front end shimmy

[jex]

When I depress the brake pedal in my 91 318is, my steering wheel shakes. The vibration is more harsh around 30 miles an hour. If I am slowing down from about 70 mph it doesnt shake very bad, but once the speed gets to around 30, it is pretty bad. I replaced my brakes and rotors, so warped rotors are out of the question. Any ideas. I was wondering if bad motor mounts could cause this. Could it just be an alignment issue. This is really starting to annoy me! TIA

[325 eta]

are your pads worn

[jex]

the pads and rotors are new.

[Spaz]

since its not going to be your rotors. check your front end for play, your ball joints, tie rod end...etc. it could also possibly be the control arm bushings.


hope that helps.

[325 eta]

make sure your lugs arent missing or lose

[jex]

All of the lugs are tight. There is a bit of play in the steering wheel. I will check under the car Wednesday.

[Spaz]

well you have to jack up the car and shake the whell side to side with your hands to feel play and then find out where it is coming from,

1. inner tie rod
2. outer tie rod
3. ball joint
4. wheel bearing

contact me if you need more information

[jex]

cool...thanks for the help!

[RH318is]

You might also want to check the nut on the under side of the steering column. somewhere between the steering wheel and the pedals. snugging this up made a noticable difference for mine. you need a really big wrench though.

EDIT:
fyi, it wasn't that mine was really loose, the guy at the BMW shop brought out a big wrench (looked like something for an airplane) and tighened it up 'really' good. that little bit did help make the steering wheel more solid (it felt 'lighter' before). if everything else is fine, might be worth a look.

[randomtask37]

i have the EXACT same problem man. and i have fairly new pads, non-warped rotors, new motor mounts and the car has been alligned recently. so i guess it would be....

1. inner tie rod
2. outer tie rod
3. ball joint
4. wheel bearing

like spaz said.

or mabye that "nut" on the steering column like rh318is said.

if one of those suspension components is causing the problem, is that a sign to replace it before a huge failier that gets me killed. or just something to fix because its annoying.

[peerless]

Well that depends on how fast your going at the time of a critical failure.

Does it scare the hell out of you and you are able to stop and have it towed.

Or your racing rice on the freeway and something lets go at 90mph, you have heard the term:

Sheetmetal Biscut.

Yes with a smattering of human.

Get it fixed

[elemental]

I have a 85e with 175 on the clock, i was experiencing a hard shimmy/shakeing in the front right corner of my car @ 30 mph it was apparent above that depending oh how hard I am on the brakes it didnt seem to be too aparent under 30, today i changed to Outer tir rod ends along with the control arm bushings, dang was that was fun! the control arm bushings had to be picked away till i could get them to slide off the control arms
lube helps big time getting them back on, anywas 3 hours spent and it seems too have cleared up 80% of the shimmy I still have a slight brake shimmy under hard brakeing but it is soo much better, good luck

Matt
85 325e