n1k_ns Posted July 21, 2010 Report Share Posted July 21, 2010 Hi Guys, I know many of you have been following THIS thread regarding tramlining. (Tramlining is the tendency of a vehicle's wheels to follow the contours in the surface upon which it runs. The term comes from the tendency of a car's wheels to follow the normally recessed rails of street trams, without driver input in the same way that the train does. For example, the steering wheel is literally moving itself from side to side depending on the road condition.) My car even tramlines to a certain degree if I cross a white pained line on a road. If I drive down a particularly bad bit of road with uneven surface, the steering wheel is literally snatching left and right) After 5 pages of discussion on the other thread, and literally thousands of pounds between us all trying to combat this problem to no avail, it now begs the question, Do All E46's Tramline? From reading other sources, it definitely seems more apparent with people running 18/19" rims. Some owners have reported Tramlining at 15k miles, some at 115k, but a definite answer would be good. This thread was not intended for a discussion about tramlining, please keep that to the other thread. This one is for a definite answer to the question, does your E46 Tramline. If half the people say their car doesn't, then we know we have problems. If all our cars do it, then its just one of those things I would be grateful if you could use the Poll on this topic and state Yes or No if your car tramlines. It also might be good to also post a bit of info about your car too (like if your car tramlines, and what size rims you are running, or what suspension setup, mileage, saloon or coupe? etc) Hopefully this will save us all money on unnecessary part changes and alignments! Many Thanks Guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonlpearce Posted July 21, 2010 Report Share Posted July 21, 2010 19 CSL reps with Avon ZZ3 upfront and Falkens on the rear! In the slow lane of the motorway i can almost let go of the wheel and the car will just stay in the grooves the lorries make. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n1k_ns Posted July 21, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2010 Same here 18" CSL Reps (Although was the same on MV2's) Standard Sports Suspension, Pirelli's up front, Accellera on the Rears. Replaced: Both Front Control Arms, Both Control Arm rear Bushes, Wheels, & 4 wheel alignment done numerous times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autosri Posted July 21, 2010 Report Share Posted July 21, 2010 Mine does it a little bit with my 18s on bu it was masivly reduded buy changing to powerflex FCAR bush Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted July 21, 2010 Report Share Posted July 21, 2010 I voted 'no' I noticed a little tram-lining when I bought my car but after I had my Pro-Kit fitted it seems to have gone away. I have sports suspension with OEM bushes but Pro-kit springs & sport 18" wheels I regularly drive a 320d (powerflexed but on std sport suspension with 18's), MK2 Leon, Volvo S80 etc.. I can honestly say that they all feel the same - no tram-lining! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonlpearce Posted July 21, 2010 Report Share Posted July 21, 2010 Trying not to turn this into another "how to fix the problem" thread, but i also have Powerflex FCARB and no difference! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richy_Boy Posted July 21, 2010 Report Share Posted July 21, 2010 I think all cars with wide tyres or staggered wheels will tramline to some degree. Before my problems were fixed my car used to twitch on a flat straight road - like being buffeted by wind, which was horrific! 18" Alpina rims (f:8" r:9"), GY F1 Asymetric 225/40 + 255/35 Koni FSD shocks, Eibach PRO front springs, M3 front roll bar New bits: BMW - M3 RTABs, front top mounts Lemforder - all roll bar bushes, all drop links, front control arms, control arm bushes, rear top mount Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterH Posted July 21, 2010 Report Share Posted July 21, 2010 Voted yes but it's not that bad for me... 18" Mv1's. If the road is really uneven it does tramline slightly but that's to be expected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jorge- Posted July 21, 2010 Report Share Posted July 21, 2010 Mine does it quite badly, but I can't say if it isn't party to do with tracking and alignment being out since fiddling with coilovers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ Syxx Posted July 21, 2010 Report Share Posted July 21, 2010 Mine tramlines a little, running eibach pro kit and 18" alloys with falken 452 all round! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suhail97 Posted July 21, 2010 Report Share Posted July 21, 2010 I have the standard 16" wheels, lowered on pro kit and had 4 wheel alignment, drives perfect on a flat straight. But sometimes (uneven road or a slope to the side) its literally all over the place to the extent it feels like a flat tyre or only one brake working! