Elusive vibration starting 55 and continuing to highway speeds

[Spyro235]

Hey guys! I've got a driveline vibration that I'm really getting annoyed with. I thought it was the wheels/ old tires that came on the car, but then I switched to the summer 19's I got for the vehicle and what do you know, the vibration remains COMPLETELY the same.
If it makes any difference, I've got a base model 35D with NON air/SLS suspension in the rear.

A few things about this vibration:

1) It seems to lessen with more throttle, but when I let off at highway speeds, I believe it gets a bit worse. I will double check today on the way home.

2) I know it's not my wheels and tires. It's been the same with 2 sets of wheels and tires, completely different sets at that. 18's, then 19's, first with Michelin latitude snows and next with continental DWS.

3) The vibration changes base on what's in the car. If I have a decent load in the trunk, like 200-400 lbs, the vibration is lessened to a decent extent.

4) While towing, which normally puts 500-600lbs on my hitch, the vibratino is still present with just as much "amplitude"(felt vibration shake) but with a different frequency. It'll be smooth for about a second, then vibrate 3 time within a second, and oscillate like that.

My thoughts kind of lead me to a center support bearing, mostly because I'm not quite sure what the heck else it could be. It's clearly something that's rotating, and the slight change while in compression in the CV joints from a load/ squatting with the trailer makes sense to my engineer/track car mechanic mind. The vibration vibrated my passenger seat visibly, the back of the seat moving probably an inch front to back with vibration. I also commute 100 miles a day, 80% of which is on the highway, and I'd love to get this beast into smooth sailing mode. Any suggestions?

[Ryan5034]

Couple comments-

Does it vibrate in neutral while at speed on highway?

Have you changed the tension struts or lower control arms? (Same part different name)

[X5 MAN]

Tires need balancing.

[Spyro235]

Originally Posted by Ryan5034

Couple comments-

Does it vibrate in neutral while at speed on highway?

Have you changed the tension struts or lower control arms? (Same part different name)

I will check today on the vibration in neutral. I suspect it will, since all those rotating parts are still rotating (driveshaft, axles, etc).

I haven't changed the LCA's.

[Spyro235]

Originally Posted by X5 MAN

Tires need balancing.

Read #2. Very experienced with bent wheels, out of balance wheel/tires. The chance that the out of balance is in the same place, creating the exact same vibration in every single situation is infinitesimally small. It's not the wheels or tires.

[antawn621]

Ever figure this out? I am experiencing the same. Seems to be worse when going uphill/downhill on highways. Had wheels balanced, but felt no better.

[Spyro235]

I'm about to order the tension struts, and see if they will solve the issue.

[MillerMav]

I'm watching this as well. I have a vibration that starts around 58 and goes until 65ish. Past experience tells me its a CV shaft (not from the X5 but previous cars), an out of balance tire would show up at all speeds I would think.

[bmwx5er]

Has the front drive shaft been replaced? Several E70s had failing driveshafts and could exhibit vibrations at highway speeds.

[Spyro235]

Originally Posted by MillerMav

I'm watching this as well. I have a vibration that starts around 58 and goes until 65ish. Past experience tells me its a CV shaft (not from the X5 but previous cars), an out of balance tire would show up at all speeds I would think.

I know it's not a tires/ wheel, because it has behaved identically with two completely separate sets of wheels, and been rotated on both sets. So it can't be the wheels and tires. Well, I suppose it COULD be but that would be quite the probability play.

Originally Posted by bmwx5er

Has the front drive shaft been replaced? Several E70s had failing driveshafts and could exhibit vibrations at highway speeds.

I don't believe the front shaft has ever been replaced. I've read of the failures, and it seems they were mostly low mileage failures. it's a consideration though-I kind of suspect it could be CSB or driveshaft related, but this thread has pointed me towards tension struts. The tensions are definitely beyond shot, so I figure I'll give them a shot. I just ordered them, and will install next week most likely.

[Deftronix]

I have this issue with two completeley different sets of wheels/tires as well. Have changed the oil in transfer case and differentials twice, replaced the front bushing for monoball bushings as well as replaced front & rear endlinks that were torn and doesn't seem to have any impact on the issue. I use xdelete and get the same symptoms with xdrive enabled or disabled

The only time I did not have this problem over the last almost 4 years of ownership was for a week after I installed F15 M performance brake kit, then it started again.
That led me to start thinking it was a vdc issue since the system is designed to use the brakes for traction control instead of just cutting the power to the appropriate wheel so maybe a couple of the calipers are being engaged for whatever reason at those speeds, mixed with a slightly warped rotor would cause a vibration like that. I've tried bedding in my pads a couple more times but know my F85 rotors are not warped.

Since I'm @ 130k mi, next plan of action is to do the transfer case servo motor gear, and suspension parts circled in attached pics. My last resort will be wheel bearings and cv joints.

Would suggest to try a brake bed-in procedure even if they are old and see if you get any improvement in symptoms temporarily since it wont cost anything, then go from there.

[Spyro235]

My brakes are smooth as silk for the most part, but under heavy braking I get a pulsing. That's why I bought the tension struts, which is Part 5 in that first pic. That's what's been suggested earlier here, and if that doesn't help, I'm likely going to do shocks, springs, upper and lower control arms (16 and 10 that you have circled). Essentially a total front end overhaul. I could run a bed in procedure, as the previous owner put these on and I'm not sure if he bedded them in. I'd wager that he did, considering he's a high profile car/ track guy.

