i spent yesterday trying to get the track rat ready for its first 2012 track day next weekend and it has developed two issues. the first is a vibration in the front that i cant seem to track down. it isnt the tires, it doesnt seem to be play in the hubs, the struts are pretty new.it varies whenit occurs. sometimes between 40 and 50 mph, aqnd once between 70 and 90. the vibration only occurs in spurts instead of being continuous.
the other issue is the hubs are a little warmer than usual on the front... but not too hot to touch likea burnt out hub bearing, and it is even side from side to side.
really the only thing that was changed in the front end since the last track day was the brake pads when i went up to an EBC set.. is it possible the grippier pads are doing this to me?
are there any other things i should look at?
doesn't sound like a pad issue. Sounds more like bad balljoints - probably on the LCAs, but could also just be the steering tie rod ends (either inner or outer).
could also be driveshaft-related. When I bought my e30 I was getting vibrations "from the front" at highway speeds and it turned out that the front driveshaft bolts (where it bolts to the giubo/rubber donut/transmission output) were loose.
gripper pads could be causing the slightly more heat up front, but that shouldn't be your vibration issue.
If it's balljoints - Moog sells all the replacement BJ's for the LCA. It'll cost a bit less than new LCAs, and the Moogs are better quality than the ones that would come on non-OEM aftermarket LCAs I'd bet.
oh, also check the rear LCA mount for play.
i di check the rear lca mount yesterday and it was tight. i will double checkthem as well as the balljoints. i checked the steerring rack ties rod ends when i looked at the hubs. there is some play in the rack, but the rod ends are tight and the play goes evenly from tire to tire (ie a movement in the right tire translates to the same movement on the left tire)
i will check the driveline too. good suggestion.
In addition to above - check the lower control arm bushings. When they go let the back of the control arm wiggle. Put a crowbar between the car and the arm and push them around looking for tears in the rubber. Replace with Treehouse Racing Eyeballs for a track rat.
Also check that the strut is tight where it holds the insert in - if it backs off you can get a little play in the damping.
darn rain! i need a garage!
i think the rear bushings are the culprit. the alighnment from yesterday was completely different than what i just gotr when i backed up to the garage.last check was almost 2.5 degrees of toe in and when i looked underneath the rear lca bushing was crushed far outside.... which would increase toe in. new rear lca bushings ordered! thanks guys!
M3Loco
New Reader
5/13/12 3:35 p.m.
What they said. Worn Control Arm Bushings can cause this vibration. I'm due to replace mine also. I'm thinking a set of E30 M3 offset ones, or a set of urethane ones will do the trick.
Good Luck!
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:
In addition to above - check the lower control arm bushings. When they go let the back of the control arm wiggle. Put a crowbar between the car and the arm and push them around looking for tears in the rubber. Replace with Treehouse Racing Eyeballs for a track rat.
Also check that the strut is tight where it holds the insert in - if it backs off you can get a little play in the damping.
as someone who experienced that recently, I don't think that's his problem. That produces an audible clunking sound over bumps but no vibration at all on smooth highways (I drove 100 miles with one of my collars about 5 turns from tight and didn't feel it until I drove down a bumpy road at 20mph!)
I mean, I'd check it anyhow but don't count on it being the issue.
for rear bushings, go with the e30 M3 offset bushings. Won't affect NVH, but are solid rubber (without the "gaps" like the regular e30 ones have). Solid ones you better like NVH!
So I go to remove the rear lca mounts, and while I am pulling on the mount for the drivers side I hear a thud and a rattle that followed. I looked toward where the noise came from , and found the outer ball joint stud hanging onthe strut about an inch from the socket! Guess I need a new ball joint too!
