Tramlining
 

Anyone else with tramlining experience? If so, does it go away with mileage? Is there anything that can be done to reduce it? Has anyone discussed it with their service center and if so what did they say.

Does your X pull excessively on the road? What size tires, rims, etc..

18 inch, more like driving on ice when you drive over grooved pavement. Service tech said it will lessen when the tires have some wear on them. I have a new found respect for motorcyle drivers when they travel grooved roads or metal bridge grates.

Wouldn't expect any tramlining for 18's - yes for 20's +.

Definitely more road feeel with BMW steering - what was your previous car?

2003 Z4 previous. I also drive an F250 when not in the X5.

[quote=Boston X5 4.4]Wouldn't expect any tramlining for 18's - yes for 20's +.

I agree - but I think it has to do more with the width of the tires.

Our 325i sport tramlines. It likely has to do with either the width or sidewall profile.

I have had mild tramlining on Xena on a couple of occasions. She's sitting on the 211 rims (19*9J, with Bridgestone 255/50R19s). Haven't noticed it recently though so maybe the tyres have rubbered in now.

That depends on the profile and width of the wheel.
I get tramlining on my e46 with 18" low profile wheels and at the end of the lease/30k+ miles still tramlines. (minus the winter miles)

On the winter 17" set, I get none what so ever.

On low profile wide wheels, you point the car and if you do hold the wheel, it will handle like on rails anyway, its just that the steering wheel may try to fight with you, just hold it steady and you will be ok.

[quote=08WhtX5]That is correct, the wider the tire, the more apt to tramline it is - starting off with 225s the wider you get the more you will feel tramlining.

There is a big difference between 225s and 255s in the amount of tramlining you experience.

KEF

There is a slight problem with tramlining and Active Steering, and this is probably my only complaint about Active Steering on our 325i.

If you hold the steering wheel firm and resist the tendency for the low-profile tires to tramline, the Active Steering also compensates for the uneven road surface. So it's kind of doing double duty, so it can be very creepy driving on uneven road surfaces. Sometimes the steering wheel will want to tug hard left/right, or the vehicle will veer left/right by itself although you have no actual steering input.

do you have the bridgestones ? I asked my dealer to swap out these #@$^#%#$ tires for Michelin's....makes a world of difference.

whoah... how's that, FREE???
I wanted michelins from the start and was told I get what ever factory puts on and there is no choice... Although no tramlining or at least after extremely wide ones on my sporty e46 i dont feel it at all.

it was part of the deal. I said no bridgestones and if car comes in with them (which it did) they would need to put michelins...if you pay this type of money for a vehicle - it should come with safe tires. I think the bridgestones are unsafe. I had the infamous recall with my ford, and even a TSB recall with my 330i where they replaced the bridgestones after 16K miles with continentals due to cupping and hydroplaning. the continentials are significantly safer and more comfortable on 330 as are the michelins versus bridgestones on the X5. I'd be curious if BMW exports the X5 with bridgestones for the German market or do they use Michelins?

I have got mine with Continental run flats (cant wait to replace them to normal ones).

Anyone please explain what does "tramlining" mean?

TIA

lol, beat me to it :)
the most descriptive information on internet i have seen so far...