"Help me fix my suspension over the internet" thread

[desertman123]

Not super concerned right now just wanna hear input. Symptoms started happening one day, it wasn't really a progressive thing.

So my steering wheel is vibrating a wee bit above 50mph and my steering isn't as sharp - actually it seems like it wants to tramline sometimes. Little bit of tramlining, little bit of 'itll "lean" to one side and pull that way' which sounds like alignment (probably is a bit lol) but it can track straight most of the time.

Vibrations don't really vary with speed, seems like it vibrates at the same frequency regardless. Maybe a wheel weight flew off.

Honestly I'm thinking it's a mix of worn control arms/tension rod bushings, probably needs an alignment, whatever tires these wheels came with are cupping or heat cycled (they're pirelli pzeros, not dry rotted out work but def aged)

Anyone deal with something similar? Feel free to share your worn suspension findings below too

[elitesales305]

lol i got a good one for you..
17 stocks.. car pulls right.. 18s 264's.. car pulls right..
aligned at dealer .. car still pulls right..
17 front(same 2 when it pulled right before) and 18 264 in rear..
*** car doesn't pull right***
I'm guessing theres something loose on passenger side as the car is pitched forward due to 17 front 18 rears and is is keeping the loose part in check..
or it could be a gremlin in the right tire.. idk..
couldn't diagnose ur prob.. figured id share my pain!!
if u find out what ur deal is.. keep me updated

[tracer bullet]

Originally Posted by desertman123

Not super concerned right now just wanna hear input. Symptoms started happening one day, it wasn't really a progressive thing.

Did you hit something? Pothole, debris in the road, curb even if it was at slow parking lot speed?

Originally Posted by desertman123

So my steering wheel is vibrating a wee bit above 50mph

Wheel out of balance. One of the front ones at a minimum.

Originally Posted by desertman123

tramline sometimes. Little bit of tramlining, little bit of 'itll "lean" to one side and pull that way' which sounds like alignment (probably is a bit lol) but it can track straight most of the time.

Could be a tire, could be alignment, could be something that always happens on certain roads and you're only just now noticing it. Tracking straight most of the time means it's probably just certain roads that have a camber or slight W shape to them from cars driving over them so much.

Originally Posted by desertman123

Vibrations don't really vary with speed, seems like it vibrates at the same frequency regardless. Maybe a wheel weight flew off.

That doesn't make much sense, if it's wheel related it's got to go with speed.

Originally Posted by desertman123

worn control arms/tension rod bushings,

Eh, if it just happened, and / or only certain roads, I wouldn't get too worried about this stuff yet. Start w/ the basics, check the tires, maybe rotate them, and definitely get them balanced at a GOOD shop.

Go from there after that, odds are this will identify the issue.

[02Pilot]

How many miles on the suspension? I just inspected mine at 115k miles (trying to track down a light clicking, probably a ball joint starting to go) and the bushings are DONE. Like easily deflected by grabbing the arm and twisting done. Dead bushings will allow all sorts of uncontrolled movement, and they aren't going to resurrect themselves.

Ordered a new M3 suspension package. Best to do it all, do it once, and move on.

[desertman123]

Originally Posted by tracer bullet

Did you hit something? Pothole, debris in the road, curb even if it was at slow parking lot speed?

Wheel out of balance. One of the front ones at a minimum.

Could be a tire, could be alignment, could be something that always happens on certain roads and you're only just now noticing it. Tracking straight most of the time means it's probably just certain roads that have a camber or slight W shape to them from cars driving over them so much.

That doesn't make much sense, if it's wheel related it's got to go with speed.

Eh, if it just happened, and / or only certain roads, I wouldn't get too worried about this stuff yet. Start w/ the basics, check the tires, maybe rotate them, and definitely get them balanced at a GOOD shop.

Go from there after that, odds are this will identify the issue.

Don't remember hitting anything significant or if one single drive being any different.

I'm leaning towards tire out of balance - the vibrations are still pretty miniscule so that's probably why I can't feel it change frequency. I rotated the fronts today and it's slightly better but not a huge difference. I'll look into getting the wheels balanced at a reputable shop.

Originally Posted by 02Pilot

How many miles on the suspension? I just inspected mine at 115k miles (trying to track down a light clicking, probably a ball joint starting to go) and the bushings are DONE. Like easily deflected by grabbing the arm and twisting done. Dead bushings will allow all sorts of uncontrolled movement, and they aren't going to resurrect themselves.

Ordered a new M3 suspension package. Best to do it all, do it once, and move on.

116k as well - I just checked out the bushings and they looked alright, starting to dry rot but not destroyed. I grabbed and shook them all pretty well but couldn't move them - any technique to checking them? I imagine they're "pulled tight" when the assemble is hanging in the air with the wheel off. Do I have to raise the entire hub to about where it would sit as if it's on the ground?

