judder at 40mph and when braking - BMW Forum

96bmw · 12-04-2005, 03:26 PM

hi,

1st, i am new here so hello to all!

2nd i have a small problem
my 1996 318is had a small judder thru the steering wheel at around 40mph until about 55mph drivers fine at other speeds also this problem is worse when braking at about 60mh+

my thinking was maybe brake discs or track rod/control arm bushes

any ideas and rough idea of cost to put right?

D4LJE · 12-04-2005, 04:05 PM

hello mate i have a e36 325i coupe, had the same problem, when braking at 40mph it would judder, replaced the front discs good as new now.

96bmw · 12-04-2005, 04:29 PM

i was thinking disc first but there is a even judder without braking at around 45mph, which made me think control arm bush

how much are discs for the car, anyone know

D4LJE · 12-04-2005, 05:40 PM

are normally about 60pound a pair.

Cruzin 323is · 12-04-2005, 09:28 PM

jack the car up from the place i feel it vibrating/jiddering, then try to move the wheel.... if the wheel feels like there is a lot of play, then its most likely control arms, and ball joints...

andrewgrhogg · 12-05-2005, 07:00 PM

Make sure you grab the wheel at 3 and 9 oclcok and try to wiggle it. If there is wiggle then bad suspension component. Grabbin at top and bottom of wheel will show wiggle ona normal, ok wheel.

Secondly, i had the steering wheel shudders when braking. It is 99.9% likely that this is not due to warped rotors (it's almost impsosbile to warp rotors today) but instead due to crappy oem brake pads that have gotten hot during agressivle braking and then someone has sat with their foot on the brake while at rest, depositing brake material onto the rotor, leaving a high spot. You can remove the rotors and have them turned to shave off some metal (and the high spots) or you can replace them. If you do then you ought to replace your pads at the same time, and do not replace them with shitty axis, oem etc as you will end up in the same place you are now.

I just bought OEM replacement rotors at pelicanparts.com and also put on new ceramic brake pads from Akebono (tire rack for the front and ajusa.com for the rears) and the braking is now as smooth as butter.

Andrew

atlantisvip · 12-09-2005, 09:18 PM

Got the same issue.. Steering wheel shimmy up to about 45mph.. Hard steering wheel shimmy on hard braking only.. Brake pedal never kicks though.. Did the LCABs but that did not help at all..

4evrwyntr · 12-09-2005, 10:16 PM

Hopefully this isn't the case, but...

94ISCPE · 12-10-2005, 10:11 AM

While brake rotors on these cars are pretty resistant to warping, it is far from nearly impossible to warp them.

How many miles on the rotors? As they get older they invariably become thinner, and thus more likely to warp. If you notice the shudder when you are not braking it may be a tire/wheel imbalance. Or, a combination of the two. Worn control bushes would make either of these conditions far more noticeable.