Pot holes and brake dust - BMW Forum

KingScare · 06-05-2004, 01:22 AM

Last night, I was driving downtown and as I merged into a lane I hit a pot hole...pretty hard. The thing really caught me by surprise and I cringed as it happened.

The wheel looks fine and all...but at about 80 km/h, I can now feel like that driver side front wheel is wobbling. I do not remember the car riding like that at all....so I think something fucked up...

I don't think the wheel is bent or anything, could it be something else?

Also, my passenger side front wheel always has these black traces of something (view picture)...it looks like something the brake pads would spew out....I always notice it on that wheel...my driver side front wheel, which now wiggles at high speed, never seems to have those...

Could it be that the right side brakes harder than the left??

thank you for any help

Mark31186 · 06-05-2004, 01:29 AM

Hmmm im not sure what that could be... my rear right wheel does that too.... i havent hit anything but when it sits in the cold, sometimes before it warms up something vibrates... it irks the hell outta me

ghead

Any suggestions on why our wheels are vibrating :P

-Mark

e285er · 06-05-2004, 01:52 AM

Check your lower control arm. IT could have bent from the impact. DOes your steering wheel shake when the wheel shakes? THat could be a problem with your wheel bearings.

Silver4evr · 06-05-2004, 01:59 AM

Time for a suspension inspection/testing.

Speedy-325is · 06-05-2004, 02:06 AM

check your tire for any impact bubbles, they're quite common when tires hit big bumps or potholes.

KingScare · 06-05-2004, 07:29 AM

The steering wheel does shake...I can feel it's the driver front side wheel that's causing the shake...

I don't think the lower control arm would of broken...probably the bearing...the actual wheel and tire look fine though....no bubbles.

CiscoKid · 06-05-2004, 10:42 AM

see if the wheel threw a weight

El Presidente · 06-05-2004, 04:24 PM

the brake dust is getting wet. If it is a continual problem on just one wheel in dry conditions, you either have a leak in the engine bay or it is condensation from the AC.

KingScare · 06-06-2004, 12:20 AM

I tried to see if any of the weights might have come off...but I couldn't spot anything weird or apparently freshly ripped off....

If I am missing a weight....would it really affect the wheel a lot?? Always wondered about that one.

So the brake dust might be getting wet eh??? It is dry conditions and it is really apparent on that one wheel, while the other one is fine.

I never put the AC on...and if something would be leaking in my engine bay...it should technically drip out as the car is idle right???

Thanks again...I'm going to see my mechanic on monday, until then, no highway driving.

El Presidente · 06-06-2004, 12:59 PM

It doesn't have to be at idle. Say it was a small coolant leak that developed under pressure. The water pump would only pump wil the ehine was revving and put the system under pressure, thus forcing out liquid. At idle, the system would be moving fast enough to cause this.

KingScare · 06-06-2004, 01:09 PM

I definitely never noticed anything leaking in my engine bay...

maybe I hit a puddle with that wheel...I dunno.

Would you have any other explanation for the weird dust paterns by any chance?

El Presidente · 06-06-2004, 01:15 PM

not really. You can test this for yourself. Get the brake dust wet, but don't wipe if off. the water will make the brake dust on the wheel pull together and run, forming streaks.

KingScare · 06-06-2004, 01:57 PM

Ok...I just came back from a test drive..

I definitely feel a shake in the steering wheel on the highway. When I hit the brakes to slow down, it was really apparent.

Also...that passenger side front wheel is just soooo dirty compared to the driver side. The car went out only twice since it was washed. That to me is just not normal. I guess my mecanic should be able to figure it all out tomorow.

The ASC and ABS lights are on all the time now in the car too...I suspect this is all linked together.

I'll post again with the diagnostic.

KingScare · 06-07-2004, 01:57 PM

Well....I just came back from the garage...

First of all...both my front wheels needed to be balanced. *is surprised*

Then, turns out the passenger caliper was putting pressure on the rotor even when the brake wasn't pressed.

Quick rust removing and lubrification seem too have solved that problem...NOW!

I went for a test drive with the mecanic....and the wheel didn't shake at 100 kmh....

Of course...as I drive home...the wheel starts to shake again...WTF!!!!

UGH!!! I guess I'll go back tomorow and see what the deal is AGAIN!

so much for solving the entire problem.

dutchbmw · 06-07-2004, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KingScare@Jun 7 2004, 09:37 PM
I went for a test drive with the mecanic....and the wheel didn't shake at 100 kmh....

Of course...as I drive home...the wheel starts to shake again...WTF!!!!

That always happens...... It's just crazy............