Mobius20
05-08-2004, 05:56 PM
Okay, hopefully someone here has some experience with this sort of problem..
For a long time now I've been trying to pin down an odd shake that seems like it's coming from the driver's side front wheel. It's not a strong shake, it's just enough to make my calf muscles jiggle just so (LOL JIGGLY!)...
In chronological order, I've:
-Replaced my thrust arms with new ones - 750iL bushings and all (same as it had before)
-Replaced both front tires. The old ones were 'feathered' (Z-shaped wear, side-to-side).
-Had an alignment done, found that the pass. side toe was slightly out - corrected that.
-Had wheels balanced multiple times.
And nothing has changed.
It's a tolerable shake, but over time it was obviously bad enough to feather my old tires (but they needed to be replaced anyhow). It also managed to loosen the nut that holds the driver's side strut in its tube, making horrible "good god the wheel is going to fall off" noises on any sort of bump.
So I can keep going and eventually replace my entire front supension, and it's looking like it's what is going to have to be done. When I had my alignment done, I had a lengthy discussion with the tech and he was as confused as I was. He said nothing looked loose in the steering, the alignment was only just so slightly off, the control arm and tie rod ball joints looked good...
There's a 'clunk' in the steering coming from behind the wheel when I do a lock-to-lock turn on pavement, so I think the alignment tech guy wasn't quite right about the tie rods.
My control arms are still of undertermined age, but they aren't leaking grease. I have the (expensive) aluminum ones, and I accidently bought a set of the (cheaper) steel ones, so I'm debating replacing them anyhow.
The last thing I can think of is the strut tower mounts, but I really hope they're not the problem, because they're fairly pricey. Things don't look good, though:
http://home.comcast.net/~rjchristie2/SA/535i/DS.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~rjchristie2/SA/535i/PS.jpg
The flakey junk is probably a bad sign, no?
So, any help would be appreciated. I'm confused.
Oh, and my radiator started leaking today (around the top hose clamp), and the little cold-air-intake hose for my alternator gave up after 10 years of being shaken. Yay for everything happening at once.
Thanks in advance, guys.
For a long time now I've been trying to pin down an odd shake that seems like it's coming from the driver's side front wheel. It's not a strong shake, it's just enough to make my calf muscles jiggle just so (LOL JIGGLY!)...
In chronological order, I've:
-Replaced my thrust arms with new ones - 750iL bushings and all (same as it had before)
-Replaced both front tires. The old ones were 'feathered' (Z-shaped wear, side-to-side).
-Had an alignment done, found that the pass. side toe was slightly out - corrected that.
-Had wheels balanced multiple times.
And nothing has changed.
It's a tolerable shake, but over time it was obviously bad enough to feather my old tires (but they needed to be replaced anyhow). It also managed to loosen the nut that holds the driver's side strut in its tube, making horrible "good god the wheel is going to fall off" noises on any sort of bump.
So I can keep going and eventually replace my entire front supension, and it's looking like it's what is going to have to be done. When I had my alignment done, I had a lengthy discussion with the tech and he was as confused as I was. He said nothing looked loose in the steering, the alignment was only just so slightly off, the control arm and tie rod ball joints looked good...
There's a 'clunk' in the steering coming from behind the wheel when I do a lock-to-lock turn on pavement, so I think the alignment tech guy wasn't quite right about the tie rods.
My control arms are still of undertermined age, but they aren't leaking grease. I have the (expensive) aluminum ones, and I accidently bought a set of the (cheaper) steel ones, so I'm debating replacing them anyhow.
The last thing I can think of is the strut tower mounts, but I really hope they're not the problem, because they're fairly pricey. Things don't look good, though:
http://home.comcast.net/~rjchristie2/SA/535i/DS.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~rjchristie2/SA/535i/PS.jpg
The flakey junk is probably a bad sign, no?
So, any help would be appreciated. I'm confused.
Oh, and my radiator started leaking today (around the top hose clamp), and the little cold-air-intake hose for my alternator gave up after 10 years of being shaken. Yay for everything happening at once.
Thanks in advance, guys.