Steering Wheel Play

bmrboi2 · #1 10-31-2015, 12:42 PM

Okay so I have gotten the 135 and 235 up for the winter and rolled the X5 and 528 out of moth balls. Been driving the X5 the past few days and sporadically through the summer. I don't know if its the difference in steering from the 1er and 2er to the 5000lb behemoth but Im noticing some steering wheel play at highway speeds.....1/4 inch left and right. Then tested at stoplights and the same play. I searched and every time it read server error.

I cannot imagine the rack and pinion is shot.

The car is headed into BMW for $5k worth of work on Tuesday and I was gonna dig into it on Sunday to see if there was anything noticeable. Googled and it led me to the Steering Guibo on E46's and some E60's.

I thought I had fixed it when I did the sway bar end links but it seems to have returned.

Any Thoughts?

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ard · #2 10-31-2015, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmrboi2

The car is headed into BMW for $5k worth of work

Brings tears to my eyes.

I recall being able to set preload on some steering boxes... just a smidge would tighten things up.

bmrboi2 · #3 11-01-2015, 07:23 AM

Thanks ard....i have a gasket and seals warranty as part of my extended warranty and they are doing the valve cover, oil filter housing, oil pan, transmission pan, mechatronic sleeve, and rear differential gaskets as they are either seeping or leaking. Also changing the idrive controller and getting a software update, waterpump, rear discs (couldnt get the goddamn bolts loose) and this damn steering thing.....

How does one do that? My husband drove it last night and was bitching about the slight play in the steering.

jfoj · #4 11-01-2015, 04:30 PM

Lower control arm bushings, they do not last more than about 40-60k miles depending on the roads.

Racermp · #5 11-02-2015, 06:41 PM

Yea what the guy above said. Lca bushings. Common BMW failure point to make the steering wheel feel sloppy. Kick the wheels and see if there is a rubbery feedback. Sitting for a long time, they probably cracked.

ard · #6 11-02-2015, 07:32 PM

Both above are good things to check, and admittedly more likely that any steering adjustment.

LCA=Lower Control Arm= Thrust Arm Bushings.

These DO go bad in ways that are very hard to visually ID. They will seem fine on inspection, but change them and the handling improves. I have no experience with the E70, but oddly lots with the E39- wherein we use X5 bushes as an 'upgrade'

jfoj · #7 11-02-2015, 07:35 PM

E70 is no different than than the E46, E39, E53 or any other BWM models ..........

I have new lower control arms and thrust arms for my E70 with only 76k miles on it. I can feel the slop in them now, they probably should have been changed around 60k miles.

MAK3N3 · #8 11-04-2015, 06:57 PM

How many miles? Could possibly be the tie rods as well.

What's even more sad...I replaced my thrust arms a while back 03-15 to be exact w/72K, noticed one of the ball joint boots on the front lower (rear) control arms (realoem term : Wishbone, bottom,with rubber mount) were shot so I knew those needed replaced next. I actually waited until I got a more of profound clunk months later and knew they were shot.

Apparently they had already been replaced once! The arms I took off had build date code of 6/11, mine is an 08 and I bought it w/52K on the ODO in Jan 2014, so now at 80K miles it's on the 3rd set of lower (bottom-rear) arms. That's pretty shitty, or the bushings/ball joints on said part were really crappy. I replaced them w/Meyle HD like I did w/the thrust arms...

bmrboi2 · #9 11-05-2015, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfoj

E70 is no different than than the E46, E39, E53 or any other BWM models ..........

I have new lower control arms and thrust arms for my E70 with only 76k miles on it. I can feel the slop in them now, they probably should have been changed around 60k miles.

Ive Got 123k....mine were changed at 87k. I know it sounds laughable but I will go to great lengths to avoid ANY and ALL road hazards to minimize the wear and tear on my suspension.

It's at the dealership right now having a gazillion other warranty related issue repaired, plus they are going over it for its 120k "Checkup" I feel that the checkup is some a-hole walking around it and kicking the tires and then they charge me 200 bucks but we'll see what comes back from that.

jfoj · #10 11-05-2015, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmrboi2

I know it sounds laughable but I will go to great lengths to avoid ANY and ALL road hazards to minimize the wear and tear on my suspension.

Not laughable at all. When you know what takes a toll on the steering, suspension and wheels, AND you DIY and have to pay for the parts, you bet you will try to avoid as much of the road hazards and rough roads that will beat the suspension to death.

I do pretty much the same thing.

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