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Vibration during braking

15K views 34 replies 10 participants last post by  CaddyMAK 
#1 ·
Just needed a little advice for my love that now has 70,000 mi. After I came home from a long trip I noticed that my caddy was shaking when I was braking but it was not coming through the steering wheel. Well I brought new shocks to my mechanic and he told me that my outer tie rod was bad and not my front brakes (he showed me the looseness in the OTR). I bought two and replaced the culprit first. A trip on the interstate indicated that the problem was not resolved (and that I needed an alignment). So last night I changed the second OTR to get the alignment done today and inquire about the shaking. I did some research and discovered that it might be the rear brakes. Brought my car in for an alignment at another shop today, which I have been to a few times to be told that I have to get a brake job on all 4s although the front pads are 80% worn. Well, I am really skeptical about the front brakes, but I will go ahead and order parts for the back. Here are my questions:
1- Front brake pads are the most important and so should I aim high (Hawk or EBC) or should I go for the cheap pads ( AC Delco ~30$)?
2- I need the rotors resurfaced allegedly. How should I go about it if I want to change the pads myself? Do I go to the shop to turn the rotors and then change the pads immediately? Should I just replace the pads?
3- If I go ahead and do work on the rotors, should I just buy new rear rotors? If so, how "far" should I go with regard to quality?
4- Should I get the front rotors turned?
5- Has anyone heard about Pro-Cut instead of turning rotors?

Thanks.
 
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#2 ·
I recently did a brake job (all 4 wheels) on my 2006.
I no longer have any shaking...
Braking is smooth now, like it should be.

I just came back from a 6,500 mile trip and the brakes now work like they should have all along.

I did not use the cheap ACDELCO pads...I used the UP-LEVEL brake pads from ACDELCO...
I like them.
My rotors looked real good, so I decided not to have any of them turned.

In all my years of working on cars, I have very seldom "EVER" seen a warped rotor.
Most of the time, the vibration comes from pad material that sticks to the rotor, usually due to a slight incompatibility between the material the rotor is made from and the material the pads are made from.

There is even a TSB about the brake shaking on 2006 and 2007 DTS.

There is a post somewhere with all the part numbers I used.

Texas Jim
 
#3 ·
I recently did a brake job (all 4 wheels) on my 2006.
I did not use the cheap ACDELCO pads...I used the UP-LEVEL brake pads from ACDELCO...
My rotors looked real good, so I decided not to have any of them turned.
There is even a TSB about the brake shaking on 2006 and 2007 DTS.
Texas Jim
Thanks, Superjim for the input.

For the cheap brake pads I forgot to mention that they would be for the rear. I am not sure if putting 70-100$ on brake pads is worth it if the rear brakes are not bearing most of the brunt. I would take out the heavy artillery for the front brakes and rotors and spend a lot. But I am not decided either. Maybe I'll go half way and get something in between with regard to quality (~50$ AC Delcos)?

I know that the TSB is for the front brake pads, but my problem is with the rear brakes. Hence, the absence of the shimmy feeling through the steering wheel. The whole car shakes, but it does not have to be on slopes. So I am not sure if just changing the pads will be enough. Unless there is a similar TSB out there for the rear brake pads? Have you ever turned any of your rotors (esp. the rears)?
 
#11 ·
Picture of the front hub/brake area of my car...
Texas Jim, it is different than mine. You luckily have the heavy duty brakes package with the 8 lugs, I wish I could say the same. My options on pads are more limited (Hawk and Performance Friction do not have anything for my rear brake pads!). Did you check the panel covering your spare? There is a white sticker with a series of three character RPO codes.
 
#15 ·
My apologies. I confused everything while cross-searching brake pad parts with a gizzalion windows open. Every time I make a search either they ask if my brakes are standard or heavy duty; or the parts automatically come up and many are listed as heavy duty, which AC Delco lists as J55s (at least on Rock Auto). And like I said Hawk limited my selection when I clicked standard brakes and they confirmed it on the phone. On amazon I get much more of a choice of Hawks though. CTSs seem to have had the J55s at one point (or they still do?) I never thought selecting brake pads would cause me soooo much grief.

Bottom line: Will any heavy duty brake pads that are not specified as J55 (nor 8 stud rotor specified) fit my car because there seems to be quite a few out there?
 
#22 ·
Too bad you never looked at EBC brakes (Ultimax Black Dash rotors) and Redstuff pads (ceramic, quiet, no - no -dust) for your 2006 DTS from www.placeforbrakes.com.

Main page discount banner. (You want good brakes, you're gonna pay.................)

