Help on M3 Steering wheel

[aaron]

I have put in the new M3 steering wheel with the diy on this forum and it work perfectly. Now my problem is when i am driving it tends to weave slightly left on the road. Is it the steering wheel or is it the wheel alignment. I follow the instructions carefully. I did align the steering wheel to the base when i install the new M3. The instructions also says that "before disconnecting the battery, i must strighten the steering wheel". I strighten the old steering wheel but after taking the steering wheel out the arrow is not exactly verticle, it is tilted slightly to the left. Do you guys think this may cause the steering wheel alignment or is it that i need to make an appointment to get my wheels align. Any input will be helpful. thanks

[hayaku]

does it track straight if you have the wheel turned slightly to the right and hold it there?

you should not need a wheel alignment if you put the steering wheel back correctly.

however, this is what could've happened (not saying it did, but it could have..) and i think this because you said you turned the wheel to straight ahead and the alignment arrow underneath it was pointed off a little:

the last time your car got aligned, they did not use a steering wheel lock. instead they just adjusted the steering ties underneath and accidently bumped it a little when they locked the nuts on one side and that twist the wheel a little off.. so your true dead-ahead makes the car turn a bit...

[aaron]

Well i dunno when was the last time there is an algnment. i dont think i ever had an alignment. Well my concern is that before i unplug the battery i position the wheel to be stright ahead but unfortunetly it was off so the old wheel is slightly off at 5 degrees, so this was my fault in position. Not stright but i dont think that should matter right because the m3 wheel has to align to the base because of the grooves which will not have any descripance. Tonight i test drove it, I had to turn slightly right constantly just to not weave to the left

[hayaku]

battery has nothing to do with steering. because the wheel alignment arrow is off to the left, your steering has to be turned a the same amount to the right for the car to go straight.

you can do 1 of 2 things:

1- remove the wheel and try to reinstall it so that the alignment arrow is straight this time

or

2- get an alignment done to reset your front toe to be in alignment with your steering wheel.

i suggest #1 since you know your wheel is not correct with the arrow.

[x5-in-uk]

I to put smg m3 steering wheel on and watched the fitter allign the notches on the connectors 100% now always pulls to the left a fraction tried taking off and still the same.just added black rear lights its a different class now ever x5 driver looks very confused

[drex]

how many miles on the x? if not alignment, is your rim bent, or your control arm bent?

[Laurence]

Its almost certainly alignment.
I had the exact same problem with mine, the car would pull slightly to the left which caused me to counter steer to the right.

I had a four wheel alignment done on the car and its now perfect.

[aaron]

its 42k 2001 model. I believe i spoke to ROB about this and he said that as long as you align it with the grooves then its not the steering wheel. Its the alignment. i may get an alignment next week. Thanks to everyone. I'll update everyone on this. BTW the rim are not bent.

[rangerfan]

I just put on a new steering wheel over the weekend. My car doesn't pull to the right, but if I hold the wheel dead straight, the car does go to the right a bit. It is an allignment issue I am sure. To keep the car straight, I need to keep the wheel a few degrees to the left. No biggie. It was that way before I changed the wheel.

[aaron]

I guess mine is the same way except it turns to the left a bit if you keep the wheel dead straight. I guess i need an alignment but i can't make the appointment today because people too lazy at my dealer to go to work. Its not just the holiday, its every day.