325i Rear suspension leans to right

Guest · Sun May 08, 2005 3:57 pm

Hi folks

I recently replaced all the springs on my 1989 325i with some GSF lowered ones, because the back end looked rather sad leaning to the right. It doesn't seem to have solved the problem though, and the car still has that lean. I even swapped the springs over at the back thinking I had a mismatched set but still the same lean to the right. The car has been off the road for some time now, and have replaced the anti-roll bar bushes and roll bar links front and rear. The shocks are still good, as they were replaced about 18 months ago, but since they don't support the weight of the vehicle, I can't see it being this. I have some rear beam and trailing arm bushes to replace, but could these cause the lean? What else could it be? Any suggestions?
This is my first BM that I have own, and am in the process of getting it back on the road, so don't have any experience with them yet.

Any help would be appreciated
Thanks

Fri Sep 16, 2005 10:15 pm

im pretty sure it wud have been your shocks but if you say its not then im not too sure. i had the same problem with my alpina and my shoks were gone. good luck

Fri Sep 16, 2005 10:20 pm

i had the same trouble and replaced my rear beam and trailing arm bushes done the job nice for me

Sat Sep 17, 2005 1:43 am

2 be honest dude it does sound like the shocks to me, maybe a shock mount?? i had an 320 a while back and this was the problem i had, installed a new setup of matched springs and shocks and it cured it, good luck though

Sat Sep 17, 2005 2:18 am

is this a common thing on e30s couse if seen this alot , i had the same problem with one of mine , i tryed everything and it still done it , we put it up on the ramp and after looking all over it we found were the car was lowered it had put presser on the chassy were the top of the spring sits, and it had pushed the part of the chassy were the top of the spring sits up which made one side sit higher than the other

Sat Sep 17, 2005 2:30 am

mate anythings possible when you start messing with them, dont know personally if lowering the car would have caused this but you have gotta remember that these are old girls and they have gotta be treated with great respect, you wouldnt expect a 55 year old woman do to you what a 20 year old could

dont know mate, im sure somebody will be hear shortly to help us out

Sat Sep 17, 2005 7:57 am

I'd suggest looking at the beam bushes first. How much does it lean by??
Both beam bushes were shot on mine and when I had them replaced it raised the rear of the car by about 20mm.
Shock mounts won't cause the car to sag, as there is no weight on them. The only cause can be springs, spring mountings (rotten chassis rail!) or subframe mounts.
Thought:....... There should be rubber pads on either end of the springs. Is one or more missing? See here http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... g=33&fg=45
HTH
Stuart.

Sat Sep 17, 2005 9:48 am

There could be one other cause - you may all laugh at this but it took me a while to find the problem.

Uneven adjustment of the two handbrake cables can cause one side of the car to drop when applied.

This caused my E36 to drop by 10mm on one rear corner.

Karl

Sat Sep 17, 2005 10:55 am

essbee wrote:I'd suggest looking at the beam bushes first. How much does it lean by??
Both beam bushes were shot on mine and when I had them replaced it raised the rear of the car by about 20mm.
Shock mounts won't cause the car to sag, as there is no weight on them. The only cause can be springs, spring mountings (rotten chassis rail!) or subframe mounts.
Thought:....... There should be rubber pads on either end of the springs. Is one or more missing? See here http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... g=33&fg=45
HTH
Stuart.

i agree with this dude deffo as the shocks really dont take any of the cars weight, all the weight sits on the springs so i would say either the rail or mounts as suggested!

Sat Sep 17, 2005 11:40 am

The handbrake thing is a feasible one , to test look at car without hanfbrake on.

The only other thing cound be the Subframe bushes (beam mount). This can cause quite alot of variation if one side is gone.

Guest · Sat Sep 17, 2005 12:03 pm

Hi guys

thanks for all the suggestions and ideas about the problem. But I've finally found the problem after scratching my head over it for a while. Its never where you thinks it going to be is it. It turns out the rear end lean was only the symptom. Because the car is parked up in my garage front end in I never really noticed, but the front right spring mount is bulged up slightly and the lower link arm was bent by 5mm! Should of noticed that the rear of the front wheel was closer to the rear of the front arch than the left. Was kicking myself about that. Its as if a pevious owner has hit a curb or object with the car, forcing the front right up and back. (Some people abuse their cars so much don't they!)
Anyway, I've replaced the lower link, arm and corrected the bulge(pain in the a*** bit), and it has solved the problem at last. But thanks for all the advice guys.
Just wanted to let you all know and show that its not always where you think its going to be.

Sat Sep 17, 2005 1:05 pm

well done mate and well spotted, glad its sorted

Sat Sep 17, 2005 6:47 pm

defo the shocks !!! my 325 sat 30mm lower one 1side when level and 70mm lower when on slope with handbrake on. changed to koni sport shocks to match springs and it transformed car. p.s dont get gsf sport shocks ! they really dont agree with car ! either that or i got duff pair ! hope this helps dude.

Thu Sep 22, 2005 9:49 pm

glad to hear its fixd m8. unusual cause though