Sloppy Handling 325i (especially in the wet!)

[Riviera]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all your earlier help. Traced my rough running and petrol smelling problem down to an idle valve which has been duly replaced.

I really enjoyed driving my car until it rained and now I have discovered it is hell-bent on killing me! I found the rear subframe mounts were worn and so these have been replaced an improved things however, can anyone shed immediate light on the rough symptoms;

1.Back end feels disconnected to what happens at the front end! The back feels taut and stiff but the front feels nervous and light.
2.Back end lights up far too easy. Car is on factory fitted M-Tech suspension and any undulation or camber change at virtually any speed has the rear hopping and skipping.
3.Front seems to bounce over bumps in road or when turning at med/high speeds. For instance, when going over speed bumps it feels like you have scaled sheer cliff face and car bounces after.
4.Steering feels dead
5.Steering wheel shimmies and vibrates under braking
6.I live in fear of the back-end swinging out and it is scary!

What other components should be inspected and how do I tell what is worn and I will replace it. I just want to avoid throwing loads of money on what started off a cheap, fun car!

Do you think it could be dampers?

What other bushes can be changed in front suspension which would lead to car feeling sharp again?

Please help!

Thanks,

Riviera.

Do you guys think

[Dan318-is]

alrite mate

the rough end may be dampers but to me it sounds like its a steering angle to do with your dampers called king pin inclination. its the angle at which your strut is mounted, and incorrect adjustment can cause unnecesary bump steer and horrible steering problems like you suggest

all i can sugest is getting this reset and seing what happens

your going about it the rite way checking the small things first htough i think

let us know pal

[Riviera]

Cheers Buddy!

Any recommendations on the sort of place I should be looking at to be able to reset geometry?

Body repaire centre? BMW Specialist?

Does it require a jig or is it something done by someon who knows what they are doing?


Cheers,


Riviera

[Dan318-is]

Just quickly, does the vehicle self centre iself??

iv also read that incorect adjustment of this angle can be caused by bent struts, bent lower or upper wishbones, or location points being moved.

im pretty sure repairing these is the only way to sort out the problem,

christ knows were u can get it done, any suspension or car gargae should be able to check it over and do it for you

however i would not guarentee its this, get it checked by a pro first but i would say its a fairly hih posibilty that this is the problemo

no idea what it requires

[Martinaston]

Take the front wheels off and check the tyres for an even wear pattern.
You may just have it set with too much toe in.
You can sometimes spot this if you drive backwards and forwards a few feet and the car raises when going forward, but the suspension has normally seen beter days to be able to spot this.

If you have too much toe in it will make the car feel responsive on turn in but eventually take's it's toll on the tyre's, bush's and bearings.

Or
if the rear bushes were replaced then at a guess the front tracking arm bushes are the same age (about Ԛ£8.50 each) it might be worth replacing them anyway.

P.S. Don't go to kwik fitup.

[Dan318-is]

i cannot enhance that last point enough

never go to kwik fit

if found hi Q r good

not kwik fit

[Martinaston]

I went to kwik fukup a few years ago to get the tracking done after i told him the steering wheel was not on straight but that that was where the rack was dead centre he insisted for a good ten minuets that he should place the wheel in its centre position and then adjust the tracking
So i gave up and let him get on with it.
After i took it back to him the third time his boss was there and i just called the bloke a c**t in front of him

I went home and used a couple of bit's of MDF and a laser spirit level and got it spot on first time

So much for specialist eqipment.

The sooner Kwik Fit go the way of Tiny the better

[Dan318-is]

ahahaha good point

i asked them to fit a brand new exhaust on teh VW, made for mk2's

ten minutes in the waiting room, its done then ten mins up the road i hear a clonk

its off

went back an got the 25 quid an left didnt even bother with em

fitted it myself n its never moved since

[Turbo-Brown]

Didn't think you could adjust the KPI on these cars as the top mount's not adjustable and nor are any of the bottom mounts.

Only really leaves the tracking, unless it is a bent strut

[slideways]

just a point to make. its not kpi. that can only be found on vehicle s with a solid beam (reverse elliot) front axle with a king pin.
on a car it is know as sai or swivle axis inclination. it is an imaginery angle created beween the top of the suspensin strut and the bottom ball joint or on double wishbown cars between the top and bottom ball joint

[rickk]

I'm pretty sure it's the rear bushes of the front control arms (can't think of the official name right now, but I guess you get it) - the steering wheel shake when breaking is a dead giveaway. U

All other symptoms could/would be caused by it, except for the back breaking out, but that just might be caused by a lack of confidence caused by the front being so vague.

Usually the fault pretty easy to spot by eye when you're under the car.

While your at it, replace them with E30 M3 ones (available at the stealers), just marginally more expensive but noticably more stiff and a little bit offset giving you more caster,which improves turn in, steering feel under braking and high speed stability. It's beyond me why the didn't fit these as standard on all E30s.

If your dampers are well, it should drive like a new one after this.

Good luck,
- Rick