[Wgosma]

See pic of the top of front strut; it is secured into the car's frame by three bolts (you can only see 2 in the pic) and there is also a 'guide pin', it's right next to the bolt on the left in the photo. That guide pin I believe is there to facilitate fast/correct assembly when the car is being built

I'm not certain about our X3's but on some BMW's this guide pin can be removed, and if one does so and then loosens the 3 securing bolts the top of the strut can the be moved slightly (I think the holes the bolts do thru are oversized a bit to allow this. that's my guess from looking at other BMW's) thus allowing the strut angle to be changed ever so slightly; i.e. the camber would be altered.

My guess is this procedure is not normally done nor required, but that's a guess. I suppose a damaged front strut (slightly bent) would throw the camber reading out of spec; but that I think is not a common occurrence.

Hope this helps.
Good luck/Bill

[seekon]

Originally Posted by Wgosma

See pic of the top of front strut; it is secured into the car's frame by three bolts (you can only see 2 in the pic) and there is also a 'guide pin', it's right next to the bolt on the left in the photo. That guide pin I believe is there to facilitate fast/correct assembly when the car is being built

I'm not certain about our X3's but on some BMW's this guide pin can be removed, and if one does so and then loosens the 3 securing bolts the top of the strut can the be moved slightly (I think the holes the bolts do thru are oversized a bit to allow this. that's my guess from looking at other BMW's) thus allowing the strut angle to be changed ever so slightly; i.e. the camber would be altered.

My guess is this procedure is not normally done nor required, but that's a guess. I suppose a damaged front strut (slightly bent) would throw the camber reading out of spec; but that I think is not a common occurrence.

Hope this helps.
Good luck/Bill

Thanks Bill, appreciate the info you share.

I will follow once I go in for the alignment.