[atlantisvip]

Ok.. Ive had this issue for a while.. I figured with New tires, balancing, and a 4 wheel alignment the issue would be solved..WRONG ! Every morning during my initial drive to work up to about 100kph the steering wheel vibrates (side to side) . I thought maybe it had something to do with the road but no.. Here is the funny part.. The shaking will go away after driving for a little while.. Same speed, same conditions, same road.. I've noticed that aggressive driving triggers it between these 2 conditions.. It will come and go at any given time.. I will be driving through the city smoothly one minute.. And after a few quick turns I'll be vibrating again.. I had the tire tech check the wheels and axles for any unusual "loose" movement or broken supports of some kind but everything checked out ok.. The bushings on the front stabilizer bar seemed ok also, I checked them myself while the car was on the lift.

This Love-Hate relationship with my car is starting to wear thin.. :3:

 

[BostonRocket]

Bent wheel or worn hub bushings?

'Rocket

 

[atlantisvip]

Wouldn't a bent wheel be apparent during balancing ? Are hub bushings a "pricy" fix ?:sad1:

 

[foxyboym5]

Sounds like your brake rotors have the infamous 'judder'

read all about it on http://www.zeckhausen.com/technical.htm

I have the same (again) so think im gonna upgrade as want to do more track hours..

good luck

 

[DavidS]

Check the power steering fluid level, and if that is ok, check the front wheel bearings.

David

 

[atlantisvip]

Check the power steering fluid level, and if that is ok, check the front wheel bearings.

David

I noticed that there appears to be a power steering leak, but the reservouir is pretty much full.. Could this be a problem ?

 

[BMW-M5-UK]

Ok.. Ive had this issue for a while.. I figured with New tires, balancing, and a 4 wheel alignment the issue would be solved..WRONG !

I get the same but it is very slight and it is more noticable when it is cold or car not warmed up and it seems to come and go so not entirely consistent.

 

[chunpng]

Also check the thrust bushing. I changed mine and huge improvements. Now I need to replace my front rotors.

CP

 

[mottati]

I think you guys are over-thinking this. Your tires are flat spotting. After you get some miles/heat into them it's going away. Some tires are worse than others in this regad. My dunlop sport race track tires are horrible at this, after sitting in the pits for 30+minutes, i have horrible vibrations that last about half -3/4 a lap, until the tires get some heat. My wife's old 525iTa did this too with the oe conti sport contacts, i mostly remember it when the weather was cold. I think my 528 with SO3's would do it too, if the car was sitting for a few days.
Mike

 

[atlantisvip]

I think you guys are over-thinking this. Your tires are flat spotting. After you get some miles/heat into them it's going away. Some tires are worse than others in this regad. My dunlop sport race track tires are horrible at this, after sitting in the pits for 30+minutes, i have horrible vibrations that last about half -3/4 a lap, until the tires get some heat. My wife's old 525iTa did this too with the oe conti sport contacts, i mostly remember it when the weather was cold. I think my 528 with SO3's would do it too, if the car was sitting for a few days.
Mike

Hate to admit it but that fits my scenario.. Cold starts (about 90 Farenheit in dubai :hihi: ) The car feels like the tires are gonna fall off or my steering column is gonna come out.. But after about 5 miles of highway driving it gets better..not perfect but better.. Hard to believe this is normal with 3 day old tires.. I went from 37 to 40 psi this afternoon.. Ill see if it makes a difference at the next cold run. I had a horrible experience with hardcore burnt clutch smell and clutch slipping that actually wound up going away (I HOPE) but thats another saga..:3: :typing:

 

[DavidS]

I noticed that there appears to be a power steering leak, but the reservouir is pretty much full.. Could this be a problem ?

Yes, a leak in the power steering is a problem that definitely needs to be properly checked and fixed. You would not want to loose the steering servo in the wrong moment...

About Moattis post regarding flat-spots, it is indeed the most likely cause. I, and probably many others, assumed that it already had been considered and ruled out by the tyre balancing people.

If you have large rims, the steering-wheel sensation when the tyres have flat-spots wil be much stronger than with 18" rims. What rims and tyres do you have on your car?

David

 

[atlantisvip]

Yes, a leak in the power steering is a problem that definitely needs to be properly checked and fixed. You would not want to loose the steering servo in the wrong moment...

About Moattis post regarding flat-spots, it is indeed the most likely cause. I, and probably many others, assumed that it already had been considered and ruled out by the tyre balancing people.

If you have large rims, the steering-wheel sensation when the tyres have flat-spots wil be much stronger than with 18" rims. What rims and tyres do you have on your car?

David

Hi David, I'm running the stock 18" rims on new Yokohama AVS Sports.. I went to see the tire guy and he suggested rotating the tires on the rim a little.. Not sure what that does but he said it might help.. As for the leak, Im gonna look into it this week..

 

[DavidS]

I have no first-hand experience with those tyres, nor of really hot climate.
If your tyre people think this is not just the normal flat-spot effect, then it is something else. Any chance of you borrowing another pair of front wheels for a day or so from your dealer, and see if the problem disappears? Or putting the front wheels from your car onto another M5, and check how its steering responds?

You know, this could actually be a combination thing, normal morning flat-spot that makes an otherwise unnoticed problem in the front suspension appear.

How about you leaving the car overnight and outdoors at your dealer, and then go with the SA on a morning drive, so he can feel the steering wheel first-hand?

How cold does it get at night?


David

 

[sptbike]

I currently have Pilot Sport Ones on my 2002 M5. They have a noticable cold flat spot reaction in the mornings.. I don't exactly care what the ambient temperature is.. they just seem to be a little 'rugged' in the mornings. In five miles or so.. they are fine, and the tires settle in...

From my years of riding sportbikes.. I have gotten use to having to add heat to the tires .. even on the street...

I don't see this as any different.. and in five or so miles.. all seems fine..

Bob

:noSMG:

 

[Carrera2RS]

One way of looking at how 'round' your tyres are cold is to jack the car up to give just enough clearance to ratate the wheel and see if it clips the floor at one point. Check and compare front to back, side to side and have a guage of how much 'out' one wheel might be. Then I would borrow a pair of fronts from a friend and replace the worst front and see how that feels, I would alos check very carefully the bushes and play with the front jacked up.

When the wheel is off the ground try to feel the play by rocking the wheel at the top and the bottom, again compare both sides, Any noise, slight knocking, a minor feeling of play on one side ?

I would also try braking hard first thing and see how that affects cold running and vibration (this will push the thrust arm bushes hard to one position, this could indicate bushings on the thrust arms, should be covered under warranty.

The other area that can go, mine did was the central steering tie rod, caused a vagueness and light vibration especially under light braking.

Finally with the car in the air disconnect the roll bar links and feel the ball joints, they shuold be tight with no play or slack without disconnecting you will not be able to tell and with access it's a 10 minute job

Good luck !!

 

[6spd]

I suffer from this also, I've even had it on a old E28.
It is from the tyre cooling down. If you keep the tyres near the max pressure I've found it not as bad. also keep it away from surface changes.
Such as street surface and curb concrete.

 

[atlantisvip]

I had no idea this was such a common problem.. I will try everyones advice and see what happens.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE !! Hope all of you and your families are in great health.. No Turkey for me in Dubai ;( I WANNA GO HOME !!


:byee55amg