Shaking steering wheel, pedals and car.

[sparky1337]

I've looked and haven't found too much on discerning the problems that my car has. It's not whether or not I can fix it but what exactly the problem is. I don't think it is a warped rotor because all of the symptoms go away eventually. So it usually starts out as a pulsating like a warped rotor. When I press the brake the brake pedal pulsates a little and te steering wheel vibrates back and forth. And even without pressing the brake pedal the car feels jerky like the brake is applied by tapping and completely letting off. Which leads me to think that it was a wheel bearing. But I don't think there is a roar which throws me off as also the shaking of the car disappears after driving without stopping for 10+ miles. Sometimes the car shakes so violently I slow down and it is very noticeable anywhere above 30 mph. Now there has always been a slight shake to the wheel for as long as I've owned the car (since 120,000 miles it now has 156,000) but this is ridiculous. When I jack the car up I have zero play up/down and left/right so I don't think my tie rods or ball bearings are bad. I am looking into replacing the hub and bearing as a complete assembly so I don't have to press anything, which I can do for around $30 or so. I just don't want to spend tons of money on a car I dd. but I love my protege and don't want to get rid of it. The only other thing I can think of is the cv axle but I don't know what tr symptoms of that are. It just baffles me that the problem will dissapear completely and then come back as soon as I press on the brake. Thanks if anyone can put any insight on my problems. It is a five speed and my rotors and pads are practically brand new. I replaced the struts and end links 3000 miles ago. If that makes any difference.

 

[thuzil]

If it only does it when the brakes are pressed, then I would start by redoing the brakes. I am thinking that you have a warped rotor due to a seized caliper. Does the wheel rotate freely when you have it up off the pavement? If there is no play in the steering knuckle and the wheel rotates freely with no noise then my guess is rotors or pads.

 

[sparky1337]

I redid the brakes earlier last year with all new rotors and pads, and when I jack the front end up both wheels spin freely. There is a slight (and when I mean slight I had to sit there and spin the wheel for about 20 minutes) hesitation or scrape at the same point every time I rotated the passenger front wheel. The caliper isn't locked up, but it did this when I had removed the caliper and was just sitting there spinning the rotor in my hands. It is a rotational issue that I am sure of. But with the caliper on the scrap or hesitation is more pronounced yet still slight. It only takes three or so rotations to notice it. The driver side is quiet as can be so that's really what I'm basing this off of. It's just the whole problem dissapears and then comes back as soon as I brake or slow down. No matter how easily I do it.

 

[MaxPower]

Did you make sure the brake shield is bent out of the way?

 

[thuzil]

I still think rotors. Where did you get yours from? Can you try a different set?

 

[S_]

I replaced the struts and end links 3000 miles ago. If that makes any difference.

Not sure what is causing the problem, but any chance it started about the same time you did this.

 

[sparky1337]

The brake shield has never been moved to my knowledge so it shouldn't be an issue.

The rotors are Wagner, and the pads are Wearever Ceramic both from Advanced Auto Parts replaced at exactly the same time.

Like I said earlier the shake has always been there as long as I've owned the car, and it has only gotten worse. It was there with the rotors and pads that came on the car and the only thing that I know of them is that they were from Mieneke.

I replaced the tires with Falken Ziex 512's that have close to 5k miles left on them. I rotate them every 3-5k and check tire pressure every week at 32 psi. I also have a lifetime 4-wheel alignment at Firestone so every time I have done something with the suspension or I hit a large pot hole I have the entire car aligned. Which usually happens every 2 months. So the tires have basically have worn as evenly as humanly possible and I check for the weights every time I rotate.

As of right now most of my driving has been country so I haven't had any stoplights or such so my car has been pretty smooth. The best description I can give is that there sounds like a large rubber knot is on the tire and is making that sound like when you have a rock stuck in the tread, just its more of a thump.

I don't have any rotors in which to switch with right now, but where I am staying I have no access to my tools. I am going over to a friends garage on tuesday evening to try and get it sorted out. But when I do I will switch the rotors from either side and if it is a warped rotor the feeling should transfer over to the driver side of the car which is the easiest way to discern the problem. But my friend does believe that it is the wheel bearing, or a warped rotor but he can't tell without actually checking.

Thanks for the answers as I really do want this to be a solved thread.

 

[concept]

Hopefully, your friend has a mag base or clamp with dial indicator so you can check runout. Anything over .004" is cause for concern. Violent shaking is not from a warped or uneven pad-deposited rotor. It's gotta be a bearing or suspension component.

 

[Kreepaevox]

I had that problem in some other car I had and it was, the part of the joint that joins the transmission, one of the bearings in the tripod lost it's pins. It would shake violently at 40 or so mph, and it felt worse as it brakes. Check both sides on the joints IN BOTH sides

 

[sparky1337]

Ok sorry for the long wait but I may have solved a critical problem. Apparently my caliper seized. I first thought this when I had the car jacked up today to take the wheel off at my friends shop and I couldn't even touch the rim without welding gloves. And as soon as I removed the caliper and I saw the pads I had just recently put on were ground to nothing, we agreed it may be a bearing, but is most definitely the caliper too. So after a visit to Napa, Advanced Auto, and an Autozone I finally found a caliper. Went to put it on and blammo. Wrong caliper. I was in such a rush today that I didn't really check or take the core with me. So when i put them next to each other because we were baffled at the fitment issues, the new caliper was ~15% larger. So I quit for today, and since the caliper was shot decided to not drive my car and am going to borrow another friends tribute to drive back, get my refund, and travel 30 or so miles to a store in which I do know has the correct part. And some new brake lines while I'm at it.

I'm not ruling out a bad bearing, but this caliper looks to be the culprit. I should have it on by tomorrow evening. I might just do the driver side as well just so I don't have to worry about it. So crossing fingers it works.

 

[Kreepaevox]

I wouldn't rule it out either. Rolling resistance plus steering angles are hell on them... check on them before bolting everyhting up

 

[sparky1337]

So it was just the siezed caliper. The car is so much smoother than when I got it.