Shake in font end

[jdperformance]

I have a shake in my front end that seems to be around 50mph I have rebalanced the tires 2x, the tires are new and look good. I can't figure out what it is anybody have any ideas?

[Gumbi4u]

I have a shake in my front end that seems to be around 50mph I have rebalanced the tires 2x, the tires are new and look good. I can't figure out what it is anybody have any ideas?

Get road force balancing. Im pretty sure its still a balance issue. look for a GSP9700. You will thank me later.

[ezbmr]

Thrust Arm Bushings

[jdperformance]

I guess I'll have to get it in the air and see whats going on with it.

[dpbdc]

Same thing going on here. Had no problems with the front end until I had my brakes done. Since then, there has been a significant shake around 40-50. Had the brakes checked again for warp/balance (Zimmerman cross-drilled rotors) and they are good. Got the rebalance of the front wheels, thinking that the brake tech might have been rough with the wheels and knocked them out, and now I am thinking there is even more shimmy. Maybe that's just in my head though....

I'll look into the road force balancing as well. Hopefully it's not the bushings....

[jdperformance]

I am going to try to get to a local Firestone that has it I went to the Hunter GSP9700 site and found them. It's better then getting dirty first and I'll know it's not the tires then.

[DJKraft]

Thrust Arm Bushings

+1.. it's okay over 60mph..right??? Bushing should be worn out.

[FrankMstein]

I have had both warn bushings (braking) and sticking caliper(accelerating). The caliper was as simple as the boot was pulled out of the caliper and a 20 minute rebuild took care of it.

[jdperformance]

Well I just got back from Firestone and they used the GSP9700 balancer, it seems much better but something it still weird about it, I need to drive a little more.

[ViolinARC]

Thrust arm bushings are gonna be your best bet unless your tires are cupped or your rims are damaged in some way. The speed at with which it's occuring is the biggest indicator...very common on our rides.

EDIT: Please remember to include the year of your model as well. You may want to add it to your sig for future troubleshooting...

[FrankMstein]

your defect needs to be clarified...under power/even throttle or brake?

[jszrom]

I have a small shake when accelerating from a start but it goes away when I get up to about 25mph.

[jamesdc4]

Why does my car shimmy/ vibrate at between 45-50 mph? (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showpost.php?p=7108148&postcount=23)

[Mad Dog 20/20]

One thing I've noticed while researching this 45-50 shimmy issue, is that A LOT of cars continue to have it, notwithstanding the fact that they just installed new thrust arms/bushings, tires/wheels, etc. My car is one of those cars.

My car's shimmy can be felt, albeit BARELY, at about 30mph, and continues to increase in magnitude and frequency linearly with speed up to about 45-50 where it maxes-out, and then declines in magnitude but continues to increase in frequency with additional speed.

The steeing wheel does not actually shimmy or vibrate so much as the ENTIRE car does. I especially feel it in my feet through the pedals and foot well, as well as in my right leg through the tranny tunnel. If I rest my right hand on the passenger headrest, I can also feel it.

I have swapped tires around, played w/ pressures, installed new thrust arms and rotors, and cleaned the hubs of any rust/debris. The wheels/tires are 4 months old or newer and without bends.

I am beginning to think the issue is eminating from the REAR of the car. The car is scheduled for balancing and diagnosis on tuesday with a great iny shop.

We'll see.

[ViolinARC]

I have a small shake when accelerating from a start but it goes away when I get up to about 25mph.
Possible failing engine mount(s)...

[ViolinARC]

One thing I've noticed while researching this 45-50 shimmy issue, is that A LOT of cars continue to have it, notwithstanding the fact that they just installed new thrust arms/bushings, tires/wheels, etc. My car is one of those cars.

My car's shimmy can be felt, albeit BARELY, at about 30mph, and continues to increase in magnitude and frequency linearly with speed up to about 45-50 where it maxes-out, and then declines in magnitude but continues to increase in frequency with additional speed.

The steeing wheel does not actually shimmy or vibrate so much as the ENTIRE car does. I especially feel it in my feet through the pedals and foot well, as well as in my right leg through the tranny tunnel. If I rest my right hand on the passenger headrest, I can also feel it.

I have swapped tires around, played w/ pressures, installed new thrust arms and rotors, and cleaned the hubs of any rust/debris. The wheels/tires are 4 months old or newer and without bends.

I am beginning to think the issue is eminating from the REAR of the car. The car is scheduled for balancing and diagnosis on tuesday with a great iny shop.

We'll see.
Have you had the driveshaft tested for balance? One of the welded on weights may have fallen off causing a minor imbalance in the drivetrain. U-joints or engine mounts?? My tranny mounts were bad on my old E32 but it made more noise (a clunk clunk that would increase with speed) than vibration so it couldn't be that. I'm sure you've thought of these things too but just trying to toss some other possibles out there...

[jdperformance]

I went out and shook the tire back and forth, the bushing is definately shot, I found a set OEM BMW X5 bushings PN 31126769715 on eBay for $12 each so I bought them, Alot of guys are using them as an upgrade to ours, oh there's 2 left on eBay and if you ask for combind shipping he accomodates you. I paid $39 for the 2 shipped to me.

[540IForMe]

I'm going to check this auction out when I get back. I was actually going to look for some online today.

Thanks!

[Rb540BMW]

Definitely the thrust arm bushings, Mine has the 50 MPH shimmy as well. I have replaced both rear control armsamd rear trailing arm Bushings DIY, as well as All New Zimmermann crossdrilled rotors al around. The shimmy never left regardless of tires brakes and balancing. How involved is it to DIY the thrust arm bushings??? And how nuch do they cost?

[Mad Dog 20/20]

Have you had the driveshaft tested for balance? One of the welded on weights may have fallen off causing a minor imbalance in the drivetrain. U-joints or engine mounts?? My tranny mounts were bad on my old E32 but it made more noise (a clunk clunk that would increase with speed) than vibration so it couldn't be that. I'm sure you've thought of these things too but just trying to toss some other possibles out there...


Thanks

Had the car on stands today for oil and diff fluid change. Ran the speedo up to about 40-50 mph (please excercise extreme caution if you try this!) and duplicated the vibration. So its definitely not the front wheels/steering/suspension.

I THINK it might be a bad rear wheel bearing. I could move the pass side wheel a bit when pushed/pulled at 3 and 9 o'clock.

[jdperformance]

I just had my car up in the rear to do my brakes and guess what? I have the same thing in the right rear hub, I guess thats a comon problem too.

[dannydoo]

Yep.My rears were done at 68k

Any DIY writeups for the thrust bushing??



GUMBI>>> Im still tryin to figure out that froot loop signature.

[nightkrawler]

i just fixed this problem, i had the shake around 40-50mph. i had play in the right side of the center link and bad thrust arm bushings. bad t.a.b's are usually exibit a shimmy under braking. be warned though that these are somewhat of a pita on the 540. i did mine at work on my lift, and with all our special tools.. it was still a pita. you need to drop the mounts for the sway bar and flip it down to get access to the bolts which hold the arms in. also have to move the strut up a bit so you can access the bolt on top of the knuckel.

[jdperformance]

Do the Thrust Arm Bushings have to be pressed out or do they come out easy?

[nightkrawler]

they come out easy if you have a 20 ton press. ;)