"The E34 Shakes" Poll

[Grush]

I've been jk on last post about it, but now i'll be serious.

2 times alreadly i've noticed a shake between 95 km/h and ~120 km/h. It was intermitent, and never happend again. I believe it's more than one factor for me, but it didn't get critical yet: Bushings, bent rim, low pressure tire and shot rear strut.

[scrowley111]

I have a shudder when braking at 50-40 mph. Ground the rotors but it came back.

I replaced every component in the front end.

I do not understand the front end. If you raise the car so that one front tire is in the air you can move it side to side so much it is scary....

sounds like your control arm bushings.

[mckazok]

No vibration from steering wheel, rear starts shaking from 65 to 75, comes back at 100.

[SC David]

Damn, lots of shimmying on this board. I put some nice Michelin Pilot Sports on, and now my car is silky smooth at all speeds, and a good bit quieter too.

[h2oplaydamian]

i have all poly new suspension parts , new ps2 tires new wheels with correct hub rings and a new servotronic gear box and i still shake at 55

[4500 RPM]

Mine shimmys under braking at 55. Really bad when braking from triple-digit speeds.

Most of the suspension bushings have 130k though.

The worst is a bad shimmy though the seats at 83-92 MPH. It ebbs and flows, like waves. ddd--DDD-ddd-DDD

Above that it's smooth. 105 MPH is silk. I just don't get it.

[Mendi3]

It used to shake at 55MPH. I have replaced the entire suspension, new shocks, new springs, new lower and upper control arms, every bushing and the shaking is gone. I also have new wheels, tires and a fresh alignment.

[Fleksta]

The wheel starts to shake between 60-65 mph, smooth after that. Has new control arms/bushings

[h2oplaydamian]

I wish i could put my e34 touring on a 4 wheel dyno that spun all 4 at 55-60 and i could look under the car and see what is making it shake , i have a dvr recorder and some small hi res cameras and i have thought about mounting it on to aim on several suspension components with a wide angle lens to see what was causing the shakes ... just an idea from a few hits from the bong

[loustylez]

hrm... that could be a damn good idea. i have access to one. so many people have replaced bushings and still get the shakes (me included) that it would be awesome if someone could pin this down.

i get the wobbles still really bad. new upper and lower arms with 740 bushings lowered pretty low on Nex coilovers (ride1099's shortened housing setup). i'm going to try raising it up for winter and get an alignment and see if it goes away.

the wobbles are bad with my 18x8/18x9 BBS LM reps with 225/40/18's at 55mph, but my stock 8 series wheels, you can just barely tell it's there (closer to 50mph though). so it's gotta have something to do with the height of the wheel/car i'm thinking. no wobble under braking, just shimmy's back and forth at 55'ish, goes away at all other speeds completely.

WE WILL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS.

#edit: the dyno may not work since the car is strapped down and the suspension is loaded differently than the street ride1099 informs me. makes sense, good idea though.

[89BMW535i]

I pretty sure mine has been wrecked.Its got a TON of slack in the steering wheel.Shakes at around 50 and the front left door and front left fender don't line up.The hoods got some space from the front left fender and I get the SRS light.I got a carfax report with no wreck but it's also been rolled back 40k due to a new dash... that also does'nt line up.For 1800$ it was a deal LOL.Runs likea tank.

[russoaks]

Yes - mine is a 1995 540i Sport. It shakes/shimmies when stepping on the brakes from 65 to 45. What is it? Just bought this - have always loved them - and was getting ready to address this.

[Blackie34]

I've got a 1995 525i that shakes a bit around 55 or so. Not enough to get too worked up about, though the suspension could use some love.

[reg318]

I recently bought a 92 525i with 162K miles. At first, noticeable shake 45-60 range. The struts were shot so replaced them and got the wheels balanced. Now only shakes sometimes between 45-50. Also shakes when breaking at that speed. Took to a BMW mech so check the trust arm bushings and he says they are OK. Would like to get rid of the shake for good but don't want to waste money on the thrust arm if not needed.

[Snakepit]

My 95 540i has 111k on it and shakes at 50-55mph when I get on the freeway in the morning. I noticed it only does it on my drive to work for a few seconds and goes away but it doesn't even happen everyday at that.

[TheBeastE34]

1991 525i automatic (stock)
it starts to shake around 40mph so i just speed up and it stops. haha.

[craig540]

ok so now I 've read all the complaints, what teh correct solution from start to finish in order of parts to replace , where to get adn methods?

[lotucris]

well... amazing as it is my $850 540i is as smooth as glass at any speed, after a new set of tires that is. But thats all I had to do to make it smooth.

[ILoveMPower]

90% of people's main concerns when there is a shimmy are the thrust arm bushings

Please note that the E34 frontend design is very temperamental, all bushings should be fresh and proper wheels should be used! You should feel the differenceon an m5 from putting 18" m-parallel replicas on versus stock 17" m-systems, the handling/road feel losses are astounding

[loustylez]

Before: 18" LM reps, very low tread (cord was showing) and a good amount of inner tire wear (much more so in rear then fronts). Shimmied sometimes pretty violently in the front at 55mph

After: 18" LM reps, new tires (225/40/18, same as before, just new) and wheels road force balanced. The shimmy is DRASTICLY reduced and is very very minimal/noticable. However, how it pulls to the right a little. I'm willing to bet with an alignment/toe adjustment, the shimmy will be gone completely.

Again, recent replacements are lower control arms, upper arms and 740 bushings. I still have a knock on the left/front side on some bumps, so I may look in to ball joints soon.

Basically, rubber and alignment could be a cause of this issue also for those that have replaced everything and still have the wobble.

[Saphiro]

1990 525i Shakes when hitting the brakes lightly at about 40 mph, no other time.

[tortexal]

I replaced the thrust arms and bushings, and lower control arms and bushings. Still shimmys but not as bad before. I think its warped rotors. But, the car will track in the road. i think something w/ the steering linkage is jacked. it'll just move for no reason like your tires are tracking on bad roads.

[Blauanzug]

car shakes around 115... so i put no for the poll because that is sort of expected.

[loustylez]

car shakes around 115... so i put no for the poll because that is sort of expected.

it is? i would have to disagree.

I replaced the thrust arms and bushings, and lower control arms and bushings. Still shimmys but not as bad before. I think its warped rotors. But, the car will track in the road. i think something w/ the steering linkage is jacked. it'll just move for no reason like your tires are tracking on bad roads.

if you're tracking in the road it could be 1. worn rubber 2. need alignment/toe adjustment. look in to that and see my post just a few above. i really feel that an alignment will get rid of the very slighty hardly noticable wobble i have left. and mine was never under braking though (or induced by it anyway). always came on it's own once reaching that speed.

[Blauanzug]

115 mph? A little bit of shaking. Not shaking so much as the stering wheel goes light.