RE: e36 suspension problems

["Noordien, Igshaan" <in1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: alex.fadeev@domain.elided [mailto:alex.fadeev@domain.elided]
> Sent: 27 February 2002 09:35
> To: Noordien, Igshaan
> Cc: bmw@domain.elided
> Subject: Re: e36 suspension problems
> 
> 
> 
> "Noordien, Igshaan" <in1@domain.elided> wrote:
> >
> > A while back I asked the list's advice on a certain clanking noise I
> > heard when going over bumps.
> 
> Igshaan,
> What exactly were those noises and from where are they coming?

The clanking noise comes from the front (and seems to be coming from
around the front wheel area) when going over bumps/ditches and can be
replicated by driving on a cobbled road.  It's difficult to say whether
it's coming from left, right or centre. Applying the brakes ,even
slightly would stop this clanking.  I've inspected the areas around the
wheels and the backing plates are not loose and all the pad clips are in
place.  Visually and manually nothing looks/feels loose around there.
The only thing I saw was that the anti-sway bar's rubber bushing has a
slit in it - will be replacing soon.

> 
> > Not being able to identify it's origin I took my baby ('92 e36 320
> > sixer) in to a suspension shop and they diagnosed the power steering
> > rack as the culprit.  One of the boots were leaking and 
> there was also
> > some play within the joint.  i was told that this was causing the
> > sound and had the rack replaced about two weeks ago with a 
> reconditioned
> > unit.
> > Guess what? the clanking is back!  The car is going back to 
> the shop and
> > I wanted the list's advice on how to identify a good 
> reconditioned unit
> > - are there any signs I should look for cause I'm going to 
> look it over
> > tonight before I take it back.
> 
> If I were you I would take the car to another shop to a). 
> check that the
> first one did not screw up the rack swap; b). did not misdiagnose the
> clanking problem in the first place.
> 
> > Also I'm hearing faint knocking sounds that increase with 
> the speed of
> > the wheels.  I'm hearing in turns as well as going straight 
> - it's not
> > there all the time and I only seem to hear it at low speeds 
> <100km and
> > the engine would always be warmed up when it happens.
> 
> Where is the sound coming from? Front, rear, all four wheels?
> Any steering wheel vibration?
> 

The knocking sound comes from the rear and seems to be coming from the
left rear - but I cannot be certain left or right.  No steering
vibration.  Took it to another shop and they suggested worn cv joints as
possible causes but was puzzled by the knocking sound instead of the
usual kluk-kluk-kluk of a worn cv joint.  We couldn't replicate the
sound after numerous different tests and they said the only way to
eliminate worn cv's as the cause, is to dismantle the shafts and joints
to inspect.
I haven't heard this sound now for over a week and it's really
frustrating not knowing what causes it! 

> > And then the last one- I'm feeling a slight shudder after 
> braking from
> > low speeds and it happens just before the car actually stops - not
> > throughout braking.  It feels as if the pads are worn but 
> I've got new
> > rotors and pads.
> 
> Where are you feeling the shudder? The steering wheel? The seat?
> Any accompanying noises? From where do they come?
> 

The shudder is felt through the steering and also to a lesser extent the
brake pedal.  The shudder is accompanied by a grinding noise - the kind
of noise worn brake pads make (I've got new rotors and pads in the front
and new pads in the rear).  One mechanic suggested that the new pads
were too hard and causing the grinding noise on the new rotor (new pads
are Ferodo's).  

> > Could all this be related?  Any ideas/help/thoughts would be
> > appreciated.
> 
> Could be anything from tie rods (those may have been replaced 
> during the
> steering rack swap), worn out control arm bushings or something else
> entirely different.
> You are not even telling us where the sounds are originating! 
> We need way
> more background information before we continue this guessing exercise.
> 
> alex f
> 
> 

Hope the above gives u more clues!

TIA
Igshaan

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