Strange Steering "feel"

[Jembo]

Needs to be sorted.

If you have to break hard at high speed & the front wheels start to squirm from side to side, is very unnerving & you risk braking less just to maintain control.

My ex-Zed was IMO dangerous to drive when I bought it, hence why I invested so much in replacing key components. Still wasn't perfect, though it also wasn't a track car.

I had my alignment done twice during component replacement, IMO made no difference overall to my driving experience.

 

[Bing]

My vibration appears to have reduced to virtually nothing - which is weird, maybe it was just sh1t on the disks and pads after washing the arches and changing the wheels :?

The massive amount of copper slip may also have had something to do with it ? Also re-torqued the bolts, seems to have sorted it.

 

[Johnalexander]

I noticed this when I first bought the car. I think over time I got used to it and it did not bother me as much . Although I did notice it more on a track in the wet.

 

[jamesfirefighter]

What a relief !
I am happy to report that the car is back to driving how it should be.
Went out for a long drive yesterday and I couldn't believe the difference.
I suppose its possible that the new components just needed some time bedding in? I can't explain it, i'm just pleased its behaving again.

 

[Machine monkey]

Needs to be sorted.

If you have to break hard at high speed & the front wheels start to squirm from side to side, is very unnerving & you risk braking less just to maintain control.

My ex-Zed was IMO dangerous to drive when I bought it, hence why I invested so much in replacing key components. Still wasn't perfect, though it also wasn't a track car.

I had my alignment done twice during component replacement, IMO made no difference overall to my driving experience.

Thats worrying i have replaced nearly all the suspension on mine. If its not right after this i think i will be giving up on the car and BMW. I love the car and want it so bad to handle as it should. But after driving the wife's new car it highlighted just how bad it was and how much i am putting up with. Fingers crossed it works as i have just blown the piggy bank on bits for it!!

 

[Bing]

Check discs and pads too if it remains MM - I got very serious juddering under braking early on in my ownership - through the steering and the brake pedal - and 2 of the bushes were worn so badly the garage reckoned it had caused the front discs to become warped / distorted. Not a normal cause of distorted discs, but they know their stuff and I trust them. Once they replaced all the parts it went instantly.

 

[Yorkie Z]

It's scary how many people are having this problem. The steering wheel sensor seems to crop up a bit. Has anyone replace this and the problem disappeared.??

 

[Bing]

It's just the wear of consumable parts to be honest - MMs car is quite high mileage, relatively speaking, mine was on about 65k when they needed changing. I think because it is a sports car, people drive it like one, and the suspension geometry is so peculiar / unforgiving, you just notice it earlier and more than other cars. I know my wife's Honda will fail it's next MOT if we don't get the same bits replaced on that soon. It's done 116k miles... And to be honest it's barely noticeable despite how badly worn the parts are. Completely different type of car, very compliant suspension and steering etc., so it feels very different.

 

[Machine monkey]

All new discs and pads about 4k miles ago buddy or 14 months... I hope its not them!!!

I agree Bing the e46 platform in general seems to suffer from all these problems. And as you say our cars are probably pushed that bit harder in corners witch exaggerates ware. I know i have had 100k plus cars that defiantly have not felt as bad as mine to drive witch have not had any suspension parts changed. Fingers crossed the control arms and track rod ends fix the problem. I am either going to be as happy as a dog with 2 di*ck$ or as miserable as one that's lost his bone.

I am not 100% confident as i have been looking at TVRs love a car without problems me :?

 

[Bimmerism]

Mine feels the same. Steering wheel is a little bit wavy on the freeways.

 

[Ed Doe]

Has anyone replaced the track rod ends?

People are all saying they've had alignment; does this always include adjustment of the camber toe and thrust angle?

I bought my Zed 2 weeks ago and drive some seriously cambered roads to and from work, and have found it a bit of a handful, even compared to my Renaultsport Megane R26 which was known to follow cambers badly!

 

[Johnalexander]

I had mine aligned at clcm edinburgh. Made a big difference