Unusual left-to-right and right-to-left SWAYING motion on highway, especially in rain

[BMWknight]

I'm noticing a slight, yet noticable swaying motion when i'm driving on the hwy, especially in the rain. when going straight, the car feels like it sways left and right for a split second, then straightens up again.. then sways again. My handling is not the same as it used to be, I've lastly had the thrust arms, control arms and sway bar linkages replaced. I also got an alignment recently, it's slightly off, but not too bad. When i change lanes quickly I feel more body roll than before, and my car is pretty low too, I shouldn't feel a lot of roll at all! Very strange, I'm not too happy and since I'm selling my car, I dont want the next owner to feel the same. Anyone experience this swaying motion before?

[BimmerBreaker]

Tell your car to stop watching Miley Cyrus

Its only trying to twerk. Let it be.

[BMWknight]

Let it be? BMW's are sensitive cars and by leaving it, I dont feel that it's safe enough to drive at higher speeds. I'm afraid to go 90 mph with it being like that.

[edjack]

You don't mention replacing the rear shocks.

Have you replaced the tires recently?

[auaq]

Tell your car to stop watching Miley Cyrus

Its only trying to twerk. Let it be.

Miley Cyrus got nothing on this :

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...0#post26773450

[RVAE34]

What did the rear toe end up being after the alignment? On a lowered car, it's more important to get as close to 0 in the rear as possible. How are your subframe bushings? I feel like bad subframe bushings and/or a bad alignment are likely suspects. Tires could also be at play.

[whiteghost1]

Wipers running on high speed when you are feeling this sensation?

[RVAE34]

lol

[AnotherGeezer]

Tell your car to stop watching Miley Cyrus

Its only trying to twerk. Let it be.

His car is simply enjoying a brief Kumbayah moment.

[benberry]

My X5 did exactly the same thing and it was downright scary on slippery roads to the point where my girlfriend would take any of the RWD bimmers over the AWD X5 in the snow and this is with the sport wheels pulled and the A/T's on. I also noticed it was eating rear tires much worse than what we are accustomed to. The upper control arms in the rear were absolutely wasted... but with the pressure of the air spring (would this be the same with a coil I'm not sure) you could tug like hell on the wheel and it seemed very firm so a very bad suspension issue always got missed when inspecting. After I let the air out of the system taking pressure off of everything I could move the tow over an inch effortlessly. Replaced those arms and it's firm as can be with the air let out and it drives like a new car again. I'm not sure if this holds true for your setup but I figured I'd share because the symptoms are identical.

[BMWknight]

Yes, springs and all struts are new.. rear tires are brand new, but it did this prior to the new rear tires. Maybe I'll do another alignment and tell them my exact symptom. . And suggest the rear 0 toe setting.. control arms in rear are new too.

[54zero]

Make sure your tire pressure is correct. To much air pressure will cause this sensation.

[SpeedsterBek]

rear ball joints? bushings?

[EricP]

Sounds like how mine felt with bad rear ball joints. Very easy to jack the car up and check these by checking for 12 & 6 o'clock play in the wheels. Also, isn't 0 rear toe always going to feel like crap? Part of the planted feeling on the highway comes from some rear toe in does it not?

[ezbmr]

I haven't felt that, but my ball joints are going out, I have the new ones sitting in my house. How many miles do you have one the car. I am guessing 150+

[BMWknight]

My ball joints are new.

I think it's going to be the alignment. I do think that 0 toe in rear would be weird, you probably want a slight toe-in angle. Now i need to find a place to that can do a good job with alignment since the last place did it twice and can't get it right.. too bad i paid for a 3yr warranty, maybe i'll find another location.

- - - Updated - - -

I'm at 195,000 miles brother! hehe

I haven't felt that, but my ball joints are going out, I have the new ones sitting in my house. How many miles do you have one the car. I am guessing 150+

[Reizvoll]

Rtabs. My car did this exact same thing

Also check swaybar endlinks..

[mxchris727]

Rtabs. My car did this exact same thing

Also check swaybar endlinks..

