Negative camber

[LFP]

Just wrote a long post and then accidentally closed the Internet window - balls.

Here goes again;

My X has noticeable negative camber at the rear. This is causing the inner edges of the tyre to wear out much quicker to the point where they're at the limit on the inside with loads left on the outside.

There's a good YouTube video on this which I think diagnoses the problem

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_guTE2ANcIg

I think they're referring to the bushing in the rear upper control arm. Anyone have experience of replacing this as a DIY job? I've drawn a blank on this usual info sources on this one. I suspect there's an issue around releasing the pressure on the suspension, amongst other things.

Incidentally I bit the bullet and got the local kwik fit to regas the air con the other day. The recent hot weather made the car like an oven on wheels and in all fairness, they did it whilst I waited without needing to book it in and I haven't yet noticed anything they've broken. Air con now icy cold and they even gave me a printout with various numbers on it that probably means something to someone who understands it.

[IanP]

Just had my rears done for the same reason and the tyre guy says he looks at BMW rear tyres in passing as they always wear like that. Mine has had its 4 wheel tracking done and I was told they are set up with camber like that for handling reasons. Suppose it could always be reduced if you fancied.

[drewb]

LFP, I just went through 80% that was left in my rears in about 5months due to the same problem. I take my car to BMW specialist mechanic (as BMW Aus are just rediculous on pricing). It took him 3 hours to do both sides. I'm pretty handy on the tools, but he told me its not worth doing myself. I wish I'd replaced the arms sooner as it cost me $850 for a pair of new tyres and only $550 to get the arms replaced!!!
Cheers, Drew

[LFP]

I'd be keen to know if this has solved the problem. I guess time will tell.

I definately don't want to pay BMW rates for 3 hours labour but equally it sounds beyond my skills. Think it'll be booked into an Indy for investigation.

[jaynana]

i've noticed a visible negative camber in most E53s, including in mine. always assumed that was the factory setting and i can imagine that being for handling reasons (well, most cars have a slight negative camber just that E53s have more.. then again its a BMW and they like to do things extreme!)

i've always wondered if that should lead to wear on the inner edge.. I guess time will tell..

[LFP]

So I ordered some upper control arms for the rear and fitted them today.  Bit of a pain to fit but fairly straightforward.

Interestingly this has solved the negative camber problem that I originally posted about.

To clarify this, the X now has a slight amount of negative camber, as BMW intended.  It used to have an insane amount which made it look like it had 45 degrees and no tread left on the inside of the tyres.

[X5Sport]

Any sign of damage, or just worn?

[LFP]

No visible damage but the ball joint was completely slack.

[rjkc600]

I got fed up with negative camber causing bald tyres, so i asked the guys that aligned my car to go as positive as possible at the rear.

Even in that setting i still had 1 degree negative at the rear, which is good enough for me and my tyres will last a fair bit longer now. 

[DougieV8]

My rear tyres were wearing heavily on extreme of inside edges. Since I got the large subframe bushes changed this appears to have ceased - i asume that this was down to excessive movement while cornering as the bushes were disconnected internally and clearly not doing their job.

I still have an obvious negative camber but wear seems ok