Heavy vibration when braking. Warped rotors?

[raoul742024]

Since i went to get new tires for the Lac teh front end vibrates badly when braking from 50 mph and up, not so bad under 50. I checked the pads and they still look fairly new. I don't have the time right now to have them machinced. Just wondering if they is anything else i should be looking for.

[krimson_cardnal]

If they hammered the wheels on with their pneumatic wrenches it's possible the rotors are now warped. Crack the lugs and re-tighten by hand, might not be that bad and a quick release coud do it. K_C

[Ranger]

My guess is uneven brake pad deposits. Resurface them, after following KC's advice.

[rich2000]

I WOULD NOT resurface them. Rotors today are too thin to resurface. What will happen is, after they get hot they will warp all over again. Buy new ones for only about $25.00 each. Not worth the trouble.

[Ranger]

A very light skim cut should not hurt anything. I've had many rotors resurfaced and have yet to have a problem.

[krimson_cardnal]

They call it truing. As long as it's within spec no problem. New out of the box rotors can need turning. Not that they are warped, just not true. K_C

[raoul742024]

Thanks for the help everyone. The rotors still look like they can be turned but i don't have a micrometer to check. I'll retighten the legs and see if it helps. Rich2000 where are you getting rotor for $25.00? Everywhere around me they average about $80 a piece. Just like Ranger I've have many rotors resurfaced with no problems.

[figment3]

i live in toronto, and had the same problem as you, changed all four rotors,and now smooth as silk, front ones where $30 each and back where $25, took me less than an hour to do all four,not worth turning

[krimson_cardnal]

Value of the dollar, eh? Figure $75 - $85 each rear, fronts twice that - OEM. Cheap ones less - but then again.... Pull the wheels, be sure the rotors are seated cleanly, put it back together and see how it is. If needed have 'em trued. K_C

[Ranger]

I seem to recall Napa turning my rotors for $15 ea. I also seem to recall them having new ones for about $20.

[BigDaddy63]

I just did the brakes on my wife's car. Pep Boys turned the rotors for $10 a piece. As long as the rotors have enough meat on them, they will be fine. Never put old pads on new/turned rotors.

Sometime if the pads wear uneven or if you drive through puddles after the rotors are hot, they can warp. If you have a mircrometer you can test them for run out. Make sure the guy cutting the rotors knows what he's doing. If they are cut to aggressively or not properly, they will be worse than now.

[tateos]

I read something recently that said what Ranger said - that pulsation is almost never caused by warpage - it is usually uneven deposits of brake pad material on the rotor cheeks. I am not saying it is true, but I did read it; if so, maybe just scuffing up the rotor cheeks by hand will help...???

[cadillacroadside]

if it is the brake rotors causing your concern, when you do straighten out the rotor problem make sure your wheels lugs are toqued properly, there were tsb's from gm concerning the overtightening of wheels causing brake rotor pulsations

[Ranger]

Tateos, I tried scuffing them up by hand on my daughters first car when she was going to sell it. No joy. I had to have them trued on a brake lathe to cure it.

This may be what you read.
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp...rakedisk.shtml

Originally Posted by tateos

I read something recently that said what Ranger said - that pulsation is almost never caused by warpage - it is usually uneven deposits of brake pad material on the rotor cheeks. I am not saying it is true, but I did read it; if so, maybe just scuffing up the rotor cheeks by hand will help...???