[akk]

So this past weekend I had a little incident with a curb...understeered into it doing about 50-60 kph, with a kind of glancing blow. First hit driver front, then driver rear. Right away my steering wheel was off center by about 20 degrees, and I had steering angle plausibility error and awd limp-home mode codes.

Brought the car to a shop, they replaced front driver side squiggly part (cant remember the name) and aligned it, said nothing else was damaged. I drove the car home, but it is still pulling slightly to the left when driving normally, and pulling HARD right when braking - the faster i am going, the more noticeable the pull while braking is.

So after this, I brought it to another shop to get aligned and look at the suspension. They got it in spec, but it still pulls left when driving, and hard right when braking. The tech told me that its either the front spindle (knuckle?) or bent strut.

Anyone have any idea what is more likely to be the case, knuckle or strut to be bent? Or something else entirely? Could something be damaged in the rear? Might as well get bc racing coils if i need to change out struts, but dont want to dump tons of money into guesses if it can be avoided.

[nsjames]

the fact that it changes when braking tells me that something must be moving.

I would suspect the tension strut bushing. they can look fine, but move if the liquid has come out.

that's what my issue was under braking.
two new ones and everything was smooth again.

[akk]

Originally Posted by nsjames

the fact that it changes when braking tells me that something must be moving.

I would suspect the tension strut bushing. they can look fine, but move if the liquid has come out.

that's what my issue was under braking.
two new ones and everything was smooth again.

So I figured out that they aligned my car to F30 spec....wtf

wonder if that could cause my issues?

If it was the tension strut bushing, wouldn't it have to be the right side thats broken to cause the car to dip right when braking? Which doesn't make sense cause I hit the curb with my left side.

[nsjames]

maybe, but if it were simply alignment I'd think it would pull all the time.

you need to get it up on some stands and push/pull/prod until you find what's sloppy.

inspect the brakes too. you could have a stuck caliper on the opposite side that's not applying force.

yeah, super not helpful I know, but it can be anything in the front suspension/brakes that causes a pull.
I've even had weird tire wear cause strange pulls/dartiness under braking.

[akk]

Originally Posted by nsjames

maybe, but if it were simply alignment I'd think it would pull all the time.

you need to get it up on some stands and push/pull/prod until you find what's sloppy.

inspect the brakes too. you could have a stuck caliper on the opposite side that's not applying force.

yeah, super not helpful I know, but it can be anything in the front suspension/brakes that causes a pull.
I've even had weird tire wear cause strange pulls/dartiness under braking.

Yeah, I tried that and nothing is loose

I am considering it could be the caliper but i really doubt it cause it only started doing this after i hit the curb...would be quite a coincidence

Tires are new, just bought them in December

[akk]

Update:

Alignment was done again (the first one was done to F30 spec), and everything was set perfectly. I have the sheet to prove it.

Now, the car drifts left when driving normally and when i brake medium-hard, it pulls right and I have to turn the steering wheel about 15-20 degrees left to go straight. Once the wheel is in that position, I can let go of it (while still braking) and it will stay there and the car will continue braking straight.

Alignment shop said the strut and knuckle arent bent because they wouldnt be able to align the car if either was bent. They did find that the rear left wheel was bent pretty severely, but I do not think that would cause the car to pull, it would vibrate.

the symptoms are that of a stuck/sticking right front brake caliper (I think), but would hitting a curb cause the caliper to stick suddenly?

Idk what to do...

[Antetokounmpo]

Originally Posted by akk

Update:

Alignment was done again (the first one was done to F30 spec), and everything was set perfectly. I have the sheet to prove it.

Now, the car drifts left when driving normally and when i brake medium-hard, it pulls right and I have to turn the steering wheel about 15-20 degrees left to go straight. Once the wheel is in that position, I can let go of it (while still braking) and it will stay there and the car will continue braking straight.

Alignment shop said the strut and knuckle arent bent because they wouldnt be able to align the car if either was bent. They did find that the rear left wheel was bent pretty severely, but I do not think that would cause the car to pull, it would vibrate.

the symptoms are that of a stuck/sticking right front brake caliper (I think), but would hitting a curb cause the caliper to stick suddenly?

Idk what to do...

I'm curious if you resolve this. My 335 has the exact same problem for the last 3 years or so. Basically everything has been replaced minus brake components.

[nsjames]

Originally Posted by akk

Update:

Alignment was done again (the first one was done to F30 spec), and everything was set perfectly. I have the sheet to prove it.

