The car: '95 Civic VX

I had some brake shake so I decided to install some new pads and rotors to attempt to rid my car of the shaking. The brake shake only occurs at part braking (when I just start to push the brake pedal) and after the brakes get kinda warmed up/hot.

I figured the problem was warped rotors, so I replaced them along with new Hawk HPS pads and a rear disc swap with new rotors/pads and the correct prop. valve. I inspected and lubed all of the brake caliper sliders and make sure the pads were installed correctly.

Thing I think could be causing the problem that I KNOW are wrong with the car:

The rotor screws are broken on the one side, though the rotor does seat flat on the hub and on the other side, there isn't screws holding the rotors on. (I think this could cause it, but I'm not sure why the lug nuts wouldnt hold on the rotor?)

The driver's side front wheel bearing has a little play in it, but not too much, and makes no noise.

Lower front LCA bushings are in bad shape.



Anyone have an idea what is wrong? I want to get it fixed but I just spent so much money on the car lately that I just want to drive it now... Ah well, this brake shake drives me mad, I want it fixed!

 

Fixed

The one rotor screw that was broken off before I bought the car was a little mushroomed and pushing up on the rotor a little bit. Ground it down and now it's good.

 

I recommend the simple trick of using threadlocker or similar on the disc screws. Improper pad bedding procdures will result in similar sound and feeling.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Elwuudz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I recommend the simple trick of using threadlocker or similar on the disc screws. Improper pad bedding procdures will result in similar sound and feeling.
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I installed the screws on the driver's side, but both were snapped off on the pass side, also where I found the mushroomed one. After grinding the area flat where it was mushroomed, even without the screws, the brakes are 100% perfect now.

And I must add that the swap from tiny VX rear drums to rear discs from a 00 si and the correct prop valve has made an enormous difference in braking for this car.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Elwuudz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I recommend the simple trick of using threadlocker or similar on the disc screws.</TD></TR></TABLE>
I recommend not using rotor screws at all, or at the very least twist them until the rotor is snug but don't tighten.

I am not a fan of rotor screws in the least.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Danronian &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">And I must add that the swap from tiny VX rear drums to rear discs from a 00 si and the correct prop valve has made an enormous difference in braking for this car. </TD></TR></TABLE>
No it hasn't.

The fact that you put fresh rotors and HPS all the way around, lubed the caliper slides and bled fresh fluid through the system is what has made the enormous difference. It is also likely that your old shoes were out of adjustment and the wheel cylinders were iffy.

Rear disc brakes have proven to make little to no difference in stopping distances vs. the drums on a street-driven Civic. You'd be surprised at how well a properly maintained and adjusted drum setup will work.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Targa250R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
No it hasn't.

The fact that you put fresh rotors and HPS all the way around and bled fresh fluid through the system is what has made the enormous difference.

Rear disc brakes have proven to make little to no difference in stopping distances vs. the drums on a street-driven Civic.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Could be, but even when I had almost new pads on the front before (not HPS) and new shoes and wheel cylinders on the back about a year ago, the brake fade and pedal feel was much worse. But of course it could be unrelated. Compared to the OEM brakes on my 95 Integra LS I had before I bought the civic, I always thought the Integra braking had something "missing."