330i ZHP Steering

[Gibscreen]

I just bought a 2004 330i ZHP Performance Package. When I was driving it around town, the steering felt nice and tight, but as the speeds increased, and especially on the freeways, the steering started to feel a bit wandering on center. For example, I can let go of the steering wheel, and the wheel will bob back and forth a little bit around center. Is this an example of tramlining? It doesn't really feel like it's following the grooves in the road, more just that it's a little bouncy.

Has anyone else experienced this issue? Is it normal? I come from driving a Mustang with pretty innacurate steering, but the mustang still tracked fairly straight. The BMW has accurate steering, but it's a little wandery.

On the upside, I took it down a nice twisty road, and I had to keep reminding myself that I was going 85+ with supreme confidence as opposed to my Stang, where I'd have a deathgrip.

Thanks in advance.

 

[MrElussive]

Hi there.
The tramline effect is when one or more of the tires pickup another track on the road (all roads have lots of "tracks" from all the cars driving on them, you just can't see them), and the car starts to wander in another direction. You may notice it on highways sometimes.
When the steering wheel bobs left and right without your hands on the wheel, does it just happen randomly or is it when the car goes over a bump? Because it may just be the steering wheel trying to communicate the bumps to you, which is typical BMW style.

 

[bmwrocks]

If this is happening all the time at higher speeds, then there is something wrong.

If it is solid most of the time at higher speeds, but occasionally seems to track, then it is probably the road. Some tires do track more than others, maybe your ZHP tires are in this category.

Like MrE said, it is normal for your wheel to move L/R going over a bump at high speed. No control loss whatsoever (unless you run over a BIG bump), but the steering wheel will move.

But on a smooth piece of road that damn wheel should be rock solid from 0 to max speed.

 

[Bryan330i]

My car is horrible for following tracks in the road but our roads here suck. I think what happens, like others have said already, is a tire tracks a groove or something in the road and gets pulled back by another tire following another track, and so on.

I don’t think it’s anything to worry about. I had concerns early on because I would even get braking problems with occasional extreme pulling to one side or another, but like I said our roads suck and few roads are actually smooth.

 

[Gibscreen]

Well on the way to work this morning, I was at about 80, and it wasn't really tracking with the grooves in the road, but if there was a slight bump, then the steering wheel would rock back and forth an inch or so both ways. It doesn't happen on smooth roads, but the wheel does feel pretty light at that speed.

 

[Bryan330i]

Well on the way to work this morning, I was at about 80, and it wasn't really tracking with the grooves in the road, but if there was a slight bump, then the steering wheel would rock back and forth an inch or so both ways. It doesn't happen on smooth roads, but the wheel does feel pretty light at that speed.

I think I would see the dealer on your problem. What you are saying does not sound like what I experience. I never have experiences steering wheel rocking at any speed. Mine is always rock solid it just pulls in different directions from tracking.

Is it a loose feeling?

 

[Gibscreen]

well there's no play in the wheel. i turn it and it goes. i don't know if i'd call it loose. but it's definitely light at 80

 

[MrElussive]

Well on the way to work this morning, I was at about 80, and it wasn't really tracking with the grooves in the road, but if there was a slight bump, then the steering wheel would rock back and forth an inch or so both ways. It doesn't happen on smooth roads, but the wheel does feel pretty light at that speed.

My car does the same thing. The highways around here are quite shitty and sometimes when I hit a bump, the steering wheel will suddenly jerk to the left or right and then return to the center. It's because the bump causes the front wheels to sort of "hop" and when there's no longer any load on the front tires and from the jar of the bump, the wheels get turned a bit, but when the car lands it gets settled down.
There is this one bump on the Cross Island that I always go over on the way home from school, it's where the highway is turning right. It's kind of scary if I don't have both hands firmly on the wheel because I hit the bump while I have the wheel turned to the right a bit (following the curve) and the bump makes my front wheels hop a bit and there is no longer any load on the front tires so the pressure I am applying to the steering wheel to follow the curve to the right, suddenly makes the wheel turn more sharply to the right and it puts me off track. If I don't look out for this bump, it definitely catches me off-guard and screws up my steering input.
I think what you're experiencing is just normal...if it really was a problem, you definitely wouldn't have the confidence to go down that twisty road at 85+ mph, but I think just to be safe, and just to put your mind at ease, take it to the dealership and have them test it out.

 

[Rubber Ducky]

You've got a prob

My ZHP is steady as a rock at 80 - 90. Yours sounds like a car problem that the dealer should dig into.

 

[Gibscreen]

but you drive a G35 coupe, right? You can't really compare the two. Thanks though.

 

[Bryan330i]

Mr. E is actually very knowledgeable about cars, and certainly more so than myself.

I guess I am still not sure exactly what type of problem you are experiencing. Today on my way to work I drove about 80-85 for a while and moved the wheel very slightly and each time the car responded to the action. I could not fond a point in which and wheel movement did not cause the car to react at any speed. I would think if yours is the same you should be okay. I have noticed that the road will also cause the steering wheel to move but I never get a sensation of a control factor issue.

 

[Average Jae]

but you drive a G35 coupe, right? You can't really compare the two. Thanks though.

why not? and in what aspect?
they are both really great cars, and have many similarities.. and most modern cars have similar steering systems i woudl imagine..

just curous for other zhp owners, when you are trying to park the car, or trying to make a T turn, and have to turn the wheel all they way to right or left, does the wheel lock up for a bit until you get moving again? (kinda hard to explain too..)

 

[bmwrocks]

just curous for other zhp owners, when you are trying to park the car, or trying to make a T turn, and have to turn the wheel all they way to right or left, does the wheel lock up for a bit until you get moving again? (kinda hard to explain too..)

Huh? The steering locks up? ZHP or no ZHP, this is not supposed to happen on any car ever ever never. The wheel is always going to be easier to turn while rolling slowly as opposed to turning it while stationary. Maybe this is the effect you are describing? BMW variable assist is superior of course, and gives perfect feedback at all speeds. [headbang]

 

[Bryan330i]

why not? and in what aspect?
they are both really great cars, and have many similarities.. and most modern cars have similar steering systems i woudl imagine..

just curous for other zhp owners, when you are trying to park the car, or trying to make a T turn, and have to turn the wheel all they way to right or left, does the wheel lock up for a bit until you get moving again? (kinda hard to explain too..)

Yes, I know exactly what you are talking about. What do you think causes this?

 

[nasa43]

Huh? The steering locks up? ZHP or no ZHP, this is not supposed to happen on any car ever ever never. The wheel is always going to be easier to turn while rolling slowly as opposed to turning it while stationary. Maybe this is the effect you are describing? BMW variable assist is superior of course, and gives perfect feedback at all speeds. [headbang]

The one thing I have noticed is my BMW is much harder to turn at lower speeds than I am used to. My other car is a 98 Grand Prix GTP with variable effort steering and low speed steering is much easier than I am experiencing in my BMW. I cannot turn my BMW with one hand like I could the GTP. This is not a problem, just took some getting used to. I do experience the tramming also on certain two lane back roads, especially at high speeds. Definitely keeps you involved in the driving experience!