e92 m3 steering wheel shake/Vibration

[bonb]

I am not going to say that I am an expert on BMWs or an experienced mechanic. But, I worked on cars that I owned for over 8 years (4 BMWs 2 are M3) and this is the first time that people around me cannot even get me an answer. I have been doing research and trying to find out what is going on for a while now. However, I still not able to find out what is the problem or just due to after market parts. Before I go for KW or most likely Ohlines with front and rear sway bar up grade, I would love to know if this is the problem from the parts, installation, or something else.

Car drives and handles well before 65MPH. It will have the shake appears by going with higher speed. Some time it shakes more, some time it not as bad and more like a vibration. Also, car seems like having alignment issue too, it will pull to right or left, but right side is more often.

Parts used:
Megan Racing coilover with the stabilizer end links come with the kit.
Stock sway bar.
Lowered and car sets about 26 inches above the ground, so it is not slammed at all.
OEM e46 competition package 19' wheels with 275/35/19 and 295/30/19 and in the fronts have 20mm H&R spacer.

Things I have tried:

1.Alignment done twice by two different shops and they are the shops you need to go in Twincities area, both are 5 star shops. Came back with the same spec sheets and been asking at least 5 expert on this and no one said I have alignment problem.

2. Thought was a tire pull or balance. Since I just have new tires put on, so tire ship get me another new set to try which is the same, also balanced the tire three times already. Nothing has changed. Maybe I should find a place to do a higher speed balance?

3. There are no problem or issues on the wheel, also check twice at the tire shop.

Things I have questions with:

1. When install the coilover set I found that e92 front sway bar is different than e46 sway bar. After release both sides end-links, it stay still and will not move with any angles to fit with the new/shorter end-links. Good thing is the gap/overlap is not much, so, I still able to put them in with a jack, but don't know if that will be the right way to do it. Is this a installation mistake that I made or that is how the sway bar designed?

2. I did torque everything with the recommended specs. I assume that the car do not have too much tension while turning, but it clunks (sounds like the sway bar is turning hard on the rubber bushing then clunk when the bushing cannot hold the position) if I turn all the way right or left. Is this related to the last question, or something else might have problem?

3. Jack up the car and try to find out what is wrong or if anything that I have done was not right. Then, I try to turn the steering wheel around while both front wheels lifted, I found out that the steering wheel will not turn freely, Max I can turn is about 1/3 of a lap on each side with a lot of force applied to it. Also, it will counter back itself, but not back to centered position. Is this the same as other e92 m3s? (Ignition is on position two but car not running)

Here is one post that I found a lot people can get help with. However, I did not see anything from 1-10 applies to my car. Warranty still with the car and the breaks been checked as well. I think all these problems can give you an idea that there must be some funny sh!t going on with my car.

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=695222

[gthberg]

I had a similar issue. Several trips to the dealership didn't find the problem. It was a bent wheel..discovered by my tire shop. That type of vibration is almost always a bent wheel. I'd go to a different wheel/tire shop and have them check the inner barrel of the wheel. Had this same issue about 3 times on several different sets of wheels, and it was a bent wheel every time, all on the inside of the rim.

[gazosnic]

if you have spacers - remove them

[kenwelch]

When your wheels were "balanced" did they use a Road-force type tire balancer and also check wheel & tire run-out?

Have you checked wheel and tire run-out with the tires mounted on the vehicle?

These are a few resources that might help:

Hunter Engineering wheel balancing
http://www.hunter.com/videos/index.cfm?cat=3

Watch "Why does my car still shake" and "Road Force Touch TV Spot" videos.

Read this article:
http://www.gsp9700.com/technical/5098t/5098t.htm

You can locate a independent location that has a Road Force Balancer using the Hunter site HERE
http://www.gsp9700.com/search/findgsp9700.cfm

[JsL]

Try removing the spacers and see if that fixes it. Did you remove ALL the rust where the hub meets the wheel with a wire brush before installing them?

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by gthberg

I had a similar issue. Several trips to the dealership didn't find the problem. It was a bent wheel..discovered by my tire shop. That type of vibration is almost always a bent wheel. I'd go to a different wheel/tire shop and have them check the inner barrel of the wheel. Had this same issue about 3 times on several different sets of wheels, and it was a bent wheel every time, all on the inside of the rim.

