Head Scratcher

RickyBobby

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The M44 Massive
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From your two photos though the both sides did look different unless it was the angle of the second photo but it did look further away from the tyre edge.
No you're right they were both different so definitely something going on that needs further investigation - I'm not with the car at the moment but once I've had a look I'll report back :thumbsup:
 

Stevo7682

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Hi Garrie having looked at your pictures going on the assumption that both the front wheels are 8.5j et43 and both are running the same make 225/40/18 then as you have clearance on the other side ( as in your picture) then you should have the same clearance on the opposite side so if you confirm this is the case ( wheel dimensions tyre size ) then the issue has to be with the suspension.
Try swapping front wheels to opposite sides if still close on same side ( suspension) if issue moves to other side ( wheel tyre combo)
Stephen
 

Jack Ratt

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Only just reading this thread and my initial thought was to swap the front wheels left to right, right to left and see if the situation remains the same.
 

Peter12345

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Mar 19, 2022
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Could the strut be bent inwards in the middle ? If so, this might have the effect of reducing the gap from the spring seat to tyre.
 

Zephyr

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Was having dinner with a friend who is a Volvo mechanic.
said he has seen this before and it was the result of an enormous pothole
bent wishbone, broken guide support and upper spring plate.
what puzzles him is that in that case the car was “all over the place” while on the road, that seems not to be an issue here.
 

Andyboy

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It looks like the lower spring platform is rotten and collapsing.
 

RickyBobby

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Hi Garrie having looked at your pictures going on the assumption that both the front wheels are 8.5j et43 and both are running the same make 225/40/18 then as you have clearance on the other side ( as in your picture) then you should have the same clearance on the opposite side so if you confirm this is the case ( wheel dimensions tyre size ) then the issue has to be with the suspension.
Try swapping front wheels to opposite sides if still close on same side ( suspension) if issue moves to other side ( wheel tyre combo)
Stephen
Cheers Stephen will try that - good to speak yesterday and I hope your head wasn't as sore as mine this morning =))
 

RickyBobby

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Was having dinner with a friend who is a Volvo mechanic.
said he has seen this before and it was the result of an enormous pothole
bent wishbone, broken guide support and upper spring plate.
what puzzles him is that in that case the car was “all over the place” while on the road, that seems not to be an issue here.
Funnily enough when i drove the car after putting the wheel back on I did notice a vibration that wasn't there when I drove it home initially after purchase.
 

RickyBobby

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OK so having spent New Year in the Lake District I was determined to get to the bottom of this suspension issue - unfortunately I failed at the 2nd hurdle.
Got back home last night so out in the rain this morning to take both the fronts off - got the drivers side off but knackered the locking wheel bolt (I hate them) socket trying to remove the passenger side. The annoying thing was I'd already had the passenger side off but clearly didn't exercise enough caution when fitting the bolt.
However, taking the drivers side off did reveal a spacer was fitted so now I'm thinking it must not have been replaced on the passenger side by whoever replaced the wheel prior to me getting the car. My only doubt with that assumption is that visually the wheels look the same and the bolt lengths are also the same.
The spacer that was on looks pretty crap and doesn't have any markings other than the # 2 stamped on it - seems to be 7mm.
20230103_122606.jpg
20230103_123018.jpg
20230103_123043.jpg

Anyway I now need to wait to check the passenger side, which is where I have the issue, until I can get a replacement locking wheel bolt socket :bashhead:
 
Last edited:

t-tony

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Looking at the original pictures I suspect that you have 2 right handed struts fitted. Check where the “step” is located in relation to the stub axle. Also if you zoom in on the 3rd picture it doesn’t look as though there is a spacer fitted?

Tony.
 

RickyBobby

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Locking wheel bolts removed and I think we might have the answer.
First of all I spoke with AC Schnitzer who were very helpful and confirmed that the 18" Type III Racing alloys were indeed supplied for the Z3. However, the centre bore on the wheel is 82mm rather than the standard 72.5mm so they are generally fitted with an adjusting spacer or spigot ring. Turns out all 4 wheels have the 7mm spacers fitted but they are designed to fit tight in the bore so effectively appear part of the wheel - especially if they have been fitted for some time and have discoloured to the same colour as the wheels interior.
20230105_144915.jpg

So having conformed all spacers are intact I visually compared the struts and suspension components between the driver and passenger sides. All look the same with one exception - see if you can spot what it is?
Drivers Side:
20230105_144712.jpg
20230105_144718.jpg

Passenger Side:
20230105_144729.jpg
20230105_144734.jpg

That's right the serial number on the strut ends in an L on the drivers side and an R on the passengers - now I'm not the most mechanically capable individual but that's the wrong way round isn't it?
 

RickyBobby

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Funnily enough when i drove the car after putting the wheel back on I did notice a vibration that wasn't there when I drove it home initially after purchase.
Suspect this is actually down to the drivers side brake calliper which appears to have decided to stick on - another job for the list :bashhead:
 

Stevo7682

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Garrie you should get a job as a mechanic as you did a better job of noticing that than the dude who fitted the struts.
I would agree going by the labels the shocks are on the wrong side of the car so next job is to get them swapped and see if helps with suspension angles.
Stephen.
 

t-tony

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We had a similar issue one Saturday here at the Shed when fitting some front struts, I tend to think someone may have been given 2 of one side instead of a pair.

Tony.
 
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