[tissot]

So here's the whole story and I'll bold the important parts.

When I first bought my car last July, which came with ZSP and active steering, I noticed the car would seem to skid on road bumps and the steering would seem floaty. I did a bit of searching and it seems like I was experiencing tramlining and the RFT effect. So, fine whatever, seems like a common problem and I'll just deal with it.

So November came along and it was time to change into the winter shoes. So I changed my 162's rubber into winter and to my surprise the tramlining was gone and the steering felt brilliant.

Just a few weeks ago I received my new summer wheels (VM 19" CSL w/ General Exclaim). I got the new wheels installed including a set of H&R springs last week. I didn't get an alignment done because the garage I went to don't do alignments on cars with active steering. So I drove about a week without getting an alignment done and the ride quality wasn't bad. It felt like driving with the winters on, but lighter.

I had my alignment done today at my BMW dealership and for some reason the car drives horribly. I'm experiencing tramlining again, but it's not the RFT fault this time, since I got none. The car was felt fine before the alignment and now the car just feels dangerous.

I'm not really sure what I should do right now. I'm pissed and disappointed at the same time. All I know is that the psi level for all four wheels is at 38 and the SA at the dealer told me they had a really hard time aligning the car.

[canucklion]

Tissot, get an alignment done at Woodbridge Alignment. They're really good, seriously.

4817 Hwy 7
Woodbridge, ON
L4L 1S6
Tel: 905-851-3500



http://www.woodbridge.servpro.ca/tes...%20Repairs

[tissot]

OK, I'm planning to go back to the dealer tomorrow. Would I need to pay extra for them to re-align or is there some kind of warranty? Should I just show up or call before hand? I'm no alignment expert, but could the alignment be calibrated back to the specs before the first alignment?

Originally Posted by canucklion

Tissot, get an alignment done at Woodbridge Alignment. They're really good, seriously.

4817 Hwy 7
Woodbridge, ON
L4L 1S6
Tel: 905-851-3500



http://www.woodbridge.servpro.ca/tes...%20Repairs

I will most definitely try them out if the dealer isn’t able to fix it.

[RiXst3r]

how do you like the generals on 19's compared to your RFTs ? is the new setup too harsh?

[canucklion]

For sure they'll re-align it for you for free, since they did the alignment and it was not satisfactory. However, seeing that they didn't do it right the first time, I doubt they're going to make it right the second time, but fingers crossed, they will.

You need to book an appointment, it takes a good while to do an alignment.

in the future, when you swap out your rims/tires, go to Woodbridge alignment, I had mine done there, top notch guys. They will align your car, go for a drive with you, and realign if necessary.

Originally Posted by tissot

OK, I'm planning to go back to the dealer tomorrow. Would I need to pay extra for them to re-align or is there some kind of warranty? Should I just show up or call before hand? I'm no alignment expert, but could the alignment be calibrated back to the specs before the first alignment?



I will most definitely try them out if the dealer isn’t able to fix it.

[tissot]

Originally Posted by RiXst3r

how do you like the generals on 19's compared to your RFTs ? is the new setup too harsh?

The generals on 19's felt really good and soft before the alignment, but now it feels no better then RFTs.

Originally Posted by canucklion

For sure they'll re-align it for you for free, since they did the alignment and it was not satisfactory. However, seeing that they didn't do it right the first time, I doubt they're going to make it right the second time, but fingers crossed, they will.

You need to book an appointment, it takes a good while to do an alignment.

in the future, when you swap out your rims/tires, go to Woodbridge alignment, I had mine done there, top notch guys. They will align your car, go for a drive with you, and realign if necessary.

Took them 4 hours to do mine today.

Thanks for all the help.

[canucklion]

no problem keep us posted, hopefully your dealership will do you right!

[gr28]

Originally Posted by tissot

So here's the whole story and I'll bold the important parts.

When I first bought my car last July, which came with ZSP and active steering, I noticed the car would seem to skid on road bumps and the steering would seem floaty. I did a bit of searching and it seems like I was experiencing tramlining and the RFT effect. So, fine whatever, seems like a common problem and I'll just deal with it.