WONDERFUL brake package............glass smooth, strong, quiet. Will bring my STS down from 143 in a hurry.........
 
#23 ·
To be honest with you, if I could I would buy them in a heart beat. However, I just spent muchos dineros in the last couple months changing the struts, shocks, alignment, tie rods and now the rear brakes. I think the front is going to have to be done, but I'm just unsure at this point if it is something else causing the vibration (like a hub(s) ). I was looking the other day at R1 Concepts. Their prices are very decent for slotted and cross-drilled rotors, but I have no idea how good the brand is.
 
#24 ·
MAK... How many miles are on your DTS? who told you, you needed to replace Struts and shocks? "its just odd because they should last at least 150 K in my oppinion"
I too had my Front outer tie rods replaced along with Sway bar Links ( they were so warped one side snapped in half ) and sway bar bushings ( made a world of a difference in handling)... so now i'am waiting on new OEM tires to get the alignment done.
I also had both rear calipers replaced, Left side was stuck and was burning pads, replaced the left, a month later the right was doing the same thing.. so Bled all four corners and so far so good...
Good Luck..
 
#29 ·
MAK... How many miles are on your DTS? who told you, you needed to replace Struts and shocks? "its just odd because they should last at least 150 K in my oppinion"
CaddiLukKing: I had just less than 70,000 mi when my struts were done. It started with a clunk when turning at low speeds (strut mount). Then I noticed that the dampening was far from as good as it should've been. I saw them when they were off and boy were they done. The dampening was almost non-existent. The rear shocks were changed because the bounce at the rear gave me the impression I had a 64 Impala with hydrolic shocks. Still bouncy now but much less.

I am not sure if I felt the car shaking yesterday when I did the bedding process. I felt something slight but I am not sure. I would have to drive it for a longer trip to see if it returns. The problem was: the feeling wasn't really coming form the steering wheel. But then again, I am no diagnosis expert. I have never ever ever ever had such a problem on any of my cars. The closest was vibration at high speeds, but that is easy to diagnose (balancing). When my brakes were problematic on previous cars, it was because the pads were done. I've never had any pulsations, vibrations shimmies, etc. from braking until this, my seventh car.
 
#26 ·
I wish it was that easy. I had the original rotors turned and installed ceramic pads. Vibration returned. Replaced both front rotors with new ceramic pads again. Was good for awhile but the vibration returned and got progressively worse. So I had the new rotors turned(ugh) and installed semi metallic pads on the front. The vibration was less and is taking longer to return but it is returning slowly but surely. My car is perfect besides this. I had the alignment checked and it was spot on. The caliper pistons move easily every time I change the brakes. Something else has to be wrong. Tie rods feel good on my car. Never had such a persistent problem with brakes in any car that I've previously owned. I have read all the threads on this problem. Replacing rotors and pads does make the problem go away.. but only for a short time. Any other thoughts?
 
#27 ·
turning rotors is a waste of money. they are disposable. Maybe you have a bad hose causing excessive pad material to tranfer to 1 rotor. isolate the one side causing the repeated problem. It's not both sides.

It's not the alignment. its a PAD TRANSFER PROBLEM pad material is transfering to the rotor, and building up unevenly. and you only feel it under braking.

If the wheel shimmies, it's the front. if the whole car vibrates, it may be the rear.
 
#35 ·
Well.....the problem is still well alive. I was debating on the best word to describe the feeling in the car. I think that vibration is not the correct word. When I brake the car rocks back and forth slightly (front/back motion) but well enough for me and my wife to feel it. This happens after a bit of driving. It feels like the car wants to brake, but it is hesitating/stuttering. Also, I have felt a weird sensation in the brake pedal upon braking since I got it last Fall, but then again I feel everything through both the gas and brake pedals like potholes, speed bumps, etc. So I think it is pulsation but once again I have no clue because I have never felt anything in any of my cars through the pedals. I do not really feel anything through the steering wheel.

As you all know, I am far from a grease monkey, but I have been trying to do repairs/maintenance on my own. Yesterday I read that it is a good idea to smell your wheels after a drive to see if there is any wheel that stands out (to help in the troubleshooting). When I got home from work a few minutes ago, I decided to smell the front wheels to see if there was anything weird. The passenger side did have some kind of friction-related smell (a light "burning" or friction-related smell) while the driver side did not emit any smell at all. Then I had a moment of illumination. Being the ignorant but willing apprentice I am...I never figured to take a good look at the front rotors. They are very glazed to the point that I could probably have my wife use them as a vanity mirror!

Well, I know that it is a friction-related issue between the pad and rotor, but would that cause the rocking feeling upon braking?

Thank you guys.
 
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