DIY Guide: How to Perform a Rear Wheel Alignment on a E39 BMW 528i
DIY Guide: BMW 528i E39 Rear Wheel Alignment
When the dealership demands $150 and your trusted independent shop is booked out for ten days, performing your own rear wheel alignment is the most logical step to safely get your E39 back on the road.
The Short Answer (TL;DR)
To perform a DIY rear wheel alignment on a 1998 BMW 528i (E39), you will adjust the eccentric bolts on the rear control arms to set the toe and camber. This takes about two hours in the garage. Upgrading worn suspension bushings during this process ensures your alignment settings actually hold up under load.
The DIY Process Overview
Performing a rear wheel alignment at home requires a flat surface, a tape measure, a digital angle gauge, jack stands, and basic hand tools. You will first need to establish a parallel string line around the vehicle to measure rear toe-in accurately. The E39 utilizes eccentric bolts located on the lower control arms to dial in both toe and camber settings.
To adjust the camber, place your digital angle gauge on a perfectly flat section of the wheel face or the rotor hat. Loosen the camber eccentric bolt, rotate it until the gauge reads the factory specification (typically slight negative camber), and torque the nut down. Repeat this process for the toe settings, adjusting the toe eccentric bolts until measurements from the wheel lip to your string lines are perfectly even on both sides.
Why You Should Upgrade While You're In There
A fresh alignment is useless if your factory rubber bushings are degraded and deflecting under load. Since you are already underneath the rear end loosening the control arms, it is the perfect time to install upgraded polyurethane suspension bushings or adjustable rear control arms. Polyurethane eliminates the slop inherent in old rubber, keeping your alignment specs locked in securely during hard cornering.
Recommended Upgrade: Adjustable Rear Control Arms and Polyurethane Bushing Kit
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a string alignment as accurate as a laser rack?
When done correctly on a completely level surface, a string alignment can be highly accurate and sufficient for street driving. The key is taking precise millimeter measurements from the wheel center to the string and ensuring the string box is perfectly square to the chassis.
What happens if I don't align the rear after replacing suspension components?
Skipping the alignment will result in severe, uneven tire wear, highly unpredictable handling characteristics, and an off-center steering wheel. The E39 chassis is extremely sensitive to rear toe and camber settings, meaning even slight deviations will drastically alter straight-line stability.
