Rear Wheels Spaced Differently? What's going on here...

[VisionTouring]

Ok - thanks everyone for all the input. After some additional investigation I think I've actually figured out that it is indeed a difference in the body - the fenders - not a misalignment in the axel/subframe. I could have sworn each side looked identical, but I guess it's quite subtle. See the photos below.

 

What I did was put my ruler straight up against the bottom of the rocker trim and pushed it into the rear tires and both sides lined up identically with the outer channel on the tires.

 

Next I put the ruler into the wheel well right between the shock and spring until it was flush against the tub and measured straight down to the edge of the fender and there it is... exactly 15mm difference between the two sides. I've included photos of the fenders from each side as well. Fooled me for sure.

 

Ok... so now that I know that my fenders are asymmetrical... is it totally out of the question to add a 10mm spacer to one side to help even out the visual appearance?  I'm OCD and this type of thing drives me bonkers... 

[Son of Marty]

That was the general thought here but it's good to know for sure that the running gear is straight.

[visionaut]

Slight fender pull on the shallow side, if you can’t unsee it…?

Likely better than lopsiding your drivetrain to fix a body issue.

[02Les]

I read on your feedback post that your initial problem was when fitting the two year wheels..........on one side the hub pushed the centre cap out and the other side didn't.

Is this part of your problem or did you resolve this as something else?

[d.hitchcock]

I'm with Visionaut. I wouldn't add a spacer.

[VisionTouring]

1 hour ago, 02Les said:

I read on your feedback post that your initial problem was when fitting the two year wheels..........on one side the hub pushed the centre cap out and the other side didn't.

Is this part of your problem or did you resolve this as something else?

Yes - that was actually another problem. The cotter pin on that side was actually bent against the top of the hub instead of around it. So it was the pin that stuck out just a bit further and caused the deformation of the center cap.

[VisionTouring]

Yea - I likely won't touch it for now, but if I do get some rubbing with the wider tires (195s) I will probably see about having that fender pulled slightly to better match.

 

Agree that a spacer on just one side is not the best approach

 

Thanks all!

[72pdx02]

I’d run a magnet around the panel before attempting to pull anything or you could be opening a can of worms. 

[Conserv]

3 hours ago, 72pdx02 said:

I’d run a magnet around the panel before attempting to pull anything or you could be opening a can of worms. 

+1

 

Even if the fender lip on a touring is different from the fender lip on other sub-models — and I’m not certain of its original configuration — the junctions of your car’s quarter panels with its rocker panels, just ahead of the wheel housings, are different from each other and different from the factory configuration. Compare the lip lines in the first two photos below.

 

In addition, the right side rocker panel moulding appears to have been shortened, and the moulding moved slightly lower on the rocker panel. Where the bottom of the quarter panel meets the rocker panel, between the rear wheel well and the door, the quarter panel extends out “over” the rocker panel, creating a sharp concavity into which the rocker moulding ordinarily fits.

 

Your touring’s left and right sides are shown in the first and second photos below, and the left and right sides of my (admittedly-not-a-touring-but-owned-from-new) ‘76 are in the third and fourth photos.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

[Conserv]

Lo and behold, the touring does appear to have thicker rear fender lips than other ‘02 sub-models. Here is a factory photo of a 2000tii touring, ca. April 1971, showing a public introduction of the new model. And, yes, those rear fender lips do appear beefier than the front fender lips.

 

This doesn’t alter my comments about the obvious inconsistencies, from side to side, between the left and right fender lips, or post-factory modifications or repairs to both fenders. But it does verify the poster’s point about rear quarters on touring models being wider than the average ‘02!
 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

[VisionTouring]

9 hours ago, Conserv said:

+1

 

Even if the fender lip on a touring is different from the fender lip on other sub-models — and I’m not certain of its original configuration — the junctions of your car’s quarter panels with its rocker panels, just ahead of the wheel housings, are different from each other and different from the factory configuration. Compare the lip lines in the first two photos below.

 

In addition, the right side rocker panel moulding appears to have been shortened, and the moulding moved slightly lower on the rocker panel. Where the bottom of the quarter panel meets the rocker panel, between the rear wheel well and the door, the quarter panel extends out “over” the rocker panel, creating a sharp concavity into which the rocker moulding ordinarily fits.

 

Your touring’s left and right sides are shown in the first and second photos below, and the left and right sides of my (admittedly-not-a-touring-but-owned-from-new) ‘76 are in the third and fourth photos.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

 

 

 

 

Definitely agree with you that whoever did the work on my rocker panels screwed the pooch, not the best quality, runs, lumps, crappy repair of the bottom body seam - looks jagged and craggly... doesn't inspire the most confidence in the rest of the paint/body work ?

 

[Mike Self]

It's entirely possible that, given the scarcity of Touring-specific sheet metal in general, and specifically in the US where they were never imported, at a previous time rust in the rear wheel opening lips were repaired with a patch panel that was meant for a sedan.  Those patch panels have been available for many years (at least back into the late 80s) and I'm quite sure they were meant for sedans.  I don't think any of us realized that Tourings used thicker lips than sedans. 

 

A little examination behind the upholstery panels in the hatch area might answer the question of previous repairs.

 

mike

[LarsAlpina]

On 3/8/2022 at 2:56 AM, Conserv said:

Lo and behold, the touring does appear to have thicker rear fender lips than other ‘02 sub-models. Here is a factory photo of a 2000tii touring, ca. April 1971, showing a public introduction of the new model. And, yes, those rear fender lips do appear beefier than the front fender lips.

 

This doesn’t alter my comments about the obvious inconsistencies, from side to side, between the left and right fender lips, or post-factory modifications or repairs to both fenders. But it does verify the poster’s point about rear quarters on touring models being wider than the average ‘02!
 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

 

Steve,

 

Catalog picture 41/30 - BMW 1502 - 2002 turbo - Body work | Wallothesch

WWW.WALLOTHNESCH.COM

 

I´m jumping up and down right now! The first thing ever concerning originality, that I knew better than you, I believe. ?? Yes, a touring definitely had bigger rear fender lips compared to a sedan. Take a look here at the link for W&N´s repair panels page. One can see the difference in fender lips thickness on the pictures for the sedan and the touring panels, too. And of course one can conclude, that there must be a difference, if they´re offering different panels at all.

 

Concerning the initial question for this thread I´d agree, that with looking at the photos I´m afraid of supposedly hearing my bondo-alarm bell ringing.

 

Best regards,

Lars.

[Conserv]

Lars,

 

You can inscribe my knowledge of touring models on the head of a pin… ?

 

But I do believe that they were hatchbacks! ?
 

Always great to hear from you! 

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

 

[Dudeland]

On 3/6/2022 at 12:56 PM, d.hitchcock said:

Interesting note about Touring fenders, thanks!

Assuming your subframe is stock and nonadjustable, wouldn't the next suspect bits to check include bent/damaged trailing arms and bushings? And maybe this is too left field, but it might be worth inspecting subframe mounting points & bushings too.

These are the thing I would check. If it is the lip then get a fender roller and have at it, or just write it off as “quirky “ and move on.

 

Perhaps a alignment shop can shed some light on the issue.