XSeries-forum

Hi there , firstly thankyou for the great help I've already had from this forum simply by being a guest and reading.
I have quite a viscous wobble under braking at around 40mph upwards , after all the reading I have done the following

Changed all front arms and balljoints , still the same

Changed all rear arms and joints (was an advisory on MOT last year)

Front disks and pads were changed just before I bought the car (just over 6minths agi,)

I'm tearing my hair out , spent a nice summer of cash so far trying to sort it out , I suppose what I'm really asking is does anybody have any other ideas / experience with this issue !!

Am I looking at a rack problem ? , Shocks ? I'm stumped , I have had it in the air numerous times and everything g feels nice and tight. Front wheels are balanced and tracking is spot on after doing all the arms etc, tyres were new also just after I bought it , I'm just about to have new rear tyres as they are shot and because I've just done rear arms etc I will have the rear tracked as soon as it has the new shoes on

Am i doomed lol ? , Please any ideas , thanks for reading

How long have you had the problem, did it start gradually and get worse, when you brake does your initial push on the pedal go further down than a second push. Do you have any free play in the steering, have you checked for a sticking caliper or warped disc,

Discs & Pads replaced according to OP but issue still present.    Sticking caliper definitely worth a check.

Are the wheels 'true' and is there any crud between the wheel and the hub itself - would cause the wheel to sit incorrectly?

Worth just checking that all four rims are running true in case the issue is actually at the rear but causing front end shake.....

Are all of the replacement arms still tight when under load - that is the only way to really check.  Putting the car in the air 'unloads' parts.

Check thrust bushes.

Common and known issue on E53 - life expectancy 70k miles approx

Thankyou guys for the replies , just to answer some of your questions first

This did come on gradually and has now stayed the same (quite bad to be honest) , I haven't noticed the brake pedal lower on the first press I think it is the same but will check

Everything is tight under load (did read that somewhere else so double checked)

Mating surfaces of wheels to hub are clean and everything seems to sit true but when I get new rear tyres (this Thursday) I will get them taken off and have another good look

Just to check about the thrust bushes AW8 mentioned , with the new arms I bought and fitted is that bush already installed in the arm? (Not wanting to sound dumb but just double checking there isn't a extra bush I haven't checked lol)

Hopefully that answers your questions (fingers crossed)

Rear disks and pads I have no idea when were changed they are next on the list , could these cause steering wheel wobble?

What Is the best way to check for sticking calipers , I have felt all alloys after a good journey and none seem to be hotter than the other

Thanks again guys , I really appreciate the help

Re thrust bushes scroll to item 6 below

https://www.eeuroparts.com/blog/4004/bm ... on-issues/

A very good stateside summary of common E53 issues. Shame we don't  have such good indy parts shop write ups in UK.

The link above indicates bushes can be bought individually or L/H & R/H bushes can be sourced with bushings pre pressed in.

If you look on realoem you can see what bushes are there.

I got mine done at main dealer shortly after purchase and when an Insp 2 done......Sorry I cannot give instal advice. Trying to undo 15 year old suspension parts that may be siezed does not appeal......respect to anyone doing this.

The best way to check for sticking caliper is to get a laser temperature gun.  361435030500
Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing.
cheap and very useful, go for a drive and then point at Discs, see if there's much variation in temperature, better than trying discs with your hand :-[ If any are sticking my have caused the disc to warp even if fairly new.

Thanks AW8 , I have defo changed them , that was the first thing I read up on and when I changed them and it was still there I was gob smacked as like you say seems to solve most people's problems  :'(

Maybe look at the opposite end collar bushes

Henrym3 such a simple idea and I can borrow one from work , never gave it a thought , just shows it good to talk , thanks

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showpa ... Id=31_0521

7 are thrust bushes usually changed I mean item 11

Lower (rear arm) control arm to front subframe bushings I think but I am a bit poor with specifics of underside bushes.

Not heard of these failing on E53 but they did on our Z3

) Thanks AW8 , I was looking at the other arm from you first link but yes I have changed them both , I'm kinda praying this could be a sticky caliper now !!! If it is I'm looking at a recon caliper ? And new disks and pads for both side ? Gonna grab the temp reader tomoz

Discs a regular cause. New ones can warp quickly with some confident late braking.

Agree re temp....If its a sticking caliper one will be likely hotter than other after a short drive. Of course you can take off wheel & remove caliper to check properly. Just be mindfulmonce you start pulling things apart you might not want to reassemble without a new caliper.

Wind back tool required or clamp if removing... Disc wear is another indicator.

Ball joints can fail as on any car but sturdier on E53 than some suggest if potholes avoided and driven with some intelligence.

Discs vary hugely in quality.....but you will know that. I would fit in choice order OEM then brembo jurid textar not Pagid on this.

Be careful as I struggled to found genuine brembos. I  found some being sold by a UK seller that Brembo did not recognise.....can't recall seller now sorry.

They are definitely pagid on the front !!!!! Maybe we are warped then , didn't realise pagid were a no go AW8 :'(

Hmm....need to be mindful what I say.

Allegedly someone in trade I allegedly know allegedly indicated they allegedly had a car with alleged shimmy and allegedly recent pagid discs. Allegedly the pagids were allegedly swapped out for Brembo and problem gone. In this instance the car was NOT an E53 X5. He allegedly does not fit Pagid now 

In fairness to various brake disc manufacturers....Warping like symptoms could be a number of factors, poor bedding in, poor instal, vehicle driven too hard, excessive heavy braking into puddles etc......or varying quality

Brakes on 4.6is & 4.8is are bigger. I would want decent brand discs if sticking to OEM sizes.....which I would.

Years ago someone on old site we used had a Brembo Big Brake kit.....cost supplied and fitted was well over a grand nearer 2k I think