Rear End Wagging Mystery
09-09-2021, 10:51 AM
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Rear End Wagging Mystery
Hi All,
*Edit* Added before and after alignment report
Long time lurker, first time poster.
I have a '00 E55 that I bought about a year and a half ago, now with ~92k miles. I recently refreshed the suspension with H&R springs, Bilstein B8 shocks, replaced all rear suspension links, rear control arm bushings, front control arms, tie rods, spring pads (#3), and front and rear sway bar bushings and links. Prior to doing this the suspension sagged, and felt like a boat driving. I could easily trigger the ESP if I was hustling around a corner too quickly for the computer's liking.
Since the work, the overall chassis performance has increased tremendously. That being said, there is a lurking issue with the rear end: when driving if i hit raised expansion joint, or any sort of uneven surface, the rear of the car will jerk/sway to the right or the left. Additionally when there is a decent amount of water on the road, the rear of the car shimmies from left to right, as well as when i am behind a semi on the highway, likely due to the air buffeting caused by the truck. The car also can pull when changing lanes due to the crown of the road.
During the work, i replaced the front tires (badly needed) with Michelin pilot sport 4's, and have not changed the rear tires as they were replaced prior to my purchase (Michelin Pilot Sport 3's). Following all this work i got an alignment, and promptly felt the issue leaving the shop. I returned to the shop and had the tech check the alignment, and he reported that everything was in spec, and that the car may just inherently behave like that.
At that point after browsing the internet for hours, my search led me to believe that the rear subframe bushings could be the culprit. Prior to doing so i have taken a lever to pretty much every suspension component to check for movement to no avail. Not having a lift in my garage, i took the car to GMP Performance here in Charlotte, and had them take a look at it. They reported that the bushings looked fine visually with no cracking or fluid leakage, and that they don't think they need replacement (they also didnt have the bushing press, so that may have played a role). They put the car in the alignment rack, and stated the steer ahead was to the right, and that it needed adjustment. They aligned the car and got everything within "spec", and also said that this could just be how the car performs. I have a hard time believing this, as the rain and wind buffeting shimmy could definitely be a safety concern. After a round trip to Charleston, i have not felt a difference in all conditions previously mentioned.
My forum research still indicates that the subframe bushings could still be the culprit, but with no visual damage or leakage, i am wondering if this is the right path. Am i missing a component here?
Thanks!
*Edit* Added before and after alignment report
Long time lurker, first time poster.
I have a '00 E55 that I bought about a year and a half ago, now with ~92k miles. I recently refreshed the suspension with H&R springs, Bilstein B8 shocks, replaced all rear suspension links, rear control arm bushings, front control arms, tie rods, spring pads (#3), and front and rear sway bar bushings and links. Prior to doing this the suspension sagged, and felt like a boat driving. I could easily trigger the ESP if I was hustling around a corner too quickly for the computer's liking.
Since the work, the overall chassis performance has increased tremendously. That being said, there is a lurking issue with the rear end: when driving if i hit raised expansion joint, or any sort of uneven surface, the rear of the car will jerk/sway to the right or the left. Additionally when there is a decent amount of water on the road, the rear of the car shimmies from left to right, as well as when i am behind a semi on the highway, likely due to the air buffeting caused by the truck. The car also can pull when changing lanes due to the crown of the road.
During the work, i replaced the front tires (badly needed) with Michelin pilot sport 4's, and have not changed the rear tires as they were replaced prior to my purchase (Michelin Pilot Sport 3's). Following all this work i got an alignment, and promptly felt the issue leaving the shop. I returned to the shop and had the tech check the alignment, and he reported that everything was in spec, and that the car may just inherently behave like that.
At that point after browsing the internet for hours, my search led me to believe that the rear subframe bushings could be the culprit. Prior to doing so i have taken a lever to pretty much every suspension component to check for movement to no avail. Not having a lift in my garage, i took the car to GMP Performance here in Charlotte, and had them take a look at it. They reported that the bushings looked fine visually with no cracking or fluid leakage, and that they don't think they need replacement (they also didnt have the bushing press, so that may have played a role). They put the car in the alignment rack, and stated the steer ahead was to the right, and that it needed adjustment. They aligned the car and got everything within "spec", and also said that this could just be how the car performs. I have a hard time believing this, as the rain and wind buffeting shimmy could definitely be a safety concern. After a round trip to Charleston, i have not felt a difference in all conditions previously mentioned.
My forum research still indicates that the subframe bushings could still be the culprit, but with no visual damage or leakage, i am wondering if this is the right path. Am i missing a component here?
Thanks!
Last edited by TheFullMonty; 09-09-2021 at 01:13 PM.
09-09-2021, 02:11 PM
#3
Newbie
Thread Starter
I would imagine if the diff bushings were bad, i would have more noise and clunking when accelerating/kick down. Right now in a straight line and a smooth road there are no issues. As for the exhaust, i am not sure this would really contribute to body motion.
09-09-2021, 02:54 PM
#4
MBWorld Fanatic!
Most definitely subframe bushings then. Whoever looked at them might have not inspected properly. There are four as you might know already. When were they done last?
