shuddering E36

[Doomsdaya]

About a week ago I was forced to drive my car on a gravel patch with lots and lots of loose stones lying around :banghead:

Since then the car tends to shudder slightly as soon as I touch 100km/h and when I brake at high speeds it doesn't feel stable :mmm:

Could it be the ball joints or control arms that came loose ???

 

[rick540]

Damaged tyre or bent rim, or it's thrown the alignment out

 

[Sith]

Agree with rick540, check tyres and alignment. While you checking, also have a look at your brakes, you may have picked up some small stones or shards that can damage your discs.

 

[Threetwoeight]

Also dust and dirt tends to stick to the inside of the rim..... Bad for wheel balancing.

 

[JpRoux]

I know this might be the noobest answer:

Have you checked to see if all ur wheels bolts are tightened correctly..

no this is a noob reply, but I live on a farm and coming off the farm one morning i had a similiar problem.. pulled over checked wheel bolts, front right was abit loose, tightened them.. wala back to normal.

"When i got home from university, i checked the cctv.. to find out someone tried to steal my rims ." On a farm... :thinking:.. Lucky for me he left my wheel bolts behind when he realised i had locknuts ;D

---

sorry for bad mechanic vocabularly on parts.. i wrote the worst test, so just used what came to mind >>:/

 

[Jandre]

Stick on weights on the inside of the rim?

Chances are you lost one on the gravel road.

 

[JpRoux]

nice ride Jandre

 

[Jandre]

Thanks JP. She is coming along nicely. Back to you 3-Y

 

[Doomsdaya]

Thanks Guys

Today I took her out on a long drive, and initially it went smoothly so I doubt the rim or tyre was buckled but then for about 30km, the shudderness came back.... i suspect its the brakes :banghead: because as soon as it gets hot it causes the car to shudder :bawling:

@ Jandre your car is looking neat :thumb: what colour is it

 

[328-iM]

Maybe you must go and re balance all 4 wheels and then drive it again at 100km/h......

 

[Doomsdaya]

Yeah you right... just to play it safe, will do so on Friday

 

[Threetwoeight]

Wheel rotating out of balance will over heat and eventually destroy its shock absorber.

 

[Doomsdaya]

This is an update as mentioned above:

I had all 4 wheels balanced, no rims were buckled, or damaged tyres and the brakes are still good :thumb: but......

what seems to looks like the steering rack was loose :banghead: (well i think its the steering rack because its the 1st long joint running from the wheel bearing to under the engine when standing from the front end of the car :thinking: )

How much is this gona cost me :bawling:

 

[001asp]

Had this on my e36 318 a few years back.

Like a dumb ass i parked over a small heap of stones (the small type used for building)
Had the worst noise and vibration afterwards. Turned out some of the stones got into the heat shield near the propshaft and a stone or two got stuck
in the propshaft joint (u joint its called i think) anyway, cleaned everything out and it was perfect.
Might be same for you after the gravel road.

 

[Doomsdaya]

@ 001asp my problem stems to the front of the car, it turns out my tie rod end ball joints are loose :banghead:

 

[Doomsdaya]

update from the last time......

Booked it with Bmw on Monday to changed ball joints, and tie rod ends all for a nice tub of vaseline rubbing 7.8K :nonono:

Now although it feels more stable on the road, the steering feels absolutely K@K to hold, every small bump or irregular surface can be felt and braking at high speeds feel scary

So my question is.....

1 - Did the stealerships do a K@K job or
2 - The steering rack is on its way out which costs a nice R12K

 

[freerider]

Was alignment done after all those parts were replaced?

 

[Doomsdaya]

Yip, alignment was done at a cost of R800, and the car never felt like this before it was sent in.....

 

[SlowMo]

Did you change your front control arm bushes? Thats usually the problem with these cars. If they worn, braking will be very unstable and car will feel jittery over bumps. even the back will feel loose.

 

[Doomsdaya]

Took it in today again and they called me now for the following....

Trailing Arm Bushes
Front Disks
Front Pads

All for R7.7 K :thumbdo: