steering problems
 

Hi all, 2005 X5 4.4
recently I have been noticing that while driving on the highway my X5 seems to be getting pushed and pulled by the hollows in the road. ie. when I change lanes and go across the uneveness between lanes my steering wheel gets pushed and or pulled making it difficult to control the vehicle at times. I had an alighnment within the last 6 months and I have checked the front end and nothing really seems worn or loose. It can be difficult to find worn parts even with the front end jacked up so I'm looking for suggestions or has anyone experienced this type of problem?
Thanks!

I have the exact same issue with mine, it's really scary sometimes when accelerating while changing lanes. I've balanced the wheels and done tracking but no change. The roads here are like where you are, the issue does away go away though when the road is flat/new. The tyre shop guy told me the issue might be reduced if the tyre wall is curved at the top instead of straight (mine are curved). I'm ad lost as you...this never happened to me before I moved here (norway).

BMW X5 4.8iS 2005

Tire tracking thoughts
 

The problem you are discussing is called tramming or tracking.
Try this tire trick.
-Add 2 psi to your front tires > Change? Y/N?
-Reduce your tire pressure 2 psi > Change Y/N?

Post your results. It may take 4 psi depending on your actual running tire PSI. Some brands/models are a lot more sensitive to tracking than other brands. Side wall and shoulder construction material and designs are the reasons. All can be minimized with pressure changes assuming that the front end parts are within tolerances.

Question on your 4.4:
Which tire size and brand are you running?
Are they the same size and brands on all four corners?
What is the PSI cold reading on all FOUR tires now?

If you are stopped and the engine is off, is there play in your steering wheel (left to right)BEFORE the tires actually move?

Helpful?

Thrust arm bushings getting soft maybe ??

Check your wheel bearing

I have 2 different brands on mine, front is one brand and back another. Tyre pressure on all 4 is 36 Bar (approx 493 PSI). However, I checked the play in the steering before starting the car and there is some play with a click....what does that mean?


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Those readings can't be right. You'll blow the tire off the rims with 493 PSI.

Free play with clicking can be the steering cross joint, the rack, or tie rod joints at the rack end or hub end.

I didn't know what the psi would be...did a quick Google conversion and just realised I didn't put a dot...it should be 3.6 bar which according to goggle is 52 psi. Sorry.

G300: I'm due to change the tie rods so I guess it's yet another confirmation...not being able to track the car is the first :/

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Awntchi, yeah, play there has a big chance to affect tracking.

And your tire pressure still sounds high. The 4.6 has the same tire sizes as your 4.8 and the tire placard on it only calls for 2.2 bar/32 psi at standard load.

That jittery, hard to keep in the same lane problem is often caused by something that is causing a very stiff ride.

Getting to recommended tire pressure which is on your door jam and also on the tire is the first thing to do. Unless the tires you are using are not recommended for your vehicle they are unlikely the cause. If the tires are under or oversized, sidewall to hard or too soft they will be a problem but if there are in spec tire to tire will feel different but should not be the culprit.

Alignment can also cause the problem. There are good and bad alignments. I would have it checked to make sure it is within BMW specs or has gone out of alignment.

If it has gotten worse over time and your suspension has 75,000 miles or more of wear there are several components that could cause your problem. I would have it thoroughly checked over even if it is not toward the end of normal life cycle.

Generally the problem is magnified the faster you go. If it is in the steering the vehicle won't feel jittery but will wander at slow speeds. Steering problems hit my critical to fix ASAP list.

Some roads will cause that feeling when all is OK. In your case if you are more than 5 pounds over inflated I think it is at least contributing to the problem by losing some of the cushioning the tires do and perhaps losing some of the tire patch.

It is indeed 2.2 - 2.7 bar shown on the side of the door, depending on the load. However, the tires I've got on are of no known brand and pretty useless...3.6 is the lowest I can have in them if I want to avoid a "boat" feeling. Based on your info I'm sure the issue can be reduced heavily if the tires and suspension parts are upgraded/changed. It's on my loooooong to do list.

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Increasing negative camber may help, however, negative camber will increase tire wear. If you go to the max of the alignment spec for negative camber the wear shouldn't be extreme though it will vary by tire hardness.

Over inflating the tires will result in less tire contact patch with the payment. Less contact patch will result in less than optimum handling. Fill the tire with the correct air pressure as stated on the door jamb for the car.

I just replaced the tension strut bushings and ball joints and it has dramatically reduced the problem. I think I'll also replace the lower control arms because the previous owner replaced only one side and I think the other is worn now. Best to replace both. Also my tires are worn a little uneven, so I'm sure this is contributing to the issue. I am running the OEM tire size and pressure is around 38 PSI which is the recommended pressure for these tires per the manufacturer for my X5. I'll update after the control arm replacement.