This was my initial thought also. Had a hub bent wheel and shake pronounced at speed. Just looking at the wheel spinning on balancer should be able to see if that is culprit.

[to///m]

My money is on the issue being your spacers.

Take the spacers off then see if that fixes the problem.

I had the exact same issue and it was my MS spacers. Sometimes the vibration was bad, sometimes it wasn't as bad, but almost always after about 60 mph. Our M3's have a very sensitive steering wheel and minor imperfections in the spacer or spacer contact can cause this.

Solution: Get a set of wheels to the offset you desire... like mine

[BzsBimmer]

Help explain statement 1 again... you used an e46 sway bar link set instead of an E9X?

[bonb]

Originally Posted by BzsBimmer

Help explain statement 1 again... you used an e46 sway bar link set instead of an E9X?

No, I had E46 before, so they seems designed much different for the better handling. E46 M sway bar won't fit on mine for sure.

[blue flowers]

Probably the spacers.

[C-M2]

Spacers or wheels/tires not balanced correctly.

[KJ]

Swap the Fronts left to right and vice versa...that might fix it.

[BzsBimmer]

Ok it's been four days since the last update. Inquiring minds want to know lol

[bonb]

Sorry, have been really busy. Will have things tested by tomorrow. If I found anything changed will post here.

[bonb]

checked the tires and removed the spacers. did some test drive. it seems fixed problem. will have more drive within the next few days and will post a final results here. thanks for all the help. i will start to look for the new rims.

[Honda]

So spacers were causing the issue? Some ppl on this forum would swear on spacers

[BzsBimmer]

Or just buy some better spacers.
Wire brush the hub where the spacer will sit

Make sure you don't over torque your wheels and use the star torque pattern.

[JsL]

Originally Posted by e90-335i

So spacers were causing the issue? Some ppl on this forum would swear on spacers

Spacers are fine, the imperfections (rust, etc...) that sit between your hub and spacer and spacer and wheel is not. Those imperfections or contaminates don't allow the spacer to sit flat on the hub - > spacer - > wheel.

[bonb]

Everything is clean and never over torque anything on my car. Always have a torque wrench with me. Cleaned both wheel and spacers to make sure that the rust and other things causing the problem, but it still there. I think H&R spacers are really good and H&R is good brand. I will get new wheels soon. This set will be FS. It is E46 19' CSL which is about $2200. Let me know if you all are interested and I will post on FS section once they are off the car.

[M3Bimmer77]

I just had a bad experience installing my spacers. I bought Renn spacers. Really nice quality. I would recommend them. My problem was a little vibration around 68 m/h. I took the spacers off and went for a test. No vibration. So I figure that the problem wasn't the alignment or balancing of the wheel. I started by doing a very thorough cleaning (not that I didn't do it the first time), check if the spacer fitted the hub and then checked the spacer on the wheel. All good. I saw that a little bit of the antiseize had gone to the hub so I cleaned it really good as well as the spacer. Reinstall everything back. Went for attest drive and now the vibration is around 80. Now that I know it's clean I have no idea what else to do. Any suggestions???

[BzsBimmer]

Originally Posted by M3Bimmer77

I just had a bad experience installing my spacers. I bought Renn spacers. Really nice quality. I would recommend them. My problem was a little vibration around 68 m/h. I took the spacers off and went for a test. No vibration. So I figure that the problem wasn't the alignment or balancing of the wheel. I started by doing a very thorough cleaning (not that I didn't do it the first time), check if the spacer fitted the hub and then checked the spacer on the wheel. All good. I saw that a little bit of the antiseize had gone to the hub so I cleaned it really good as well as the spacer. Reinstall everything back. Went for attest drive and now the vibration is around 80. Now that I know it's clean I have no idea what else to do. Any suggestions???

You pretty much solved your issue above
Just because you cleaned your HUB doesn't mean you don't have a bad spacer.

You didn't state what size spacer you have or if it's hub centric but read what you wrote above that I put in bold, and read it again.

[bigjae1976]

Just like the wheel...you have to make sure you seat the spacer flat. I wire brush the face, apply anti-seize, and clean the back of the wheels.

Clean, clean, clean!