violent shaking while braking

[Budget Beater]

hey guys,

i got a weird problem. When i start braking the front breaks start going crazy. they wobble ALOT, like not just warped rotors, like the whole front starts shaking. I think something may be loose. Anyways i bought those slotted rotors and the duralast semi-metallic pads which i will be installing soon.

what yall think it could be?

[asubimmer]

are the lug nuts tighted down all the way? also are they seated right?

[Rob]

severely warped rotors can do lots of stuff, but maybe your caliper bolts are loose, or you have a bent wheel, or some combination of all three. I doubt the slotted rotors will be any more resistant to warping than cheap stock stuff.

[uflnuceng]

I just replaced my front rotors and all of my bent rims (well... that would be all 4 actually) and I am finally experiencing braking and driving without vibrations. Bent rims are constant and for me tends to come on after 45mph and then disappears after 65+. Suttle and annoying, but if the bead isn't broken and you get the tires rebalanced its manageable. Warped rotors is subtle at first and gets worse as time goes on. I have since gone back to solid Brembo rotors as they are the only ones that have never warped on me.

[lordofthewaters]

I find one of the most common causes of warped rotors is improper torquing (or lack thereof) of the lugs. I see it all the time. Impact wrenches are quick but hell on rotors, all lugs should be backed off and torqued with a torque wrench.

[NC325iC]

i get a bit of a wobble at 60 exactly, could bad bushings play a part in this?
i guess old brakes might be warped some too but i dont feel it during braking

[AdironRider]

Mine wobble under braking and I get a vibration around 55 mph. Is the vibration caused by the warped rotors?

[e30frosh]

Control arm bushings play a decent part in the wobble under front load braking. Check your bushings. That was my problem with my 87.

[StereoInstaller1]

I wish I could rember the site that talked about "no such thing as a warped rotor"...guy had been a race team brake guy for like 30 years, analysed hundreds of rotors, said none were ever actually warped.

Said the rotors had deposits from the pads making hard spots that didn't wear as quickly, causing high and low spots that could only temporarily be cut off, and came back sooner or later.

The guy said the big trick was to never be sitting at a stop with your foot on the brake, especially after hard braking.

My front shimmy during braking (and it is nasty) is primarily from crappy tie rod ends, plus steering rack wear. Some rotor pulse too, they are those shitty drilled things (oooh, lookit me, I got drilled rotors! I am fast, yO!)

All the suggestions are good, get that front end checked out, check bushings, ball joints, even axle bearings.

Good luck!
Luke

[Digitalwave]

Warped rotors lead to worn ball joints and CABs as well, so you usually end up replacing them all.

Duralast brake pads? Heh, there are a lot of better pads that fit in your $50 budget.

[clavinZERO]

All the suggestions are good, get that front end checked out, check bushings, ball joints, even axle bearings.