Inconsistent steering shake?

stephenf121 · 08-09-2016, 06:38 PM

My 2007 335i sedan has developed an inconsistent steering shake, it normally only occurs around 60mph, and only when the car gets to 60mph for the first time of the day (weird, right?) Once you drive for a little the shake goes away? It almost feels as if the tires are out of balance for that brief moment as well (small vibration). Occasionally while braking ill get a steering shake as well. Do you think this points towards control arms? Or tie rod ends? Both? I recently replaced my brakes so it can't be a warped rotor, and i replaced the sway bar end links as well in the front. Any info would be great.

Stephen

Needbmwpartzz · 08-09-2016, 07:16 PM

First I would say control arm bushings.......my car had similar symptoms as you described....second thing I would look into would be steering column u-joints if the steering has play...the tires tend to follow the grooves In road...making the wheel shimmy.
GL

racermp · 08-09-2016, 07:29 PM

Start with balancing.

AllBlackBimmer · 08-09-2016, 08:59 PM

Ironically...

I just put brand new wheels and tires on my car... they were road force balanced.

Ive noticed this twice in the last 2 weeks after i out my new wheels/tirea on... and it happens at the same speed as you... right around 60mph...

Mine feels like a bent wheel... but then will stop, and not come back.

I highly doubt it is tire balancing or my wheels bent...
My suspension feels good still, even with an 2008 and 93,000 on the clock... i do know many do suspension refreshes at 100k...

Interested to see what others have to say... control arm bushings sounds reasonable, but i need to reaeach more on our cars supension and common issues as they wear. I am pretty ignorant on our cars suspension unfortunately

ferocity02 · 08-09-2016, 09:06 PM

Get them rebalanced.

It could also just be flat spotting from sitting. Mine does this too, not worried about it.

stephenf121 · 08-10-2016, 07:48 AM

My car has around 127,000 miles on it, no suspension refresh that I am aware of. I will probably start with wheel balance, then do control arms and tie rod ends at the same time as I am probably due anyway

Underground6t9 · 08-10-2016, 07:52 AM

I had that issue before and it was the drive shaft out of balance.

stephenf121 · 08-10-2016, 07:55 AM

How did they go about rebalancing it? I have a wavetrac LSD and it has clunked since day 1, no one could ever pinpoint why, I wonder if my driveshaft is part of the problem?

Underground6t9 · 08-10-2016, 08:05 AM

Im sorry I meant axle, I had a problem where my seals started leaking. I got seals replaced and then I got the weird shaking like you mentioned. I had to replace the whole axle with new one and problem went away. I guess when they removed it, they said that the axle got out of balance. I hope this helps.

stephenf121 · 08-10-2016, 08:13 AM

Was it pretty expensive to check / replace the axle?

John 070 · 08-10-2016, 08:14 AM

Don't have any issues but am interested in the problem...I feel our E9x steering is sacred, seriously......

BravoJohny33 · 08-10-2016, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stephenf121

My 2007 335i sedan has developed an inconsistent steering shake, it normally only occurs around 60mph, and only when the car gets to 60mph for the first time of the day (weird, right?) Once you drive for a little the shake goes away? It almost feels as if the tires are out of balance for that brief moment as well (small vibration). Occasionally while braking ill get a steering shake as well. Do you think this points towards control arms? Or tie rod ends? Both? I recently replaced my brakes so it can't be a warped rotor, and i replaced the sway bar end links as well in the front. Any info would be great.

Stephen

I have the EXACT same problem word for word as you. Its been going on for years and has lasted through 3 sets of tires of different brands. All these dbags mechanics keep trying to charge me for new rotors and balancing even tho its been balanced a million times and can be balanced for free where I bought the tires. My theory is that its a drive shaft bushing or lower control arm bushing. Not thurst control arm because I replaced those..

The car doing this has been one of the reason I think about selling it. It has been doing this for 2 years + now and the last shop wanted 4k to try and fix it.

Underground6t9 · 08-10-2016, 08:47 AM

replacing new axle was expensive, Im not saying thats your solution. Im not sure if they can check that or not. I had mine replaced because I had bad seals that were leaking

stephenf121 · 08-10-2016, 09:50 AM

I'm not exactly sure how driveshaft problems are related to a steering shake, but I'm starting to think maybe it is related. The previous owner of my car had the wavetrac LSD installed and developed a clunk from the rear end soon after. He had the backlash inspected multiple times, and even had the original differential reinstalled to see if that fixed it and the problem still existed. I think I maybe the center bearing or guibo or both are damaged or misaligned possibly due to incorrect installation. Might try replacing those next. The control arms and tie rod ends seem to be a possible contender as well though, not sure what to try first.

Welcome to NBA Jam · 08-10-2016, 10:00 AM

If it goes away and it's for the first time that day, it might also be minor flat spots on the tires from sitting all night. My car does that for the first few miles as well in the morning, but it always goes away. It will be more amplified when it's cold.

Since you mention shaking when braking even after new rotors, check your control arms.

