M3 Steering wheel judder

[Chessers]

My steering wheel has started to judder under medium to heavy braking, have checked pads all round and they look fine, pretty sure that the discs must be warped.

However car has only travelled 9,000 miles is this normal ??

Not done any track days and after any spirited driving just leave in first gear and leave the handbrake off for 30 mins to keep the pads off the disc.

Any ideas on what it can be or does it definately sound like the discs?

If so anyone have any idea of the damage to my pocket

Edited by Chessers on Sunday 23 September 09:53

[Mroad]

Try the pad rebedding in procedure, sometimes it helps as what can seem like warped discs is often pad material left on the discs (even if you can't see it). It's worth a try and won't cost you anything.

[Chessers]

top man will do - fingers crossed.

[road_rager]

my 330i has done this a couple of times with new discs, if it's under waranty get them to replace the front discs

[Kiernan]

Just joined so please be gentle with me.

My 2005 M3 is doing exactly as described in the post above, and as I've only done just under 11k, hope that the discs aren't in need of replacement justyet. Anyone care to enlighten meon what the rebedding proceedure is? Is this just a number of heavybraking sessions from high speed (although not breaking the speed limit, obviously), or is there something I'm missing?

Thanks.

[belleair302]

On the M3 you would be better off replacing the calipers, pads and disks with something upto the job. The standard kit is not very good and does not do the job required. Look at something from AP or Mov'it.

[neil.d]

M3 discs are prone to warping sadly. You do need to be a little gentle.
Another problem I have found is sticking calipers.
After normal driving, ideally motorway, stop the car in the first layby and feel the heat of the wheels.
If one is considerably hotter (ie too hot to touch) while the other feels normal/cool you may have a sticking/binding caliper. The heat generated from the brake being on will pass through to the wheel. This caused juddering in mine. If this is the case You will pobably need new pads and a caliper seal kit. BMW should replace the whole thing under warranty, if you dont have one then get the seal kit, strip the caliper and do it yourself. Not that difficult and dont let BMW tell you you need a whole caliper.

Neil