Front end wobble then it goes away!
 

First the particulars, 2003 X5 4.4i, recent strut replacement. 95,000 miles

This morning i got a weird wobble in the front end. Felt like it was coming from the right side. I touched the brake slightly and it stopped. Then it came back after a while and in different frequencies and strength. Touching the brake this time just made it wobble a little differently.

I limped home and parked it. Started to drive it to the shop later on and....NO WOBBLE! It was very strange. It drove normally.

I'm wondering if I have a sensor that's starting to go bad? Either anti skid or the wheel speed cornering? How many sensors do I have up there?


Jeff

I know it might sound weird, but check the torque of the lug bolts.

I had a similar issue last year. This is how it started - I'd get a wobble, then braking would make it go away. As it got worse and we troubleshot everything, eventually braking wouldn't always make it go away. Sometimes it was a very light wobble, other times it was an almost violent shaking in the wheel.

After much trial and error, it ended up being a CV axle.

Oh, and to address the "then it goes away" issue, when it first happened to me I was driving from Northern Colorado back home to Iowa. It happened twice during that 700 mile drive. The first time it happened suddenly and I thought I had a flat tire, pulled off, saw nothing. The second time it came back in slowly, when I noticed it I tapped the brake to start slowing down to pull off and it went away instantly. Didn't happen again the entire trip.

How many miles since the struts were replaced? Did you have it done or do it yourself?

Sorry guys, I'm supposed to get "Instant" email notifications but did not and I didn't realize you all had replied to my post.

Here's an update, lately, at highway speeds when braking firmly, the wobble comes back. At around town speeds I don't get it. Really feels like maybe I have a warped disk. But I would think I'd feel it even at slower speeds and I'm not. Only when I FIRMLY press the brakes above 60mph.

Some history, The CV BOOTS are about two years old. I did not do the work though. The struts are of uneven life. The left is maybe a year older the right. Right side was replaced 2 months ago by my local independent. Arnott strut (replaced under warranty).

Brakes were done about 20,000 miles ago.

(please don't be an CV joint! I don't want to replace the axels. Is there a way to test? Obvious play in the joint?)

If you let off the brakes and reapply them do you still get the wobble?

Sounds more like a thrust arm (lower) bushing is shot. You can replace the bushing or replace the entire arm.

If its only when stabbing brakes on the highway its for sure thrust arm bushings.

When they put everything back together and torqued all the fasteners to spec, did they placed the vehicle on the ground or made sure the suspension was compressed with the full weight of the vehicle on it or did they just torqued everything up with the X on a lift? If they didn't compressed the suspension that's is why your bushings are history.

Just wondering--What is your estimate for how many miles before the bushings are history.

For thrust arm bushings? I've seen about a 60k lifespan for OEM on the middle of the range. Mine were absolutely shot when I purchased at 59k

Yes, thrust arm bushings when they are not torqued with suspension loaded.

Not sure how they did that last strut. The X has 96k miles on it. I'll be checking it out later today.

Problem solved. There were two issues. The thrust arm bushings were pretty nasty. A year ago my tech said I should replace them.

Also, the right side caliper had partially seized and the wheel wan't turning freely. Both disks showed some scrubbing and discolorization. I think the last guy to install the brakes (local independent) didn't lube the slides and contact points well enough. The brakes only had 20,000 miles on them.

Car rides and brakes fine now. Need to get an alingment.

Thank you for all of the suggestions.

Jeff

May not be the slides, might be the piston in the caliper is sticking instead of being push back into the bore by the disc.

@upallnight is correct, it is thrust arm bushings.

In the E39 5-series world, the thrust arm bushings (oil-filled) are gone at 50K-60K.

In my 2006 X5 3.0i, the P.O. had the dealer replace the bushings @ 70K.