Re: [e36] <E36> Symptoms of ball-joint wear?

[Zachariah George <zachg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I would like opinions on this too.
My '94 325i, also exhibits ever so slight "wandering", needing a 
tiny steering correction when driven in a straight line. The dealer 
failed to align the car properly, but failed to find anything wrong
either.

They want to do a trial-and-error approach, replacing parts as they
go along until the wandering stops. In the meanwhile they charge me
for every single time they do this!! I said forget it, I'm waiting for
the wandering to get obvious or really exaggerated.

Zach
> 
> 
> Greetings:
> 
> Can anyone brief me as to the common symptoms of worn ball-joints and/or
> bushings in the E36 front suspension?  I'm aware of the 'on-car'
> replacement procedure with the proper factory tool, but need opinions as to
> a handling anomaly which I'm guessing may be traced to worn parts.  Tips on
> how to check for worn joints would also be appreciated.
> 
> The reason I ask is because the handling on my car seems to have changed
> subtly but perceptably in the last week.  To wit:
> 
> - the car seems to wander more when driven in a straight line; more
> steering corrections are needed to keep it going straight
> 
> - more tramlining on grooved road surfaces and greater reactions to
> expansion joints and longitudinal pavement seams than before
> 
> - for lack of a better term, it sometimes acts 'squirrelly'
> 
> - slight steering shimmy within the first mile or so of the AM commute --
> but it goes away after a few miles and doesn't occur in the PM (this has
> occurred before when the handling was normal); however, there is no shimmy
> under braking nor unusual clunking noises
> 
> - I haven't hit any major potholes or curbs lately, so I don't believe I
> knocked the alignment out of whack
> 
> - car is '92 318is, 61k miles, original suspension parts, 16" wheels and
> X-brace
> 
> TIA,
> Herman
> 

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