08-09-2016, 06:38 PM	#1
stephenf121 Second Lieutenant 43 Rep 206 Posts Drives: 2007 335i Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Ohio iTrader: (0)	Inconsistent steering shake? My 2007 335i sedan has developed an inconsistent steering shake, it normally only occurs around 60mph, and only when the car gets to 60mph for the first time of the day (weird, right?) Once you drive for a little the shake goes away? It almost feels as if the tires are out of balance for that brief moment as well (small vibration). Occasionally while braking ill get a steering shake as well. Do you think this points towards control arms? Or tie rod ends? Both? I recently replaced my brakes so it can't be a warped rotor, and i replaced the sway bar end links as well in the front. Any info would be great. Stephen
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08-09-2016, 07:16 PM	#2
Needbmwpartzz Colonel 851 Rep 2,793 Posts Drives: 2009 bmw 328i x-drive Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Kitchener/Waterloo iTrader: (0)	First I would say control arm bushings.......my car had similar symptoms as you described....second thing I would look into would be steering column u-joints if the steering has play...the tires tend to follow the grooves In road...making the wheel shimmy. GL
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08-09-2016, 07:29 PM	#3
racermp Major 190 Rep 937 Posts Drives: F30 330i Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Houston, TX iTrader: (1)	Start with balancing.
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08-09-2016, 08:59 PM	#4
AllBlackBimmer Colonel 815 Rep 2,869 Posts Drives: 2019 X3 m40i Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: USA iTrader: (-1)	Ironically... I just put brand new wheels and tires on my car... they were road force balanced. Ive noticed this twice in the last 2 weeks after i out my new wheels/tirea on... and it happens at the same speed as you... right around 60mph... Mine feels like a bent wheel... but then will stop, and not come back. I highly doubt it is tire balancing or my wheels bent... My suspension feels good still, even with an 2008 and 93,000 on the clock... i do know many do suspension refreshes at 100k... Interested to see what others have to say... control arm bushings sounds reasonable, but i need to reaeach more on our cars supension and common issues as they wear. I am pretty ignorant on our cars suspension unfortunately
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08-09-2016, 09:06 PM	#5
ferocity02 Colonel 530 Rep 2,083 Posts Drives: 2013 135is Join Date: May 2014 Location: USA iTrader: (8)	Get them rebalanced. It could also just be flat spotting from sitting. Mine does this too, not worried about it.
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08-10-2016, 07:48 AM	#6
stephenf121 Second Lieutenant 43 Rep 206 Posts Drives: 2007 335i Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Ohio iTrader: (0)	My car has around 127,000 miles on it, no suspension refresh that I am aware of. I will probably start with wheel balance, then do control arms and tie rod ends at the same time as I am probably due anyway
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08-10-2016, 07:52 AM	#7
Underground6t9 Lieutenant Colonel 317 Rep 1,735 Posts Drives: BMW 335xi, Lexus is250 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Eugene, OR iTrader: (2)	I had that issue before and it was the drive shaft out of balance. __________________ \|instagram@underground6t9\|
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08-10-2016, 07:55 AM	#8
stephenf121 Second Lieutenant 43 Rep 206 Posts Drives: 2007 335i Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Ohio iTrader: (0)	How did they go about rebalancing it? I have a wavetrac LSD and it has clunked since day 1, no one could ever pinpoint why, I wonder if my driveshaft is part of the problem?
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08-10-2016, 08:05 AM	#9
Underground6t9 Lieutenant Colonel 317 Rep 1,735 Posts Drives: BMW 335xi, Lexus is250 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Eugene, OR iTrader: (2)	Im sorry I meant axle, I had a problem where my seals started leaking. I got seals replaced and then I got the weird shaking like you mentioned. I had to replace the whole axle with new one and problem went away. I guess when they removed it, they said that the axle got out of balance. I hope this helps. __________________ \|instagram@underground6t9\|
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08-10-2016, 08:13 AM	#10
stephenf121 Second Lieutenant 43 Rep 206 Posts Drives: 2007 335i Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Ohio iTrader: (0)	Was it pretty expensive to check / replace the axle?
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08-10-2016, 08:14 AM	#11
John 070 Lieutenant General 1705 Rep 14,829 Posts Drives: 335i cpe Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: ZSP/ZPP/ZCW iTrader: (0)	Don't have any issues but am interested in the problem...I feel our E9x steering is sacred, seriously......
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08-10-2016, 08:47 AM	#13
Underground6t9 Lieutenant Colonel 317 Rep 1,735 Posts Drives: BMW 335xi, Lexus is250 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Eugene, OR iTrader: (2)	replacing new axle was expensive, Im not saying thats your solution. Im not sure if they can check that or not. I had mine replaced because I had bad seals that were leaking __________________ \|instagram@underground6t9\|
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08-10-2016, 09:50 AM	#14
stephenf121 Second Lieutenant 43 Rep 206 Posts Drives: 2007 335i Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Ohio iTrader: (0)	I'm not exactly sure how driveshaft problems are related to a steering shake, but I'm starting to think maybe it is related. The previous owner of my car had the wavetrac LSD installed and developed a clunk from the rear end soon after. He had the backlash inspected multiple times, and even had the original differential reinstalled to see if that fixed it and the problem still existed. I think I maybe the center bearing or guibo or both are damaged or misaligned possibly due to incorrect installation. Might try replacing those next. The control arms and tie rod ends seem to be a possible contender as well though, not sure what to try first.
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08-10-2016, 10:00 AM	#15
Welcome to NBA Jam Is it the shoes!? 3884 Rep 5,112 Posts Drives: (Sold) 2011 E92 335i ZMP 6MT Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: USA iTrader: (1)	If it goes away and it's for the first time that day, it might also be minor flat spots on the tires from sitting all night. My car does that for the first few miles as well in the morning, but it always goes away. It will be more amplified when it's cold. Since you mention shaking when braking even after new rotors, check your control arms.
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