Can someone shed some light on this problem for me, its got me perplexed

I get an extreme vibration in the sterring wheel, so bad my arms shake. Recently its been getting worse and worse and I now here a Wooah Woah Woah noise sometimes when it happens. The intensity varies...I.E. sometimes its extremely bad others its not too perceptible. Usually worse when I drive it hard.

Here is the complication, it only happens when braking. But the pedal doesnt pulse.
It's much much worse when the steering wheel is beeing slightly turned to the side while braking. I.E. early braking for a hard turn. I think its usually when turning left....but I'll have to check it out.

I was thinking wheel bearing, but the drive is fine when I'm not braking.
I was thinking tires out of balance, but again its stable up to 195 kph with little vibration.


The car needs its camber adjusted as I have bad camber wear on the inner side of the front tires. Maybe it could be linked?


I'm gonna go jack the car up and try shaking things to see, but I could use some suggestions

 

I am goign to say front brake rotors are warped. You will feel it at higher speeds if they're not too bad (like mine now), but when they get bad, you'll feel it all the time. I would say do a brake job. Get new rotors, turning them down sucks IMO. I feel they'll be fine for about 10k, then will start to warp again. Remember the more material thats removed, the less area there is to dissapate heat!!

I need to order new fronts as well. I am getting brembo blanks and either OEM pads or Axxis Ultamates!

 

I'm just confused about it beeing warped rotors since the pedal doesnt pulse.

 

your cv axles might be broke

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jet Black &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm just confused about it beeing warped rotors since the pedal doesnt pulse.</TD></TR></TABLE>"Warped" rotors aren't always really warped. Maybe the most common thing is brake pad material gets transferred to the rotor & burned into place. So the rotor isn't geometrically warped. The pedal doesn't pulsate.

But the surface of the rotor has extremely non-uniform friction properties. That's what shakes the car.

 

You could be onto something Jim. I hadnt tought of different friction rates....would explain some things.

Its fucked tho that it doenst happen all the time.

Stopping at a medium-hard rate in a strait line feels fine, no pulsation, no vibration.

JDMsurf: The boots are still intact and havent leaked any grease...so I'm discounting broken cvs at the moment. Unless you have any suggestions as to how I could check.

 

I have this problem too. Someone told me it could be the ball joints. Is this true?

 

Bad CV axles will not vibrate when braking. In fact you usually only feel a vibration from the axles when you are on the throttle, and then it stops when you let off the gas.

If it's only when braking, then it is definitely the brake rotors. There's really nothing else it could be. I would just buy a new set from AutoZone for $20-$25 each.

 

An engine our tranny mount could be bent or loose. Do you remember hitting a dip, bump or hole in the road very hard?

 

Remember when braking... Shaking in the steering wheel is front brakes, shaking in the pedal is rear brakes. Get new rotors and be done with it.

I have heard about the pad material being transfered/burned onto the rotor, by the time you get a harsh brake pad, "scrub" the material off, then change back to normal pads, I'd rather spend $20 at autozone for rotors or $27 from cobolt friction for brembro blanks...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jet Black &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Its fucked tho that it doenst happen all the time.

Stopping at a medium-hard rate in a strait line feels fine, no pulsation, no vibration.</TD></TR></TABLE>Yeah. Friction in the real world is very non-linear.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Redtail &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have this problem too. Someone told me it could be the ball joints. Is this true?</TD></TR></TABLE>I suppose, but I'd think rotors are more likely. If you can rule out brake problem, then go to ball joints. They're stressed in different directions when you hit the brakes.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by d3fx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">An engine our tranny mount could be bent or loose. Do you remember hitting a dip, bump or hole in the road very hard?</TD></TR></TABLE>That should be more of a problem when you're ON the gas. (Like axles.)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JimBlake &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I suppose, but I'd think rotors are more likely. If you can rule out brake problem, then go to ball joints. They're stressed in different directions when you hit the brakes.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

THe thing is balljoints are a breeze to check, so you can quickly rule them out.

After further examination, I think I can feel a slight pulsation in the pedal...but nothing horrid. I'm still confused by it only happening when slightly turning.


Thanks for the help guys.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jet Black &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">THe thing is balljoints are a breeze to check, so you can quickly rule them out.</TD></TR></TABLE>Good idea.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jet Black &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm still confused by it only happening when slightly turning. </TD></TR></TABLE>While your wheels are turned, your camber isn't the same side-to-side, so maybe that amplifies the vibration?

But just to rule out something else, have someone drive alongside & watch your tires. As you brake, watch for the tire squirming around. I suppose a defective tire casing would vibrate during acceleration too, but you may as well check to rule it out???

 

I have always been told that when your fronts are warped then you will feel it in the steering wheel, when the rears are warped you feel it in the pedal.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jet Black &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">... Recently its been getting worse and worse and I now here a Wooah Woah Woah noise sometimes when it happens. </TD></TR></TABLE>

It's all about the Wooah Wooah!!!!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JimBlake &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
While your wheels are turned, your camber isn't the same side-to-side, so maybe that amplifies the vibration?

But just to rule out something else, have someone drive alongside & watch your tires. As you brake, watch for the tire squirming around. I suppose a defective tire casing would vibrate during acceleration too, but you may as well check to rule it out???
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Good idea

Starting to order legend dual piston brake calipers

 

the shaking is caused by un-even rotors. have them re-surfaced so both sides are even. its only like 20-30 bucks to get done. if the rotors have been resurfaced to many times already, it may be too thin to have done again. if thats the case, time for new ones.