Steering vibration/pulses

[mbquart3000]

Hi all.

I'm having a real hard time getting rid of this vibration problem. I had my tires rebalanced and had my wheels checked several times. Now I started noticing a pulsing type feel on the steering when I turn slightly left or right at about 60 km/h. If I keep the car straight at this speed it seems fine. I also feel vibartion when braking from around 110km/h and I just changed my front brakes including new rotors. I also have vibration in the steeing at speeds above 120 km/h. I though rebalancing would fix the problem but to no avail. Could this be a control arm related problem? I pretty sure it's not my tires or wheels.

Really need help with this problem.

Nick

 

[MyHarley]

I had the same problem, kept balancing the tires to no avail. Finally decided on a 4 wheel alignment and they discovered the lower control arm bushings needed to be replaced before doing the alignment......solved the problem. As I was told, unless they are doing a 4 wheel alignment, you wouldnt necessarily see that the lower control arm bushings need to be replaced. Don't know if that is true or not........but it did work.

 

[Kirby]

Lisha, you go girl!!! Since everything else has been checked, control arm bushings are the next suspect, and can cause these symptoms. If I recall correctly, the E46 lower control arm is a "throw away". That is, the bushings cannot be replaced, the whole arm must be replaced.

 

[MyHarley]

Kirby, too funny.......I think people should be scared of what I've learned from the board and the dealership. When I purchased the 7 a couple of weeks ago the salesman said you are scaring me with what you know about the car.....the e38.org site was very informative.....

 

[mbquart3000]

Thanks guys.

I will get the bushings checked out. Thinking of ugrading to the poly setup and probably change the control arms too all from bimmerworld.com.

What do you recommnend, stock bushings or poly?
I hear OEM bushings don't last very long.

Nick

 

[codex57]

I'd just do poly and be done with it. You're ride may feel a bit stiffer, but it should feel sharper as well.