Re: 735i wheel woble

["Diana and Mike Kohlbrenner" <kohlbren-m-d@xxxxxxx>]

Sorry for dredging up this old thread...

- -----Original Message-----
From: Henri Baccouche <henrib@domain.elided>


>> First, the joint in question is not a suspension ball joint, but a
>> tie rod joint -- no bushings involved.
>
>Incredible, How does a tie rod joint cause wheel wobble......?
>Loose imprecise steering yes, Wheel wobble......never seen it.

We'll see.  It needs to be replaced anyway -- perhaps it won't
fix the wobble...

>> Second, are you claiming that thrust arm bushings last 125K miles?
>
>No, but when you replace the thrust arm bushing ; Check the the ball
>joint, take it off to properly inspect. Chances are it be will worn out.

After the 30K miles my thrust arm bushings have lasted?  Man,
I hope ball joints last longer than that.

>Everybody just replaces the thrust arm bushing without ever
>checking the ball joint....

I agree that one should keep a careful eye on suspension ball
joints.

>Most commuter people just get new thrust/control arm bushings
>at around 75-90K miles and never do the ball joints. They should
>be done together : in my experience.
>Hard driving is another level..........replacement comes much sooner.
>Like 20-30K miles.

Ball joints at that many miles?

>> How again does any of this support your point that one should just
>> blindly replace everything in the suspension of a car simply because
>> it reaches 125K miles?
>
> If the car is still has the "Original Equipment" suspension at 125K
>miles.........and many do, then yes, everything should be changed...
>...because everything will be worn out.

The ironic thing is that I do pretty much agree with you _IF_ it
the parts are indeed "original", although I tend to think of this
as more of a gray area rather than some hard and fast magic
mileage point where everything $h!t$ the bed.

But that is not the point, here.  The point here is whether your
flash card response of "replace everything" to anyone with an
older car is of any real help.

Let's run through this.  We now know the following about
the car:

     -66K miles
     -recently had all the ball joints replaced
     -has a bad tie rod end
     -has a wobble at 55-60mph

When the question was first posed, all that was provided was
the fourth item.  Your reply was:

     >I suspect this car probably has well over 125k miles........ the
     >quick fix:
     >Ball joints, struts, control arm bushings, strut bearings etc.
     >need replacement.
     >They wear out as a "group".......IME.

What help was your reply to Emilio, who also at the time knew
items 1 & 2?  Not much.  _THAT_ was precisely my point...

So -- you now say that replacing the faulty tie rod end won't fix
the wobble problem.  Have you any helpful advice for what
might do the trick if, indeed, it doesn't?

Regards,
Mike Kohlbrenner

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