Only the 3 series has rear trailing arms. The 5's have an entirely different suspension setup.

[cwise12]

My 540 had excessive play in the rear upper control arms, as mentioned above. This manifested itself as a squirm under moderate to heavy acceleration. Do you have another set of tires for the car? I have tram-lining issues thanks to my crappy tires and we've experienced highway shimmying in the 525 thanks to unmatched tires front/rear. Just a few thoughts!

[BRAAP]

Rtabs. My car did this exact same thing

Also check swaybar endlinks..

[BMWknight]

Rtabs. My car did this exact same thing

Also check swaybar endlinks..

front or rear? my fronts are new.

- - - Updated - - -

I removed my spacers, and so far i'm not noticing the slight swaying motion.. i really don't see the relation between the two though. I'll put my spacers back on tonight to see if issue comes back. But like I mentioned, all my suspendion parts and arms are all new! Only things I haven't changed is rear sway bar end links - should i? I might as well get new performance sway bars! lol.

[Justisnme]

I'm noticing a slight, yet noticable swaying motion when i'm driving on the hwy, especially in the rain. when going straight, the car feels like it sways left and right for a split second, then straightens up again.. then sways again. My handling is not the same as it used to be, I've lastly had the thrust arms, control arms and sway bar linkages replaced. I also got an alignment recently, it's slightly off, but not too bad. When i change lanes quickly I feel more body roll than before, and my car is pretty low too, I shouldn't feel a lot of roll at all! Very strange, I'm not too happy and since I'm selling my car, I dont want the next owner to feel the same. Anyone experience this swaying motion before?

It is definitely your front stabilizer bars, My X5 E70 has 83000 ONLY and both were bad, easy to replace and now it drives like new, pretty lame that BMW makes such crap, I mean I have a Nissan Frontier work truck that is over 250,000 miles and never had an issue other than AC and a battery and this BMW has had more problems of all the cars I have owned in my life, combined, can't wait to get rid of it

[TecNickal]

It is definitely your front stabilizer bars, My X5 E70 has 83000 ONLY and both were bad, easy to replace and now it drives like new, pretty lame that BMW makes such crap, I mean I have a Nissan Frontier work truck that is over 250,000 miles and never had an issue other than AC and a battery and this BMW has had more problems of all the cars I have owned in my life, combined, can't wait to get rid of it

Sway bars needed replacing? You sure you don't mean the stabilizer bar end links?

[StephenVA]

In the last four years these posters have either fixed the issue or have sold their E39s.

Anyone with these issues (tramming, wondering, strange tire wear, etc) should follow the simple process of elimination steps as these cars are now more than 15 years old. Alignment machine visit/ inspections, Suspension parts worn out or over 100K? Replace everything that is torn, worn, or wiggles (FRONT & REAR). If you are replacing the torque/thrust arms, replace the whole part as the ball joint end is worn out by now and has provided it's full life cycle. Note rear ball joints look good until they are removed and or unloaded. Replace them at 100K or sooner especially if you have a 540 and you "have to" be the first off every light in town.
Sway Bar Links. Replace replace replace. They are cheap and easy DIY. Note: yes you will need a THIN 16MM open end to remove/install them. This tool is cheap spend the $20 as it will make your life simple. Yes the rears are harder but it is nothing more than a few bolts.

Bottom line: BMW 5 Series weigh a ton. To make these cars handle like they do the engineers used suspension geometry and lots of unique bits and pieces designed to work together to keep the wheels vertical under braking, turning and under acceleration. After 100K+ and or 15 years they have done their duty and need to retire. Just do it

[computiNATEor]

Not to mention that there is a lot of rubber in the rear to give the 5-series its more luxurious ride.

All the control arms have rubber bushings. The sway bar is held in place by rubber. The integral links have rubber. The rear shock mounts are rubber. The spring perch is rubber. A lot of that is going to be perished and due for replacement by now. My FCP Euro cart has thousands in rubber wear parts that should be replaced.