Wheel shimmy

What model BMW? On a 5/6/7 series it's more likely to be a worn centre tie rod.

Usual cause is worn balljoints in the bottom links.

Oops, forgot that! Its a 2000 E39 528i

I actually had this same issue with my 99' 528i. It ended up being a combination of dead Control arm/ball joint and warped rotors. I had them replaced and it drives like new again.

They said the "shimmy" was mainly from the warped rotors. I would start there.

-Branden

Er, rotors is the same as discs right?

On 7 Mar 2006 05:44:31 -0800, "Shevek" waffled on about something:

Yup...

Americans call discs rotors.

Automotive phrases are a minefield for our two divided version of English!

Brake Disc/Rotor Bonnet/Hood Boot/Trunk Windscreen/Windshield Indicator/turn signal Manual gearbox/Stick shift (I think) Automatic gearbox/ (No idea what American's call that... Probably assumed unless stick shift specified!) Air bag/Wife (sorry, just checking who's still reading!)

Dodgy.

More likely than not balljoints, then. ;-)

Stick shift/Manual either term is used in the states.

Yeah Automatic Gearbox is just Automatic over here in the states.

ROFL!

-Branden

Depending on the mileage, you may need to replace the bushings in the front suspension. When they get worn and sloppy it makes it very sensitive to shimmy under braking such as what you describe. No brake rotors are perfect. There will always be a small amount of variation as the disk rotated through the calipers. The suspension needs to suck up that small vibration without breaking into mecahnical oscillations.

Actually, we alternate. I use both terms indiscriminately.

Also, 'decklid'. Note, too, that our cars have *never* sported 'wings' other than those bolted to the rear decklid by Asian youths, unless they were actually meant to fly. We cover our wheels with 'fenders'.

(Cringing): 'blinker' - but never from *my* lips! Occasionally, 'flasher'.

Sometimes 'standard' transmission. 'Gearbox' is only commonly used among the 'sportycar' crowd like SCCA and other assorted road racers.

'Automatic transmission' or, derogatorily, 'slushbox'.

Then, there's that whole 'wheels-rims-tires-tyres' thing ...

-- C.R. Krieger (Bilingual!)

On 7 Mar 2006 13:02:29 -0800, "E28 Guy©" waffled on about something:

Damn, completely forgot about them... But don't blame the Asian's, I think you'll find that all your major motor manufacturers but huge wings and fins on the back of cars in the 50-70's... The immigrants are just a little behind the times, that's all!

And before you try to deny it, I know what a 1970 Plymouth Road Runner Superbird looks like! :-p

There is a wonderful English to German translation sheet about for when BMW took over Rolls Royce, I'll have to find it...

Found it!

I had a manual box that turned into a slushbox.

Well that's what it felt like it was full of... It certainly didn't have any gears left in there!

Dodgy.

First thing to check is that the wheels are meticulously balanced. Many places don't do it accurately enough in mu opinion, and because there are so many bushes, etc, on the e39 front end that can get tired, even a slight imbalance on a wheel will cuase the shimmy.

I know when I had it I immediately suspected the front control arm bushes, amongst other things, because that's what loads of people said. However, it turned out that the alloy wheels (aftermarket) I had fitted were sh*tty castings so the wheels could never be balanced exactly right.

Changed the wheels, and everything's spot on now, even with the car at nearly 80k miles.

Any wheel can be correctly balanced. Run out is a different matter.

had vibrations when braking from high speed

replaced brake discs (Very easy- very cheap)

problem gone