[FTS]

Originally Posted by JNoSol

Start with -2.5 or just call TC for recommendation.

Originally Posted by lutfy

+1. FTS with E36/46 chassis you needed -3 degree up front but with the E9X there was dynamic camber built in (where you didnt lose a whole bunch of camber when turning the wheel), I dont know the technical term to describe this in detail but basically you didnt need crazy camber. -2.4 was recommended to me by race teams (Malek from MRF in West Coast) and Bimmerworld (I have a good relationship with them). I dialed in from -3 to -2.4 and my outside tire was wearing MUCh better. I have set it in at that setting now.

Rear -1.8 again slight bit less than previous gen. Anything more and the benefit curve falls (lose traction on putting power down, not utilizing the outside tire etc).

That said this was previous gen. I doubt you'd need -4 camber and would start with -2.5 and -1.8. I have spent half dozen visits to the alignment shop and used pyrometer on the track to get readings and this is VERY consistent with lowered Eibach and R comps I am running.

New gen (post E46) are much easier on camber....

FYI

Lutfy

I truly appreciate the inputs. I am old school I know, but part of my learning this new 'platform' is to go through these exercises, struggle a little but earn the knowledge if you will. If I set the alignment to BW's or TCK's recommendations, first I won't know based on what they are making the recommendations and under which assumptions. If I map out at least the camber curve by trying different settings, I will have much better idea of cause-effect relationship with this car, so I can make informed decisions. This is just going to be an approximation, not very accurate, but it is better than not having anything. Also, sometimes we discover some unexpected results while going through the process, you never know

Originally Posted by Cloud9blue

Any idea how does the camber plate come together? HPA mentioned you reuse the stock trust bearings, but it would be nice to see some installation pictures or shots from the wheel wells.

This is an example of learning while going through the process. I am sorry about the long answer, but I am trying to make a point: Since I never worked on Bimmers before, I thought I better take it to a speciality shop and observe the work, learn the little tricks and how alignment changes with various bolts here and there, and get armed for the next project. I took my car to a well-known race shop, generally they know what they are doing. To my dismay, they would not even let talk with the tech and not let me into the shop. I handed the keys, and when all was said and done, I got the keys back.

The installation of camber plates and alignment took 6.5 hours. I was very disappointed and thought it took too long for such a small job, however work done was really done well without any side effects of any kind and very cleanly; credit is given where it is due. Today, I tried to change the alignment myself and after seeing the amount of work involved and how poorly BMW designed the chassis setup, I gave up and took it to my usual shop where they also know performance cars very well. After seeing how they struggled to change the alignment and fail, because once you take off the strut braces and loosen the plates, nothing fits back in so nicely and easily. 2.5 hours of wasted work and we towed the car to the original race shop and they will fix it So, at the end, although I was disappointed that the work originally took so long, I now understand why it does and won't criticize the race shop's work for a second.

For comparison purposes, I could align my GT3 in less than 1.5 hour; camber, toe, caster, ride height and A/R bars; my shop used to do it in half that time with proper alignment machine. The car was designed for easy maintenance. This is where i miss the Porsche frankly. BMW just made it so hard with their strut tops and overall adjustment points in general that I find it ridiculous. Camber plates are probably the first and only mod I will do to this car.

And btw, because it takes so much longer to do these things on this car the maintenance costs thus far has been higher for me than on the Porsche, I am sure many other small things are worse than they first sound, e.g. removing the brake dust shield or the wheel hub etc. Apparently you cannot just remove the shield, the whole hub assembly has to come out and then you have to replace the darn hub assembly with new

So, as I said it is all a learning process for me, I appreciate the patience, yours and mine

So the short answer to your question, I do not know if they reused it

Originally Posted by Cloud9blue

Also what suspensions are you running with? Adaptive or non-adaptive? Or some aftermarket coilovers perhaps?

I have stock adaptive shocks.