In a nutshell, why does the front end shimmy upon braking?
This is a two-part answer: (1) This car’s suspension was intentionally designed to be responsive and nimble, unlike many big American sedans which allow heavy weight to rest on the front wheels. As a light suspension, it is more prone to transmitting vibrations through the steering wheel. In the E28 (and to some extent the E30 and E36), these vibrations are caused by deteriorating components in the suspension. As these various components wear, the evidence of their wear becomes apparent through vibrations in the steering wheel most noticeably upon braking, and particularly between 50-65 mph (80-105kph). (2) The other half of the problem rests with the material used in the brake pads and how it interacts with the rotors, and the combination thereof. In the mid-80’s, asbestos was outlawed in the USA. After the E28 had already been *designed* and produced, BMW had to search for a semi-metallic pad for replacement parts (scheduled maintenance), because they couldn’t sell the asbestos pads