So November came along and it was time to change into the winter shoes. So I changed my 162's rubber into winter and to my surprise the tramlining was gone and the steering felt brilliant.

Just a few weeks ago I received my new summer wheels (VM 19" CSL w/ General Exclaim). I got the new wheels installed including a set of H&R springs last week. I didn't get an alignment done because the garage I went to don't do alignments on cars with active steering. So I drove about a week without getting an alignment done and the ride quality wasn't bad. It felt like driving with the winters on, but lighter.

I had my alignment done today at my BMW dealership and for some reason the car drives horribly. I'm experiencing tramlining again, but it's not the RFT fault this time, since I got none. The car was felt fine before the alignment and now the car just feels dangerous.

I'm not really sure what I should do right now. I'm pissed and disappointed at the same time. All I know is that the psi level for all four wheels is at 38 and the SA at the dealer told me they had a really hard time aligning the car.

Tramlining is not a problem only with RFT's, it is a problem with many (all?) high performance tires. I have the same experience with my A4, the tramlining stops when I put the winter tires on and starts when I put the summer tires back on. I'm not saying there isn't something wrong with the alignment, but don't expect that just because you aren't using RFT's anymore that you won't have tramlining.

Regarding the ride, 38 is a pretty high tire pressure for everyday driving, and will make the ride harder.

[Revlis]

Big 19" Wheels and lowering your car will just make tramlining that much worse.

Learning to ride the ridges may help, but really it' most likely not anything you can fix. Although you could find alternative twisty routes to where you're going.

There are a couple of highways out here that will really pull you around on the road. Not much you can do but deal with it.

[achien]

Which dealer did you go to get the wheel alignment performed?

My BMW technician tells me the only place they have a "real" wheel alignment equipment is at Parkview (currently). Any other dealership you go to, including downtown BMW, will not have the "correct" wheel alignment equipment.

[voltron1011]

Originally Posted by achien

Which dealer did you go to get the wheel alignment performed?

My BMW technician tells me the only place they have a "real" wheel alignment equipment is at Parkview (currently). Any other dealership you go to, including downtown BMW, will not have the "correct" wheel alignment equipment.

You're correct... Apparently our cars have an extra 'value' that normal alignment shops can't do.

[tissot]

Originally Posted by gr28

Tramlining is not a problem only with RFT's, it is a problem with many (all?) high performance tires. I have the same experience with my A4, the tramlining stops when I put the winter tires on and starts when I put the summer tires back on. I'm not saying there isn't something wrong with the alignment, but don't expect that just because you aren't using RFT's anymore that you won't have tramlining.

Regarding the ride, 38 is a pretty high tire pressure for everyday driving, and will make the ride harder.

Yea, but I didn't have any problems with tramlining before the alignment.

Originally Posted by achien

Which dealer did you go to get the wheel alignment performed?

My BMW technician tells me the only place they have a "real" wheel alignment equipment is at Parkview (currently). Any other dealership you go to, including downtown BMW, will not have the "correct" wheel alignment equipment.

I got it done at Parkview.

[canucklion]

achien, your BMW tech doesn't happen to work at Parkview, does he?

Originally Posted by achien

My BMW technician tells me the only place they have a "real" wheel alignment equipment is at Parkview (currently).

Originally Posted by tissot

I got it done at Parkview.

[BK]

A little OT, but I forgot how bad the tramlining was until I put my 18" 162s back on the car. With the 17" winter tires (and they were RFT, too), I didn't have to fight the car nearly as much. My alignment's fine, it just seems the bigger the tires, the worse the tramlining.

[achien]

Originally Posted by canucklion

achien, your BMW tech doesn't happen to work at Parkview, does he?

He used it, before he retired earlier this year. He is still keeping in touch with the guys at Parkview, T+C, and Downtown though...

Anyway, he told me this morning Downtown BMW has the wheel alignment equipment also, but it all depends on how much effort the technician put in. He may have to "tweak" the alignment a couple of times before they get it "right". It's very difficult to get it right the first time as every vehicle is a "tat" different.