E46 M-Sport Cab Tramlining

[Roger645]

Mate just bought an 06 E46 m-sport cab and complains it tramlines a lot, tyre pressures are ok. Car is fine on good quality flat road.

Is this common, any well know tweaks to cut it down a bit?

Thanks

Roger

[Skipppy]

I have researched this a fair bit as my E36 328i does it. It's been blamed on everything from BMW run flats to the steering rack. No one seems to have come up with a solution as of yet!

[Zead]

It could be that the wider rear tyres pick up different grooves, esp motorway from trucks, white lines etc my M coupe can feel like something has broken at times on some roads, my touring does it, and the motorbike is a classic case, all have wider rears.

Check your pressure and wheel balance, find a really good flat resurfaced road and give it a run and a brake test. If it wanders or veers get the geometry checked and brake calipers for seizing, if it doesn't blame the roads you're on and get used to it

[bazking69]

Virtually every BMW I have driven seems to tramline. Excentuated by the sports pack and its wider wheels.

[paoloh]

Roger645 said:

Mate just bought an 06 E46 m-sport cab and complains it tramlines a lot, tyre pressures are ok. Car is fine on good quality flat road.

Is this common, any well know tweaks to cut it down a bit?

Thanks

Roger

They all do it. Low ride height and wide tyres.

[Methane Bloke]

Definitely gets worse when the tyres are nearing their limits. Both e46 Sports we had did it. New set of tyres and perfect again (for a while).

Regards

Chris

[FesterNath]

The suspension bushes are worn - I'd bet my life on it. Mine was doing the same, replaced the bushes (which are a known week point) and it's been perfect ever since. Sounds bad, but it's not a massive job.

[Roger645]

FesterNath said:

The suspension bushes are worn - I'd bet my life on it. Mine was doing the same, replaced the bushes (which are a known week point) and it's been perfect ever since. Sounds bad, but it's not a massive job.

It's only done 10k, would they go so quick?

[paoloh]

Roger645 said:

FesterNath said:

The suspension bushes are worn - I'd bet my life on it. Mine was doing the same, replaced the bushes (which are a known week point) and it's been perfect ever since. Sounds bad, but it's not a massive job.

It's only done 10k, would they go so quick?

No!

[Methane Bloke]

The bushes on ours weren't worn either, we sold the first with 25K on the clock and the second with 22K. Niether car had been ragged but both required new tyres by about 20K. It was night and day once the tyres were changed.

Regards

Chris

[JimexPL]

The bushes might be a problem if it has only done 10k in 4 years, as they will have hardened and perished a bit from lack of use.
Having said that, it depends on what car your mate had before - lots of modern cars tramiline when fitted with wide low profile tyres, regardless of make or model.

[Roger645]

JimexPL said:

The bushes might be a problem if it has only done 10k in 4 years, as they will have hardened and perished a bit from lack of use.
Having said that, it depends on what car your mate had before - lots of modern cars tramiline when fitted with wide low profile tyres, regardless of make or model.

It's an 06, so not that old

[JimexPL]

Roger645 said:

JimexPL said:

The bushes might be a problem if it has only done 10k in 4 years, as they will have hardened and perished a bit from lack of use.
Having said that, it depends on what car your mate had before - lots of modern cars tramiline when fitted with wide low profile tyres, regardless of make or model.

It's an 06, so not that old

Sorry, misread the post. Also forgot to mention that directional tyres, partiucularily the arrow shapet ones, can have quite an effect on the tramlining of a car, or unevenly worn tyres.

[bazking69]

Replacing the front wishbone rear bushes on mine made everything perfect again, except for the tramlining.

[FesterNath]

paoloh said:

Roger645 said:

FesterNath said:

The suspension bushes are worn - I'd bet my life on it. Mine was doing the same, replaced the bushes (which are a known week point) and it's been perfect ever since. Sounds bad, but it's not a massive job.

It's only done 10k, would they go so quick?

No!

My bro has a 325i M Sport estate. Living and driving mostly in Edinburgh has seen the problem come back a year after being fixed.

Seems like a strange one this from what other people are saying, as since my bushes were done the car has been perfect. Maybe, as has been said, tyres have a lot to do with it.