vibration through steering wheel on braking

[NiceCupOfTea]

Noticed this yesterday - presumably warped disc(s)? I wouldn't have thought a dropped wheel weight etc would only manifest under braking...

Had a quick look but disks look OK. If it's apparent through steering is it fronts? If so presumably new pair of discs/pads needed.

Is it safe to drive for now?

[B'stard Child]

NiceCupOfTea said:

Noticed this yesterday - presumably warped disc(s)? I wouldn't have thought a dropped wheel weight etc would only manifest under braking...

Had a quick look but disks look OK. If it's apparent through steering is it fronts? If so presumably new pair of discs/pads needed.

Is it safe to drive for now?

How severe?

I've had chronic front vibration when a gas filled shock absorber lost it's oil (and gas) so had no damping

[iva cosworth]

First stop is usually discs.

Do you know how old or how many miles they have done ?

It can also be worn bushes on front suspension.

[kambites]

Jack the front of the car up and rotate the wheels by hand, if they discs are warped you'll hear them touching alternate pads as the wheel rotates.

[HustleRussell]

Can also be caused by worn droplinks.

[P I Staker]

Yes probably the discs, you wont see the warp you would need to be measure with a DTI gauge. Although if you jack the car up and spin the wheels there may be marks on the high spot of the disc and you might feel it go tight at the high spot.

Edited by P I Staker on Sunday 24th November 21:47

[NiceCupOfTea]

Cheers guys - what would cause it. This is only a 4 year old car so would think unlikely to be worn suspension etc.

[Otispunkmeyer]

NiceCupOfTea said:

Cheers guys - what would cause it. This is only a 4 year old car so would think unlikely to be worn suspension etc.

I thought warped discs can be caused by discs getting too hot or maybe if you've pressed the brake so hard that you crush the disc slightly. I imagine this is more of a problem on vented discs rather than solid ones. Not sure.

My cars started doing this but the discs and pads are <1 yr old. Probably drop Links (again) or dead bushes (again ). Poor quality this car.

[HustleRussell]

Otispunkmeyer said:

maybe if you've pressed the brake so hard that you crush the disc slightly

I think not!

[996TT02]

Again, probably discs.

[GTIR]

You're very drunk.

I had the same thing Sat night, wobbling and weaving all over the road I was, but come Sunday lunchtime it had fixed itself. Odd.

[steelej]

Otispunkmeyer said:

or maybe if you've pressed the brake so hard that you crush the disc slightly. I imagine this is more of a problem on vented discs rather than solid ones. Not sure.

Seriously? You think you can crush a vented disc by stepping on the pedal too hard?

John.

[marmitemania]

HustleRussell said:

Otispunkmeyer said:

maybe if you've pressed the brake so hard that you crush the disc slightly

I think not!

+1 You cannot crush a disc, the pad is a lot softer than a disc so if (and it is still impossible so not really an if) your going to crush anything it would be the pad. The discs will be warped would be my bet. They could be brand new yesterday and warped today, in fact new discs warp easier than bedded in ones that's why I always advised customers to go steady with brakes for the first few hundred miles when I used to be a mechanic.

[DoubleSix]

Had this.

Ended up being a very dangerous tyre that was near to failure. Bulge on inner edge was not at all obvious.

Don't discount this until you've had them checked as results could be very regretable at speed.

[NiceCupOfTea]

I had a quick check of the tyres and they look OK. Needs new tyres anyway...

[McWigglebum4th]

Warped discs are very very rare.

Pad material pickup on the discs is far less rare. This gives different friction rates around the disc giving a judder through the steering.


No doubt a thousand experts will be along soon to say I am wrong

[Kenny Powers]

McWigglebum4th said:

Warped discs are very very rare.

Pad material pickup on the discs is far less rare. This gives different friction rates around the disc giving a judder through the steering.


No doubt a thousand experts will be along soon to say I am wrong

Pretty much exactly what I was about to post. Much more likely to be material pickup than warped rotors.

[robinessex]

Discs with pad pickup can be re-covered by insitu re-grinding of the disc surface(s). Sometimes though, the labour costs involved make new discs cost effective.

[Simes205]

Strip Clean pads and discs with meths then go for an Italian tune up.
Warped discs is an urban myth.

[surveyor]

This.

I had a wtf moment when i took my wife's car on a two day work trip, felt like the wheel was trying to shake me off.

2 days and 800 miles later a whole lot better.