Steering shakes when brakes are applied?

[zizou10]

While I'm driving when I apply my brakes to come to a stop the steering starts to shake a little bit. Does anyone know what this is and how can I fix it?

[millertimebmw03]

Check your lower control arm bushings, brake rotors could be warped and/or tierods.!!!!!
Happy hunting!

[SpunkyE30nOk]

Warped rotors!!! common part of a bmw's diet, time for an upgrade buddy

[bimma328]

Well first let me say that if the shaking feeling is only in the steering wheel and not in the peddle then its most likely your balljoints or tie rod ends as others have mentinoed. If you get a pulsating feeling in your peddle then yes you need rotors.

I too am having this problem. Though I must state that I only experience this problem at speeds over above 40mph. Also If I put light pressure on the brake pedal I feel nothing as far as shaking goes. It really only happens when I apply approx 40% and above breaking force.

At first I thought rotors but they are fairly new brembo cross drilled rotors. Further I get absolutley no pulsating in the peddle what so ever. I am confident it is not the rotors. That leaves either tie rod or ball joints.

So I jacked the car up and tried to shake the wheel with my hands (the cheap and quick way to check for a worn ball joint). Well I really dont have much play at all up and down. But side to side (as if the wheel were turning) there is noticeable play. So does this sounds like balljoints or tie rods. I am leaning towards the tie rods in my opion. Based on visual inspection of the tie rod ends they seem to be okay.

Does anyone know of a proper method to test the balljoints and tie rods on our cars? Not sure which one is the problem and I'd rather know for sure instead of replacing both of them.

[zizou10]

If it is the rotors do I need to replace fron and rear?

[SpunkyE30nOk]

fronts generally warp first...if u are hard on ya brakes or autocross it, I would inspect all four, my fronts warped about 8 mos ago, and it was just the fronts my rears were ok, but i had them turned anyway just for good measure

[bmw318is1994]

you might as well replace both your ball joints and your tie rod ends if you're sure that's the problem. if your ball joints are out your tie rods should be close behing or vise versa. it would probably save you a head ache and just get all of it over with in one shot than waiting and then a month down the road your car is doing something else that is shouldnt be doing. just my input on it.

[daki77]

...Having the same problem (at all speeds)! I think this...

you might as well replace both your ball joints and your tie rod ends if you're sure that's the problem. if your ball joints are out your tie rods should be close behing or vise versa. it would probably save you a head ache and just get all of it over with in one shot than waiting and then a month down the road your car is doing something else that is shouldnt be doing. just my input on it.
...is the way to do it!

Why is (almost) everybody talking about warped rotors? I think the original poster would mention shaking in the break pedal, if he had any...

[cbouchez]

I had the same problem I had to do a brake bleeding and replace my control arm including ball joints w/new control arm bushing. It runs like a champ!!

[keeptheuroalive]

you might as well replace both your ball joints and your tie rod ends if you're sure that's the problem. if your ball joints are out your tie rods should be close behing or vise versa. it would probably save you a head ache and just get all of it over with in one shot than waiting and then a month down the road your car is doing something else that is shouldnt be doing. just my input on it.
This is the best way to do it. Like he said if one is gone the other is probably pretty close as they directly affect each other.

[earthwormjim]

Replace your tie rods and control arm bushings (ball joints and lcab).

If there's no vibration in the pedal, it's very unlikely it's warped rotors.

[bimma328]

Checked out the tie rods and balljoints again the other day. I am pretty damn sure they are all okay. I am going to change the lower control arm bushing to a urethane set and add an adjustable camber kit. As my car is lowered and has bigger tires on it I am assuming that the camber is not set at the original specs and may have caused premature wear on the lca bushings. Hopefully the new bushings and tweeking the camber will help things out. If not atleast it'll handle a little better and give me another cool mod to add to the list.