Now, the car drifts left when driving normally and when i brake medium-hard, it pulls right and I have to turn the steering wheel about 15-20 degrees left to go straight. Once the wheel is in that position, I can let go of it (while still braking) and it will stay there and the car will continue braking straight.

Alignment shop said the strut and knuckle arent bent because they wouldnt be able to align the car if either was bent. They did find that the rear left wheel was bent pretty severely, but I do not think that would cause the car to pull, it would vibrate.

the symptoms are that of a stuck/sticking right front brake caliper (I think), but would hitting a curb cause the caliper to stick suddenly?

Idk what to do...

you wouldn't think, but I do agree that it sounds like you have uneven braking.

it would likely be on the left side though.
if you're getting pull to the right that is the side doing more braking than the other.

[Emilime75]

I'm with nsjames, the diagnosis doesn't fit the symptoms.

As I was reading through the thread I thought the brakes could be at fault, but I'd think the issue for both of your problems would be on the left side.

My internet theory is that the left caliper is;
A. Dragging, causing a slight drift/pull to the left when not applying the brakes, while also...
B. Not engaging, causing the hard pull to the right when you are applying the brakes.

[akk]

Originally Posted by Antetokounmpo

I'm curious if you resolve this. My 335 has the exact same problem for the last 3 years or so. Basically everything has been replaced minus brake components.

[QUOTE=Antetokounmpo;25808544]

Originally Posted by akk

Update:

I'm curious if you resolve this. My 335 has the exact same problem for the last 3 years or so. Basically everything has been replaced minus brake components.

I will do my best! Going to take it in to the Stealer on Tuesday for an alignment, maybe they'll figure it out..

[akk]

Originally Posted by Emilime75

I'm with nsjames, the diagnosis doesn't fit the symptoms.

As I was reading through the thread I thought the brakes could be at fault, but I'd think the issue for both of your problems would be on the left side.

My internet theory is that the left caliper is;
A. Dragging, causing a slight drift/pull to the left when not applying the brakes, while also...
B. Not engaging, causing the hard pull to the right when you are applying the brakes.

Originally Posted by Antetokounmpo

I'm curious if you resolve this. My 335 has the exact same problem for the last 3 years or so. Basically everything has been replaced minus brake components.

Originally Posted by Emilime75

I'm with nsjames, the diagnosis doesn't fit the symptoms.

As I was reading through the thread I thought the brakes could be at fault, but I'd think the issue for both of your problems would be on the left side.

My internet theory is that the left caliper is;
A. Dragging, causing a slight drift/pull to the left when not applying the brakes, while also...
B. Not engaging, causing the hard pull to the right when you are applying the brakes.

I have a flir thermal camera, and I checked the front brakes after driving for a bit, they were both about 10 degrees apart in temp.

I'm thinking maybe something like my tie rod is bent outward (hit front left wheel while it was turned right and the alignment shop could get it within spec but the geometry is off when I load up the front suspension? that could also be caused by one of the LCA bushings being new and the other worn out maybe?

[CALWATERBOY]

Originally Posted by Emilime75

I'm with nsjames, the diagnosis doesn't fit the symptoms.

As I was reading through the thread I thought the brakes could be at fault, but I'd think the issue for both of your problems would be on the left side.

My internet theory is that the left caliper is;
A. Dragging, causing a slight drift/pull to the left when not applying the brakes, while also...
B. Not engaging, causing the hard pull to the right when you are applying the brakes.

May be separate issues -- If either left brake not working, pulls hard right on pedal press.

Drift left while driving most likely an alignment issue --> an alignment can be done if a bushing or ball joint's damaged; will go out of alignment immediately on any stress.

[akk]

So i figured it out...

went to 4 different shops, BMW indy, alignment shop, body shop, and my go to guy. All 4 told me it could be either brake or alignment issues (or both).

browsing through e90post and facebook e9x groups, my suspicion of the front right side rearward LCA was repeated in a couple of other posts with similar issues.

Got that replaced, aligned and problem solved! Now just have to replace my bent wheels..

Hope this helps someone out!

[Emilime75]

What was the issue with the LCA? Bent, or worn//damaged bushings?

[akk]

Originally Posted by Emilime75

What was the issue with the LCA? Bent, or worn//damaged bushings?

Seems to be that there were no issues, just a worn out bushing (or worn enough to make a difference compared to new)