anybody else have this problem? I had my car aligned today and zeroed in. I was there on the computer when the readings were taken. Everything checked out perfectly. I had it aligned because I installed my coilovers around 3 weeks ago. Both front sides have the same height and we even rotated tires from side to side to check for tire pull. Nothing. I'm wondering if anyone else had had this problem with an M3. It's a slight pull, but it's to the point where I have to drive while correcting the steering.

Just in case you wonder, this is probably the most reputable shop in south Florida, the Alignment Factory, this guys been doing this at the same location for 33 years now so he knows what he's doing, and even he couldn't figure it out. His final words were that the problem was not due to alignment or tires. Weird as hell.

[rzm3]

Can you provide us with the alignment results?

[zamm3k]

Originally Posted by rldzhao

Can you provide us with the alignment results?

Unfortunately I didn't ask him for a printout because we didn't expect the car to have issues, and since I was standing in front of the computer and seeing everything I really didn't feel the need for the printout. I only remember camber, which isn't gonna be much help for a car pulling to the right.

1.8 Left Front 1.3 Right Front

1.6 Left Rear 1.6 Right Rear

That's all I remember since I was kinda having a conversation with him, but toe and caster were zeroed in perfectly. That's why I assure, the issue is not alignment. I'm gonna go ahead and rotate tires again later this afternoon, but I can't really hope for much since we already tried that.

[rzm3]

Make sure you rotate front only first, then rear only, then both front and rear.

[zamm3k]

Originally Posted by rldzhao

Make sure you rotate front only first, then rear only, then both front and rear.

exactly what I had in mind

[STALKER]

I have the same issue right now after installing my coils. Pulls to the left. I had mine done at an amazing shop.
It's not a hard pull. I'm running a lot more camber up front though, close to -2.5 up front and -2 out back.

My car is to low though right now, so it needs to come up about 1/4".

[zamm3k]

Originally Posted by STALKER

I have the same issue right now after installing my coils. Pulls to the left. I had mine done at an amazing shop.
It's not a hard pull. I'm running a lot more camber up front though, close to -2.5 up front and -2 out back.

My car is to low though right now, so it needs to come up about 1/4".

yeah, my coilover perches are at the lowest on all four corners right now too, but I had it this same way on my last M3 and it wasn't an issue after alignment.

[STALKER]

Originally Posted by zamm3k

yeah, my coilover perches are at the lowest on all four corners right now too, but I had it this same way on my last M3 and it wasn't an issue after alignment.

Mine was corner balanced as well.
Im gonna go back and raise the car and re check everything in about 2 weeks to see if they can resolve it.
It was much worse with my track set up, with NT05s. With my PS2s, its not too bad, but still there a little.

I might take out a little camber up front and the rear to -2.2 and -1.8.
My toe and caster settings are fine.

[zamm3k]

Originally Posted by STALKER

Mine was corner balanced as well.
Im gonna go back and raise the car and re check everything in about 2 weeks to see if they can resolve it.
It was much worse with my track set up, with NT05s. With my PS2s, its not too bad, but still there a little.

I might take out a little camber up front and the rear to -2.2 and -1.8.
My toe and caster settings are fine.

oh, well mine wasn't corner balanced, but that could be your issue. Normally when cars a corner balanced, camber, toe, and height are all slightly different in each corner, maybe they are off by some degrees and that might be causing your slight pull. Just a suggestion. I'm gonna wait til next week to rotate my tires again, I'm waiting on my centering rings for the BBS wheels. For now I'll have to live with w.e. it is the car is having problems with.

[miamie92m3]

My car was aligned at the Alignment Factory after active autowerke installed my dinan stage 1 suspension so I'm not on coil overs, but I can say that I had the same problem. I have only heard good things about the Alignement Factory from others. They could not get the car to go straight. It might be the fact that their machine is not calibrated? It was pulling very badly after they aligned it. I then put on different wheels (RAC 63's and new tires) and the car was aligned at Champion motorsport and it drove much better. Just recently had another alignment at South Motors and they pulled the alignment pins so I could get more front negative camber (Getting about -1.7). The car still pulls very slightly, but handles so much better. I have learned to live with it. I have never owned a car that goes perfectly straight. Good luck!

[zamm3k]

Holy hell, I just called Champion Motorsports and they charge $225 for the alignment. That's a pretty steep price, I really hope if I leave them my car they'll leave that thing as perfect as that car left the factory.

[kitw]

I've found that mismatched camber can make the car extremely sensitive to the crown of the road. I'm surprised the camber is that far off, are you using stock top hats or camber plates? (give the amount of camber, I'm assuming stock)

Did you pull the crash pin? It looks like, from the settings, that it was pulled from one side and not the other, but I don't know. It is definitely possible for caster to check out and Steering Angle inclination not to. Did the shop measure thrust angle?

I've had race shops that measure my car mis align the jig slightly, to where camber/caster/toe checked out, but the thrust angle was wrong, causing a pull. That's one of the reason laser alignment racks are cool, if they are used correctly.

[Malek@MRF]

Could you please report back and tell me your THRUST ANGLE for the rear end alignment?

If thrust angle is ANYTHING but 0.00, the car will pull to one direction and/or your steering wheel will not be perfectly centered.

[endofanera7]

It can be anything really, road condition, unbalanced tire pressure between left and right wheels. Hope you find out what is causing the pull soon!