Did your transfer case gear go, on a separate issue?

[Pudgypepper]

I'll be watching this closely as well. I've been dealing with the same issues. No bent wheels or out of balance either as I have had the wheels checked and balanced at BMW. On my car it feels like the shimmy is coming from the rear and possibly the left. My thought is that it may be the driveshaft or some sort of suspension component. BMW of West Palm Beach supposedly replaced the driveshaft under recall last year but I had BMW of Fort Pierce check it out, and the driveshaft was loose. The car however is still vibrating and its driving me nuts!!

[Pudgypepper]

Any updates?

[Spyro235]

Originally Posted by Pudgypepper

Any updates?

Apologies. Haven't gotten to it yet- drift car was the focus for a while. Now that that's totally sorted...
I'm currently focusing my efforts back on my X5. Should be able to swap out the tension struts early next week, if I'm too busy to do it tomorrow.

[ryansbmw]

Did you ever check the brakes?

[Spyro235]

Originally Posted by ryansbmw

Did you ever check the brakes?

Brakes cant be the problem- it doesn't only happen when on the brakes. It happens 95% of the time while not touching the brakes. I did a whole bed in procedure (50-5mph wihtout stopping over and over until the brakes totally fade, 20 minutes driving to cool them, then repeat) and the brakes work great and are perfectly smooth at other speeds.

[Headhunter.M3]

Ever figure this out? Similar issue here.

[RL18]

Originally Posted by Spyro235

Hey guys! I've got a driveline vibration that I'm really getting annoyed with. I thought it was the wheels/ old tires that came on the car, but then I switched to the summer 19's I got for the vehicle and what do you know, the vibration remains COMPLETELY the same.
If it makes any difference, I've got a base model 35D with NON air/SLS suspension in the rear.

A few things about this vibration:

1) It seems to lessen with more throttle, but when I let off at highway speeds, I believe it gets a bit worse. I will double check today on the way home.

2) I know it's not my wheels and tires. It's been the same with 2 sets of wheels and tires, completely different sets at that. 18's, then 19's, first with Michelin latitude snows and next with continental DWS.

3) The vibration changes base on what's in the car. If I have a decent load in the trunk, like 200-400 lbs, the vibration is lessened to a decent extent.

4) While towing, which normally puts 500-600lbs on my hitch, the vibratino is still present with just as much "amplitude"(felt vibration shake) but with a different frequency. It'll be smooth for about a second, then vibrate 3 time within a second, and oscillate like that.

My thoughts kind of lead me to a center support bearing, mostly because I'm not quite sure what the heck else it could be. It's clearly something that's rotating, and the slight change while in compression in the CV joints from a load/ squatting with the trailer makes sense to my engineer/track car mechanic mind. The vibration vibrated my passenger seat visibly, the back of the seat moving probably an inch front to back with vibration. I also commute 100 miles a day, 80% of which is on the highway, and I'd love to get this beast into smooth sailing mode. Any suggestions?

Spyro, have you checked the Guibos in the front and rear driveshafts? With your mileage I would suspect these are most likely shot, especially with the torque of your deleted x5d.

[Spyro235]

Originally Posted by Headhunter.M3

Ever figure this out? Similar issue here.

So... kind of. It's definitely still present but nowhere near as bad after new tires and good balancing, and new thrust arms. The bushings in my arms were totally shot. Still there, but I have a multitude of front suspension issues that need to be addressed. I have plans for full new set of arms and springs and shocks and all bushings really. So, I've kind of given up on this vibration until all that work is done. Ned tires truly made it borderline not noticeable, I can see it in the slight vibration of the back of the empty passenger seat WAY more than I can feel it, and my passengers don't even notice it.

Originally Posted by RL18

Spyro, have you checked the Guibos in the front and rear driveshafts? With your mileage I would suspect these are most likely shot, especially with the torque of your deleted x5d.

I'm actually planning on dropping the diffs for the diff swap, which includes shafts and the front subframe and all that good stuff. I actually have to do a new front shaft, converting to the non-gumbo LCI type, and the rear CSB and gumbo will certainly be replaced at the same time while it's all out anyway.

[Headhunter.M3]

I have this same issue, I changed thrust arms and had several shops check driveshafts and all suspension with no issues. I put new tires on and had them roadforced.. still vibrates.. i finally had a wheel shop that specializes in high performance vehicles find that my rims were slightly bent. No other shops, including two different bmw dealers could find that. He said the rims can get slightly bent from run flat tires and its very hard to notice without taking the tires off and having high end equipment. He also said the run flat tires are so heavy and stiff they absorb a lot of the vibration from the bent rims so once I put the non run flats on is why the vibration was more pronounced... He straightened them the best he could and it still did not fix the vibration so he did not charge me out of good will, great guy. So i ordered new OZ rims and tires roadforced balanced by tirerack and am putting them on this week.. if this does not fix the issue.. i might just go put a brick on the gas pedal and let the vehicle drive itself into a wall i am so frustrated with it!!! Lol. Really hoping its the bent rim. The specialist said its such a slight bend he would be surprised that is what is causing the vibration but after having everything checked on suspension, motor mounts, drivetrain, etc I just have no.idea what else it could be.

Did you have a specialist check your rims?

[Headhunter.M3]

tirerack even concurred and said that your tires can road force to spec but if you have a bent rim on a high performance tire you can still have a vibration undectable by a road force balancer... i am learning a lot in this process.. i hope these new rims fix the issue!!