100 km/h, steering wheel trembling

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petroscf
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My E21(s): '77 EU 316 manual
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100 km/h, steering wheel trembling

Post by petroscf »

I know it's common with E21s, but when I fitted the strut bar and stress bar this summer, it magically stopped!!!!
Now it started again.....
Anyone could propose a solution?
If I replace the front wheel bearings will it be any better?


/oo=00=oo\
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Jeroen
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My E21(s): '81 323i Baur
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Re: 100 km/h, steering wheel trembling

Post by Jeroen »

The infamous E21 front suspension shimmy can have different causes that I will list below, but wheel bearings, if not noisy and shot, will not be among them.

Known causes
- steering free play on rack, tie rod ends, bushes holding the rack (replace the latter)
- worn sway bar bushes (replace bushes at front and in the control arms)
- control arm issues (ball joint free play, control arm to subframe bushes worn, replace the latter)
- strut top bearing freeplay

Other causes for unbalance, among others
- dirt or rust between wheel flange and on the inside of the wheel (why is that part always rusty and hardly ever cleaned before refitting?!)
- disc brake bolt sticking out
- bad wheels, tyres or badly balanced
- warped brake rotors, brake calipers not running freely
Regards/groeten, Jeroen
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