The sway bar end links could pivot a bit but it felt normal- both by the same amount and they weren't sticking or anything

Definitely going to look into replacing it - along with just getting coilovers

[ShocknAwe]

Two issues to look at. First, your toe is out. Of it tracks straight sometimes and tramlines others, that should be alignment and road conditions. Second, funky balance on wheels. Steering wheel is front, vibration under load in seat is rear. I was chasing this bad vibration and roar under load for a while until I actually looked at the wheels, a tech had messed with my wheel weights and they were haphazardly stuck all over. Scraped them off new balance, and fixed it 100%.

Do you get bump steer?

[02Pilot]

You can try taking the load off the bushings by lifting the hub to normal ride height, but even extended you'll likely find there's play in them. Grab a prybar and start poking around.

If you're doing other work (coilovers), you definitely want to refresh the bushings and ball joints.

[iminhell1]

Turn traction full off and retest.


With my car freaking out over my ABS debacle I am driving with no driver aids other than ABS. So my DSC is FULL off (not just button off) as is the E-diff.
What I'm finding is the car drives fantastic on good roads. But any road with crown it will pull. Same roads previously with working car I never noticed. That to me is saying the DSC is far more active than a guy realizes.
To add to this, when I go from Winter tires to Summer (with working car) I always notice about a week (100 miles or so) where the car just feels weird. I'm pretty sure it's the DSC relearning the rev/mile and adjusting to keep the car on track. It's the only logical explanation I can come up with.


What I'm saying is it may be nothing wrong with suspension or wheel or weight. It might just be the car going through a learning phase if new tires have been put on or there is a rolling diameter change.

[chris_flies]

I'd point you towards two things:

Alignment. It's amazing what a correct alignment makes the car feel like! It's also amazing how bad a car can feel with a bad one...

Front Control Arms. Replacing the front control arms fixed a shimmy like the one you describe on both my car and my father's former E39. M3 ones also tighten-up the steering feel and almost make it ride better...

[desertman123]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

Two issues to look at. First, your toe is out. Of it tracks straight sometimes and tramlines others, that should be alignment and road conditions. Second, funky balance on wheels. Steering wheel is front, vibration under load in seat is rear. I was chasing this bad vibration and roar under load for a while until I actually looked at the wheels, a tech had messed with my wheel weights and they were haphazardly stuck all over. Scraped them off new balance, and fixed it 100%.

Do you get bump steer?

I forgot to mention this - all these symptoms happen everywhere. I drove about 250mi highway the other day (which, with my new coil packs and headers got great MPGs - 250mi with the AC left me closer to a half tank than 1/4). Doesn't really matter the surface - I kept out of the 'worn in' grooves on the road too, these noisy Pirellis amplify it.

Barely any bump steer, if at all.

I figured it was mainly the front wheel balance - like I said I had a chance to swap them around. Helped a bit but only really masked the issues.

Originally Posted by chris_flies

I'd point you towards two things:

Alignment. It's amazing what a correct alignment makes the car feel like! It's also amazing how bad a car can feel with a bad one...

Front Control Arms. Replacing the front control arms fixed a shimmy like the one you describe on both my car and my father's former E39. M3 ones also tighten-up the steering feel and almost make it ride better...

I might need to have you help me through the at-home alignment, I don't wanna pay for an alignment then buy coilovers + control arms and immediately have to buy another. My bushings ARE starting to dry rot, not bad yet but still you can see 1-3 little cracks in the rubber per bushing.

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm doing my AC compressor pulley/bearing today so while the car's in the air (easiest to just remove the AC fan and alternate between the top and bottom) I'll inspect everything thoroughly, and have a reputable shop give everything a balance.

[chris_flies]

Originally Posted by desertman123

I forgot to mention this - all these symptoms happen everywhere. I drove about 250mi highway the other day (which, with my new coil packs and headers got great MPGs - 250mi with the AC left me closer to a half tank than 1/4). Doesn't really matter the surface - I kept out of the 'worn in' grooves on the road too, these noisy Pirellis amplify it.

Barely any bump steer, if at all.

I figured it was mainly the front wheel balance - like I said I had a chance to swap them around. Helped a bit but only really masked the issues.

I might need to have you help me through the at-home alignment, I don't wanna pay for an alignment then buy coilovers + control arms and immediately have to buy another. My bushings ARE starting to dry rot, not bad yet but still you can see 1-3 little cracks in the rubber per bushing.

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm doing my AC compressor pulley/bearing today so while the car's in the air (easiest to just remove the AC fan and alternate between the top and bottom) I'll inspect everything thoroughly, and have a reputable shop give everything a balance.

Later this week I should have time to write up a DIY...

I still need to write the instrument cluster DIY, too. Oops.