Movement in the front suspension

[Sterling 4.4]

I took the X5 to the local BMW CCA performance track day yesterday and had to call it a short day due to some movement in the drivers side front suspension. It is most noticed when loading the car in a right hand turn. It feels like a something "pops" or moves. When you unload it into a left turn, it "pops" back. I cannot hear the noise due to helmet and exhaust, but my instructor and I could both feel it. It got progressively worse as the day went on and I decided to quit running it on the track for safety reasons. I could not re-create it at slower spreads in the parking lot, but was able to get it to happen again on an on-ramp on the way home.

A fellow X5 world member and I took the wheel off and put a wrench on every bolt we could get too, but nothing was loose.

Has anyone experienced anything ike this? I don't kow much about suspension, but I want to be able to suggest things to the dealer without telling them I was on the track.

My vehicle is an '06 4.4 w/ 18K miles. I do have a Dinan camber plate installed, but the movement feels like it is happenin much lower in the suspension.

[JV]

Drive it slow over even pavement and make some quick moves of the wheel as if you're doing a slalom. Report back with what sounds you hear coming from the suspension.

JV

[chubyball]

Check your stablelizer linkage.

[vinuneuro]

As chuby mentions, seems like the sway-bar linkage could be the culprit, a relatively common problem.

Whatever the problem is, I highly suggest you don't tell the dealer that you were running at the track when you discovered the problem.

[SiLvX5]

Originally Posted by Sterling 4.4

I took the X5 to the local BMW CCA performance track day yesterday and had to call it a short day due to some movement in the drivers side front suspension. It is most noticed when loading the car in a right hand turn. It feels like a something "pops" or moves. When you unload it into a left turn, it "pops" back. I cannot hear the noise due to helmet and exhaust, but my instructor and I could both feel it. It got progressively worse as the day went on and I decided to quit running it on the track for safety reasons. I could not re-create it at slower spreads in the parking lot, but was able to get it to happen again on an on-ramp on the way home.

A fellow X5 world member and I took the wheel off and put a wrench on every bolt we could get too, but nothing was loose.

Has anyone experienced anything ike this? I don't kow much about suspension, but I want to be able to suggest things to the dealer without telling them I was on the track.

My vehicle is an '06 4.4 w/ 18K miles. I do have a Dinan camber plate installed, but the movement feels like it is happenin much lower in the suspension.

I had the same problem too.. i installed rogue camber plate with H&R springs and now i hear clunk from the suspension on slow speed like 5 mph and uneven pavement?

[Sterling 4.4]

The noise / "pop" only happens at high speeds. At slow speeds, I can't hear or feel anyhting. I plan on thelling the dealer thjat it happens on curved highway on ramps.

Are there any TSB's on this?

[JV]

Originally Posted by SiLvX5

I had the same problem too.. i installed rogue camber plate with H&R springs and now i hear clunk from the suspension on slow speed like 5 mph and uneven pavement?

As others have mentioned, check your sway bar links. They can cause that kind of noise at any speed- just more noticeable at lower speeds.

[chubyball]

I noticed yesterday I replaced my front diff. oil with synthetic. I realized that the panel underneath where it need to be removed to access to the front diff. These 4 bolts at the rear of the panel need to be tighted real good after the job was done, because these bolts are holding the stablize bar goes across the 2 front wheels.

[Bimmer9938]

I had a similiar problem with my first X5 (2001 3.0), After lowering it, it was making clunk noises I could feel it too. It turned out that the mechanic blasted the Hemi joints out with a air wrench instead of hand tightening them. I replaced the sway bar connects with the new joints and the problem is solved.

[Sterling 4.4]

I recently had a track inspection and I remember the tech saying he tigntened everything. Maybe he "overtightened" something and made it blow out.