Play in steering wheel

[DieselFan]

Hi guys,

Can some one help diagnose this for me.

I have had my control arm bushes replaced. But I have play in the steering wheel an inch left and right. And after that the steering becomes very sensitive. I also get a feeling of not being "connected" to the road as much with my E90.

From my googling, I found it could be the steering knuckle or ?guibo?. Is there anything else I should have looked at?

I also have a deep "squeek" when turning right hard like a 90degree corner going at 40 - 50km/h. Comes from the front right from what I can make out.

Any ideas on what I should have looked at?

Thanks

 

[Nikhil]

Sway bar bushings and end links?

 

[Ash777]

check for play in your universal joint?

 

[DieselFan]

Sway bar bushings and end links?

Thanks Nikhil, I have ordered a full set of powerflex bushes for my car, so if it is swaybar bushes then that will be sorted. But I thought if swaybar bushes were bad it would only allow for more body roll. Does it effect steering? I know mine are bad because they I have a squeek sometimes from the bottom and my mechanics have told me its swaybar bushes.

Do I need different end links now that my car has been dropped? I just googled end links because im a noob and didnt know what you were talking about lol and one guy said "I am going to lower my car on coilovers and need to replace the swaybar endlinks to compensate for the drop".

Any thoughts?

---

check for play in your universal joint?

Are you talking about the U joint for the drive shaft?

Does this effect steering?

 

[Nikhil]

Sway bar bushings and end links?

Thanks Nikhil, I have ordered a full set of powerflex bushes for my car, so if it is swaybar bushes then that will be sorted. But I thought if swaybar bushes were bad it would only allow for more body roll. Does it effect steering? I know mine are bad because they I have a squeek sometimes from the bottom and my mechanics have told me its swaybar bushes.

Do I need different end links now that my car has been dropped? I just googled end links because im a noob and didnt know what you were talking about lol and one guy said "I am going to lower my car on coilovers and need to replace the swaybar endlinks to compensate for the drop".

Any thoughts?

With coilovers and larger sway bars you will need new end links if the drop is excessive, but stock ones will be fine for your application. Sway bar end links actually make a big difference in the steering feel so get them replaced with the bushes, you will feel how much tighter the steering gets. You can get Meyle ones from goldwagen and they fairly inexpensive aswell. Start there. My E36 has the same symptoms that were resolved with the links and bushes the knuckle is still original with 355 000km on it. :thumbs:

 

[DieselFan]

Sway bar bushings and end links?

Thanks Nikhil, I have ordered a full set of powerflex bushes for my car, so if it is swaybar bushes then that will be sorted. But I thought if swaybar bushes were bad it would only allow for more body roll. Does it effect steering? I know mine are bad because they I have a squeek sometimes from the bottom and my mechanics have told me its swaybar bushes.

Do I need different end links now that my car has been dropped? I just googled end links because im a noob and didnt know what you were talking about lol and one guy said "I am going to lower my car on coilovers and need to replace the swaybar endlinks to compensate for the drop".

Any thoughts?

With coilovers and larger sway bars you will need new end links if the drop is excessive, but stock ones will be fine for your application. Sway bar end links actually make a big difference in the steering feel so get them replaced with the bushes, you will feel how much tighter the steering gets. You can get Meyle ones from goldwagen and they fairly inexpensive aswell. Start there. My E36 has the same symptoms that were resolved with the links and bushes the knuckle is still original with 355 000km on it. :thumbs:

Thanks Nikhil,

Will have them replaced when they do the bushes.

 

[Nikhil]

Sway bar bushings and end links?

Thanks Nikhil, I have ordered a full set of powerflex bushes for my car, so if it is swaybar bushes then that will be sorted. But I thought if swaybar bushes were bad it would only allow for more body roll. Does it effect steering? I know mine are bad because they I have a squeek sometimes from the bottom and my mechanics have told me its swaybar bushes.

Do I need different end links now that my car has been dropped? I just googled end links because im a noob and didnt know what you were talking about lol and one guy said "I am going to lower my car on coilovers and need to replace the swaybar endlinks to compensate for the drop".

Any thoughts?

With coilovers and larger sway bars you will need new end links if the drop is excessive, but stock ones will be fine for your application. Sway bar end links actually make a big difference in the steering feel so get them replaced with the bushes, you will feel how much tighter the steering gets. You can get Meyle ones from goldwagen and they fairly inexpensive aswell. Start there. My E36 has the same symptoms that were resolved with the links and bushes the knuckle is still original with 355 000km on it. :thumbs:

Thanks Nikhil,

Will have them replaced when they do the bushes.

No stress dude. :thumbs: post lots of pics :rollsmile:

 

[DieselFan]

I will do in a month or two . When I've got all the parts I need for the gearbox conversion and all the bushes. And my UUC DSSR from the states .

 

[Nikhil]

I will do in a month or two . When I've got all the parts I need for the gearbox conversion and all the bushes. And my UUC DSSR from the states .

UUC Dsr is awesome! The gear leaver will have almost no play on it :thumbs:

 

[andrewbuch]

I have the same issue on my E46

I have replaced:

Control arms - Meyle
Control Arm Bushes - Powerflex
Shock top mounts/hats - meyle
Tie rod (complete) - Meyle
Gearbox Mounts - Meyle
Engine Mounts - German Brand

And still have some play in the system, If I reach down to the steering joint in the engine bay, and wiggle it it seems like it has a bit of play. I have not had a chance to see what all that will cost to get replaced

 

[DieselFan]

Might be this andrew? I'm going to have mine checked. Just to make sure. I found that from the e46 wiki lots of information there about this car. But this is the only one regarding play in the steering.