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E34: Driver's Seat "Clunk"



I have an 89 E34 with an -extremely- irritating phenomenon. When changing
direction you can feel the drivers seat "shift" slightly right under your
butt accompanied by a "clunking" sound. Needless to say you don't feel real
"hooked up" to the car! This happens with the seat adjusted up high as well
as the lowest position. It is most noticeable when making directional
changes at low speeds and does not require throwing the car hard into a
corner. When the drivers weight shifts (such as making a right turn after
having made a left turn) this happens. I weigh 155, my wife 117 and it
happens to both of us (IOW, it doesn't require a 300 lb. driver). When I'm
driving she can hear it from the passenger seat.

What is driving us crazy is that you can grab the seat bottom or the seat
back a rock either in every conceivable direction without feeling any
looseness or slack. I have removed the seat and flipped it upside down and
cannot find anything obvious. Most items are riveted underneath and yet
everything seems tight. Reinstalled securely, really torqued it down, same
thing.

This is my second 89 model E34 and the both did/do this. My first one did
it brand new off the dealers floor and they never could fix it. I'm
assuming if 2 out of 2 of my E34s did this that it is not uncommon and am
really hoping somebody has had the same experience.

Any and all ideas are truly appreciated!

Steven C. Morey
smorey@domain.elided
Dallas, TX

BMWCCA #134873

95 M3 (for sale)
89 525i 
94 318is
89 535i (remembered)
81 633csi (remembered)