"The E34 Shakes" Poll

[4U2NV FLC]

1992 525i... 60mph shimmy and again at 80mph. Completely original suspension. Later, Johnny.

[laine34]

I replaced every bushing underneath, even the entire rear subframe and RTABS, new axles, driveshafft, guibo, springs, and bilsteins.........still vibrates like hell. I feel it in the shifter even at 30 MPH, like something is bent. I ran it on the dyno to isolate the front end—shifter shakes from front to back. I just put another new driveshaft in....still shakes. I am a loss for ideas. Does Driveliine Services Of Portland make quality shafts?

[Shimmo]

Yup a little shimmy between 60 and 65mph gotta do the ball joints.. hopefully that will sort it..

[AlfaJam]

1989 535iM

I have noticed a slight patter on some surfaces at around 60mph and a severe (violent) judder when I apply brakes gently. I have to brake firmly and late to avoid this brake judder, which is not pleasant for others in the car. The 60 mph patter started after going from glorious Falkens to god-awful Nexans (sorry I didn't find the extra). Come to think of it, the brake judder started after as well, but I suspect brake rods or thrust (upper control) arm.

[garethashenden]

1993 525i. 35-40 from the drive shaft, subframe bushings are making everything awe full.

[nmp411]

1989 535iM

I have noticed a slight patter on some surfaces at around 60mph and a severe (violent) judder when I apply brakes gently. I have to brake firmly and late to avoid this brake judder, which is not pleasant for others in the car. The 60 mph patter started after going from glorious Falkens to god-awful Nexans (sorry I didn't find the extra). Come to think of it, the brake judder started after as well, but I suspect brake rods or thrust (upper control) arm.

Thrust arms, and I will put money on having warped rotors

1993 525i. 35-40 from the drive shaft, subframe bushings are making everything awe full.

Guibo?

[garethashenden]

Thrust arms, and I will put money on having warped rotors




Guibo?

no. it's new. i did a m/t swap a few months ago and had to use parts from two different drive shafts, i'm going to have it balanced soon

[blakamin]

Thought I had the 55mph shakes until I got new tyres and an alignment. They went away!

[nmp411]

no. it's new. i did a m/t swap a few months ago and had to use parts from two different drive shafts, i'm going to have it balanced soon

ah, ic

[Mark185]

55 mph shakes. I am replacing thrust arms, front rotors and brake pads this weekend. Hopefully, that will be the end of that.

It is worth mentioning something else. Don't ever trust a mechanic or service manager that tells you it is not important to put match marks on the driveshaft when replacing the center bearing. 4 years ago, I was dumb enough to trust someone else to do this job. He thought I was full of $%#* when I asked him to make sure he used match marks to put the drive shaft halves back together properly. He also did not believe in pre-loading it before bolting the bearing bracket to the chassis. My touring had an annoying vibration for a year until I got a rebuilt drive shaft as part of a 5 spd manual conversion.

The fellow above is my brother-in-law. He manages a G@@dy&%r service center. He told me the problem with BMW's is that they are overpriced, overbuilt and over here. I had to hold my tongue to keep the family peace.

[jorgescar69]

Hell YEAH!!!
With 4 waisted struts, and front end to match, Bald tires with extra plugs to mess up the balance...
But tonite i just instaled a new front end kit. Last weekend was the struts, all 4, and I will mount the new wheels and tires soon as i get the hub rings.
So I hope that it all works the simmys and shakes out.
Now next week... I may feel sad that all the things that make this car so much fun will be missed!
Oh well...




A toast to the NEXT 237,573 miles that I hope he will run!

[keith2]

all car info in title, it happens when I am breaking but only at 50-40, nothing lower, nothing higher

[jorgescar69]

What about this?
It was shaking REALY bad that day!

[tray]

The 535i shakes at 90km/h most of the time but to cure that I just step on the brakes or slam on the gas and go faster. It also shakes in the rear end abit when I pound on it in 1st and 2nd gear. Ill start fixing stuff if it gets worse.

The M5 is smooth as glass.

[4500 RPM]

HOLY CRAP mine still shakes.

All new Lemfoerder bushings up front (each one), new Bilstein Sports, roadforce balanced Falkens on Style 19s with hub rings.

I'm thinking it's the Style 19s...previously had a bend, now repaired. One wheel up front took a lot of weight to balance.

The shakes are terrible from 80 MPH on up. They weren't as bad when I had original suspension bushings.

[AlfaJam]

Thanks nmp311; I'll check the rotors for true also...

[cavie]

mines between 60-70, the way i fixed it was........ you know the pedal on the far right? slam it to the floor! and hold it there and it soon goes away.

[abelhands]

Not at all, I'm actually kind of surprised, BMW is known for having solid stable rides. Zero issue for me, "knock on wood".

[neockder]

Mine's when I brake softly at high speeds But it isn't the rotors.. has to be rear suspension components?

Shakes right around 88 MPH, evens out a bit when you go faster. No idea of what it is...hopefully not bent wheels.

Are we talking about your Delorian or e34?

[crazy0000]

I hate to bring up an oldish thread.

But I just replaced my thrust arms, and tie rods because before the car had a knocking noise on the right side and you could hear the wheels shifting when breaking hard. So I finish, everything looks great, knocking noise and shake is still there, and the shake is right at 55mph. It makes a bit of knock when I turn the steering wheel back and forth, hence the changing of the tie rods, well that knock is still there. So would it be the idler arms?

funny to read through this and see how many have shakes at 55 and 60 haha, its funny cause thats what most places balance wheels to...

[mean green 540]

bad quebo in the driveshaft

[nirvana19]

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.

Interesting, my car does this on slightly uneven roads. Not sure why, but I think it's about time to replace some of the steering links in any case. My steering isn't loose at all, there is virtually no slack and the car reacts precisely, but the steering is very light.

[ILoveMPower]

Crazy sounds like it could be the sway bar end links. Do you notice it at lower speeds?

[M Quick]

E34 520iAT - M50 engine

It only shakes a little when braking at 80km/h +

[crazy0000]

Crazy sounds like it could be the sway bar end links. Do you notice it at lower speeds?

Yeah I can go like 5mph and hit bumps and here something moving/clunking. and to be honest I think I may have messed them up more when taking off the thrust arms.