Brake Question?

[carl]

So when I step on the brakes i feel a vibration in the wheel... with out taking the tires of yet im thinking that the front left roter is warped. Does that sound like it would be the problem?

[Gerry Proctor]

Could be the rotors. Could be a wheel bearing. Could be a loose caliper. Could be bad tierod ends. Could be a loose rack.

What it is depends on other factors. Since you make no mention of other clues, I'd go with a rotor.

How did you determine it was the front left rotor?

[carl]

I could hear it on the left. I poked my head to the right side of the car while brake hitting the brakes (with not to much swerving) an did not hear anything on that side.

[cyphik]

Only way to know for sure is to take off the wheel and spin the rotor.

[wolfman]

A warped brake rotor will manifest itself as a "chugging" sensation when braking. If the rotor is warped enough, you may even be able to feel th ebrake pedal pulsing as you press down on it. A simple visual inspection is usually not enough to actually see a warped rotor.

[RalliArt16]

Originally Posted by wolfman

A warped brake rotor will manifest itself as a "chugging" sensation when braking. If the rotor is warped enough, you may even be able to feel th ebrake pedal pulsing as you press down on it. A simple visual inspection is usually not enough to actually see a warped rotor.

I'll have to agree on this. My brother's focus had the "chugging" sensation with the brakes pressed. I removed the rotors.. and they looked fine. I replaced them, and the problem went away! I suppose even minor variations in the rotor surface, invisible to the naked eye, are enough to cause the problem.

[andy_95sl2]

mine are warped

cant wait till i get some cash together for those drilled&slotted ones, but im thinking, "why waste the money", its not like i drive enough to really heat them up

[eljefino]

get two new rotors, you might have issues with the other one as well.

Runout is usually measured in thousanths of an inch, you aren't going to see this with the naked eye.

Just new "white box" generics. They are actually highly regarded.

The pair will set you back $35.

[metgol]

My car gets the shakes sometimes while braking from freeway speeds. What's up with that?

[eljefino]

if you have two equally warped rotors sometimes one will be on a high spot when the other is on a low spot so they cancel each other out.

Then if you go around a corner you knock them out of phase and then they're both high at the same time so you feel it worse.

[carl]

Originally Posted by eljefino

get two new rotors, you might have issues with the other one as well.

Runout is usually measured in thousanths of an inch, you aren't going to see this with the naked eye.

Just new "white box" generics. They are actually highly regarded.

The pair will set you back $35.

Where would one get them for that price?

[wolfman]

Advance Autoparts (Parts America) available at the stores or order online at http://www.advanceautoparts.com

[Sky King]

Originally Posted by x saturn x3

mine are warped

cant wait till i get some cash together for those drilled&slotted ones, but im thinking, "why waste the money", its not like i drive enough to really heat them up

Your second thought is the best one. Don't waste the money on drilled or slotted rotors. Contrary to popular belief, they do not disipate heat better. In fact, they don't do it as well. Drilling and slotting takes away mass. Mass is what a rotor needs to disipate the heat. The drilling and slotting came into popularity years ago when brake pads had a tendency to "gas". This gas was produced from the materials in the pad when it got hot. A thin layer of gas would build up between the rotor and the pad reducing the braking. The slots and holes gave the gas a way to "vent" out from between the pad and rotor. This was also more of a problem for people in hi performance situations such as rallying or racing. For street, they are more for looks and besides when they warp, you can't turn them.

Take Wolfmans suggestion and just go to Advance, or as I do, NAPA and just get a set of white box rotors. They are almost as cheap as having old ones turned.

[wolfman]

I will add, DO NOT use expensive ceramic pads with these low end rotors. Use Semi-metallic pads. Ceramic pads disspate heat very well (that is why they are so expensive) When that heat dissappates, it has to go somewhere. 90% of the pad is in contact with either the rotor, or the caliper...so where to you think all that heat goes? This can create uneven hot spots on the rotor which can/will lead to warping. Ideally you want to have rotors and pads that work well together, so don't use the fact that you paid relatively little for rotors as a good reason to go high dollar on the pads, as you will essentially be working against yourself. The use of semi-metalic pads with "cheap chinese" (white box) rotors works very well on an "S" series street car. (Mine have been on for nearly 3 years now)