Cross-eyed and pigeon-toed
 

So yeah...... thats my X5, cross-eyed and pigeon-toed.

I installed some Depo headlights about a 1.5 months ago. Love the fit and finish and the looks are out standing. But I have adj every which way to try and get my head lights focused. I cant get a straight level cut off line from my projectors. Please help ! ! !

This is from about 60 ft from the garage door. As you can see the cut off line is croocked.... less then desirable.

http://i653.photobucket.com/albums/u...e/290e38ba.jpg

Here is what it should be indicated bythe red line.

http://i653.photobucket.com/albums/u...ewoflights.png

And this is the most anoying part. I can't get away from this slop shape. WTF is it there for? do you over lap them? stack them? I can get them to have a good spread. I ask because the last truck I owned I got aftermarket headlights... cheep ones too, and they had the identical shape in it. Any help???

http://i653.photobucket.com/albums/u...wofcloseup.png

The Orange one is the right, (passaer side) and red is left (driver side)

http://i653.photobucket.com/albums/u...ghtpattern.png

PLEASE GIVE ME SOME DIRECTION! Need to get this sorted.

Now the pigeon toe-ness.

Like many X5's we suffer for the excessive camber on the rear wheels.
I was able to use a overhead lift to check out what was going on, but due to a time constraint I was unable to work on it and prolly wont be able to us it in the near future.

So I took the brief oppertunity to at least check out what was worn out. (my memory tells me that people here said there is visable ware with the rubber around the bushing, and thats the cause of the excess camber)

Also should mention that I have a dreaded squeak when going over small to mild bumps. So I suspected the sway bar rubber bushings, so I removed the, cleaned and lubed. (wasnt the issue, still squeaks) Anyway that is what the liquid is from, cleaning and lubingthe rubber bushing area.

So Im posting a few pics so hopfully some one can tell me what I'm missing.

I believe It is the top pivot on the upper contol arm that fails...

http://i653.photobucket.com/albums/u...tplacement.png

Here is a closer shot of it. No real signs of ware. And I would think from how bad mine is, I should beable to see somthing...

http://i653.photobucket.com/albums/u...armbushing.png

But then I noticd this.... (pay attention now, this is the tricky part)

I noticed that the driver side camber asdjustment is only half way through its adjustable range....

http://i653.photobucket.com/albums/u...sidecamadj.png

But the passanger side is maxed out, in the direction to help straiten it.

http://i653.photobucket.com/albums/u...sidecamadj.png

^ So I feel that the driver side could be adjusted out, the passanger side is clearly out of adj, so something is jacked up on that side..... Here is my theory....

The driver side was adjusted this way intentionally to keep both of the rear wheels even. The pasanger side is clapped out somewhere. I still want to point my finger at the upper control arm pivot, as.... what else could it be other thensomthing bent?

Any help would be very helpful!

Thanks!

http://i653.photobucket.com/albums/u...e/a2c2d9f3.jpg

http://i653.photobucket.com/albums/u...e/6bb2af9a.jpg

The rear upper control arms are the #1 suspect for excessive camber, the #2 being the rear lower ball joints. But those don't make as much of a change in camber as the control arms.

As for the squeaking up front, it can be a pain to isolate it down, but I often see it caused by the struts themselves. And sometimes the ball joint end of the lower control arm or the thrust arm. Maybe try pumping a shot of grease in each ball joint with a grease needle to see if they are getting dried out and creaking. Or if the rubber boots are torn just spray a shot of penetrating lube in there to see if it quiets it up.

A few things you said, brought up good points.

You mentioned ball joints. I should add that there is no bumping, clunking, or knocking of any kind. Sorry, should of said that. Which I believe would be a symtom of a ball joint.

And I should of specified that the squeaking is only coming from the rear. I hope that I can get two birds with the one fix. I hope the upper control arm pivot is worn and it is also squeaking.

So you think that even tho no visible ware is seen, it prolly is bushings?

Thanks for your help.

The bushing ends of those control arms are solid rubber, the ball socket end wears first oddly enough. And the lower ball joints are kinda sideways compared to most, so they don't really cause clunking or knocking. But they can cause a squeak.

I'd go for the upper control arms first as they are the main wear item back there. They can be confirmed with a good shakedown, but you dno't really feel the movement when shaking the tire... you gotta have someone shaking the tire for you while you monitor the joint.

Understood. I will order two rear upper control arms. Thanks for your help!


Any one have any advise on the head lights?

Anyone?

Hey,I don't have an exactly straight line either and mine are stock.
I see that your left side is a bit off lower that the right one,but the pattern looks pretty much as mine.
Do you have a self leveling option?

Yes, mine are the self leveling. And I only ever saw the passenger side light self level one time since I got these lights.

Does anyone know where the sensor is for the level sensor?

That makes a lot of sense.
Mine are always adjusting upon the first start in the garage..or if it sits long enough outside and I have something in front like a wall or the garage door ,so I can see when they are adjusting the level.
I have no idea where the tricky sensor is.
I've read a while ago that it's the same used for a self-leveling suspension,but I don't know if it's true.

I don't think you are suppose to have a straight line, the passenger side is always pointed higher to see the road signs, the driver's side is pointed lower to not blind oncoming traffic...this is what BMW dealership told me and I think its in the manual somewhere that this is intentional design.