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrimja Posted July 21, 2010 Report Share Posted July 21, 2010 Nope, 16" wheels with all standard suspension. Tramlined like a bitch when I had 18's on though! Don't know how you lot live with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amandag Posted July 21, 2010 Report Share Posted July 21, 2010 I said yes, as mine does a bit, but mainly on crap road surfaces which are becoming more and more the norm around here LOL I did think it was because of the wheel size. Mine are 18's and everything on my car is just standard set up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdal Posted July 21, 2010 Report Share Posted July 21, 2010 Yes mine does very badly but it is low with 19's so its no suprise really Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colmurphy Posted July 21, 2010 Report Share Posted July 21, 2010 When I had my mv2's on I didn't get any at all, now iv got pro springs and 19's on I get a wee bit but that's only on bad roads Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aidan316i Posted July 21, 2010 Report Share Posted July 21, 2010 Havnt driven the car in over 6 weeks so cant remember! But it does a bit BBS LM's with 235/35/19's Eagle F1's all round Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frobius Posted July 21, 2010 Report Share Posted July 21, 2010 Yep, 320Cd M-Sport on 18" MV2s. Think they are Bridgestone Potenza all round, 255r/225f. Thought there was something wrong with it until driving a 2010 E92 320Cd M-Sport on 19" MV4s and it did the same thing. My poor mother thought she had a blowout the first time she drove it. I now believe that this is a trait of these cars and may be worsened or bettered by a number of factors but doesn't seem to want to go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicky Posted July 22, 2010 Report Share Posted July 22, 2010 I voted NO Mine never did and if it had I would have fixed asap I had standard staggered MV1's for a while and then 19 x 8.5 front and 19 x 10 rears with stagerred Falken FK452's all round and the car handled like a dream and I also swapped the springs to a Pro Kit and still all good. Now not wanting to kick off a massive arguement or insult anyone as with most blokes we all think we know everything there is to know about driving me included But are you sure that it is tramlining from the vehicle and not just you car following the camber or contours of the road slightly rather than dragging you places? Just a thought Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clubsport_chris Posted July 22, 2010 Report Share Posted July 22, 2010 no from me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesmortimore Posted July 23, 2010 Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 Yep. mine has standard suspension and mv1s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n1k_ns Posted July 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 But are you sure that it is tramlining from the vehicle and not just you car following the camber or contours of the road slightly rather than dragging you places? Just a thought Nah i dont think so dude, ill try and get a video up at the weekend. If it was bad enough for Frobius's mother to think she'd had a blowout then its gotta be pretty bad. The roads where i drive are pretty bad in fairness, but i drove the same roads for 2 years in my Z4 and it was totally different. In my car atm, the wheel is constantly jerking from left to right. If i took my hands off the wheel for even 5 seconds i'd be up the curb. Me and 100+ other e46'ers cant be wrong (Every e46 forum i found has a topic on Tramlining) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egon Posted July 23, 2010 Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 yup, on 18" oem style 32's (staggered). Falken ze912 on front 235/45 and vredensteieieien 255/40 on the back. replaced pretty much everything...ftca+bushes,pas fluid+pump,steering rack+arms,droplinks,wheels,rta bushes,rear subframe bushes,steering column links and it still does it. i just call it character.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J45ON W Posted November 22, 2010 Report Share Posted November 22, 2010 Mine does, even on white lines. MVII's with Bridgestone Run Flats. Standard M-Tec sport setup on an 05 330 vert with 70k on the clock. Thought it was just the charm of the E46. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duracell Bunny Posted November 22, 2010 Report Share Posted November 22, 2010 it is very annoying at times especially on cacky roads! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mit Posted November 22, 2010 Report Share Posted November 22, 2010 Mine tramlined when I had crappy tyres and worn bushes. Now that I don't have worn bushes or crappy tyres it doesn't tramline.* I have OEM BMW wheels 17" wheels. If it tramlined from the factory it would have been mentioned in all the magazine road tests. It wasn't mentioned in them, so if your car tramlines it's got something wrong with it. *except on certain roads like on Tower Bridge and parts of Hyde Park Corner where buses and lorries crossing it slowly have actually made grooves in the road so the car has a natural tendency to stay in the groove. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
