Steering wheel shimmy when brakes applied

[Beamernewbie]

This is a new one for me as I have had similar issues with other vehicles when the brake rotor is warped but it would happen every time the brakes are applied. This is intermittent and doesn't matter if applying the brakes hard or softly but seems to be more noticeable when applying softly. The wheel will move about one to two inches back and forth. Anybody else experience this?

[upallnight]

Thrush arm bushings are SHOT

[Brandon002]

Yup, thrust arm bushings are done.

I have the same issue and have been holding off replacing mine until I get a day where it's not freezing cold out.

[bcredliner]

Could be also be caliper piston sticking or a bad rotor even though it doesn't happen all the time. Next time it happens try letting off the brakes and getting back on them rather hard to see if the vibration continues or goes away. Optimum conditions would be that it almost always happens when the brakes are cold or when you have driven 20-30 miles without using the brakes and the braking.

[TwinTurboGTR]

Well it could be thrust arms or it may not. We don't know anything about the X or the conditions. More times than not on the X's the bushings, but it could also be rotors.

OP, please place the type of X you have in your signature so we know what kind of model it is. Also describe when you first noticed the issue along with how many miles were on the car and if you had any front end work done recently.

[Ricky Bobby]

Heres a simple test, go under the X and try to wiggle the thrust arm (actual metal arm), if it flexes and the bushings are shot it should be easy to move around.

If its good the arm will be tight. My guess is the bushings are shot too, start with the easy troubleshooting and go from there.

[ard]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

Heres a simple test, go under the X and try to wiggle the thrust arm (actual metal arm), if it flexes and the bushings are shot it should be easy to move around.

If its good the arm will be tight. My guess is the bushings are shot too, start with the easy troubleshooting and go from there.

Not really.... there is a high speed judder that will occur when applying brakes at 40, 50 MPH yet the bushings feel OK. Sure if they are loose it is bad, but the converse isn't necessarily true.


And of course rotors rarely 'warp'- the true issue is pad deposition into the rotor surface, but most mechanic owners (and many mechanics) dont understand this.

[Brandon002]

While the bushings may feel ok with the hand, take a small pry bar and try to move them around.

the shimmy when lightly braking is caused by worn thrust arm bushings about 90% of the time. If it's deposits on the rotors it can usually be felt at all speeds, the car will also stop choppy when coming to a slow stop.

[Skyline]

Any problem with either the control arms or thrust arms can cause this. In addition to the thrust arm bushing, check the ball joint at the other end of the thrust arm, an the ball joint on the control arm. One way to check this is to have someone turn the steering to full lock while you watch the ball joint. At full lock, a bad ball joint will move a bit.