Oh the issues...need advice

[Volley2six]

So I just got my car fixed a few days ago...had to replace the front rotors after only 15K of driving!!! The fronts were totally warped, and I just had them replaced on March 1st. The service director told me they were only warrantied for 12 months/12K miles, so I was screwed. The car was pulsating and doing all the great things that it does when rotors are warped. So I drop $415 (got a battery too) and get my car back. So I get on the highway, and as I accellerate I feel this vibration coming from the front of the car again. The brakes feel fine, as they should, so it's not the same type of pulsating you get from warped rotors. I don't feel it much under 30mph, but above that it's still shaking. I guess my only choice is to bring it back to the dealership? They'll charge another $83 to look at it, even though I brought the car in originally to get it back to a smooth ride and now I have a car with new brakes that still vibrates. He did mention that I needed an alignment, but could that cause a great deal of vibration? I figured that would only cause the car to drift a little and my steering wheel to be a little off base.

Anyways, I just want this crap to stop and my car to drive smoothly. If I brought it to a local place, will they even know what to do with it?

 

[Revs]

off balanced wheel? perhaps when they did the brakes they knocked off a wheel weight. if it gets worse with speed thats what i would be looking at first.

 

[Volley2six]

Cool, thanks. That's kind of what it feels like, as if one wheel is wobbly for some reason.

 

[AznXstazy]

ya i agree with revs. try rotating the rears to the front. if the rears r more balanced, then ur shaking should go away for a bit, till those need balacing again.

 

[mp3josh]

also double check to make sure the lugs are tight, and for the heck of it check to see if your caliper is tight and snug. Could be flat spots in the tires. Could be wheel weights. Could be bad tires in general. Or a bent rim.

Also the rotors can be machined down on a brake lathe, so there is no reason to keep shelling out money for rotors.

-Josh

 

[madhatter]

also double check to make sure the lugs are tight, and for the heck of it check to see if your caliper is tight and snug. Could be flat spots in the tires. Could be wheel weights. Could be bad tires in general. Or a bent rim.

Also the rotors can be machined down on a brake lathe, so there is no reason to keep shelling out money for rotors.

-Josh

New rotors are cheap. Autozone has them. 37 bucks each. After you've done it once, the whole job won't take more than an hour. You need a 21mm deep socket to get the wheel off, a 14mm to get the caliper open to remove the pads, and a 17mm with an extension to get the caliper off.
Hedge your bets with a glob of antiseize on all the bolts as you reassemble.

Your vibration is only under accelleration, not cruising?

 

[Volley2six]

Thanks for all the help guys.

I've done my rotors before. I bought drilled/slotted rotors with pads, all for wheels. I put them on, but so many problems arose that I had to get a caliper from doug (cbcbd) because one broke, and apparently didn't reconnect the lines after bleeding the system and the rear caliper that got replaced is leaking. Not to mention the fronts of those rotors only lasted about 8 months before becoming completely warped. I'm kinda done with the do-it-yourself brakes, at least on this car since I drive 40 mins to work every day.

For me, I feel the vibration all the time. When I've had friends in the car, at first they couldn't feel it until I accellerated over 30mph. It's the worst when I'm on the highway. I may be neurotic, but every day it feels worse. It's loud...I can not only feel it, but hear it. Not that I know what I'm talking about, but this time I feel like it's definitely not coming from the brakes, since I'm a PRO at knowing what warped rotors feel like. It's definitely in the front of the car, although I haven't had anyone sit in the back to tell me whether or not they felt it.

This car had a good run, but I'm really getting taxed with having to fix it so much.

 

[AznXstazy]

i usually feel warped rotors when i push on the brake pedal. thats the only time i feel when mine r burnt or warped. well acually only burnt. warped rotors never happend to me *knock on wood* but pretty sure its the wheels needing balance. what rims/tires are you runnin? stock?

 

[AznXstazy]

haha, didnt check the sig, wow i feel stupied. =) ya wat size tires are you running then.

 

[madhatter]

Thanks for all the help guys.

I've done my rotors before. I bought drilled/slotted rotors with pads, all for wheels. I put them on, but so many problems arose that I had to get a caliper from doug (cbcbd) because one broke, and apparently didn't reconnect the lines after bleeding the system and the rear caliper that got replaced is leaking. Not to mention the fronts of those rotors only lasted about 8 months before becoming completely warped. I'm kinda done with the do-it-yourself brakes, at least on this car since I drive 40 mins to work every day.

For me, I feel the vibration all the time. When I've had friends in the car, at first they couldn't feel it until I accellerated over 30mph. It's the worst when I'm on the highway. I may be neurotic, but every day it feels worse. It's loud...I can not only feel it, but hear it. Not that I know what I'm talking about, but this time I feel like it's definitely not coming from the brakes, since I'm a PRO at knowing what warped rotors feel like. It's definitely in the front of the car, although I haven't had anyone sit in the back to tell me whether or not they felt it.

This car had a good run, but I'm really getting taxed with having to fix it so much.

Put the car up on jack stands and start the engine. Put it in 3rd gear at idle revs and get out and look at your front wheels. Betcha your front hubs are shot. You'll see the wheel fluttering on it's axis if it is. If not, then you've either got a wheel out of balance like mentioned above, or you've got a sticking caliper.

 

[Volley2six]

Well, $2000 to fix everything.

First, I got the rotors replaced, again (2 fronts). So I began to brake correctly again.

Second, I brought it in for the persistent shaking and they found the source and also found worse problems. My front right caliper was shot and was basically always in brake mode, so you could barely move my right front wheel when it was up on the lift. My right rear caliper also had to be replaced - leaking brake fluid.

Third - so the persistent shaking was still not fixed, after fixing the calipers. I have to replace the 2 front tire rods and a wheel bearing for the front right.

All in all, $2000 total for parts and labor. Not to mention, they gave me the lecture about the "CLUNK" and that the bushings needed to be replaced. Ya, if I do that, it'll just come back in a couple months anyways. The bar is barely hanging on to one of the endlinks. Can I just remove this totally?

I hope this helps people who may encounter this problem with the MP3. I have 116K miles on it, so it has been around.