I did the 11.1in brake upgrade back in Jan (got all the parts professionally machined). For the past few months, I didn't have any problems out of it, but now everytime I brake hard my steering wheel vibrates violently. I was just wondering if anyone else had this problem develop months down the road? Any suggestions on fixing the problem (replacing the rotors, pads?!?). Thanks for your help!

 

It could be that your rotors are warped. Did you use new or used rotors?

 

Are you using all OEM parts? list everything and if its used/new. Did you have the rotors turned? Were they on the car they got refinished? If they were new, did you refinish them?

It sounds like the rotors already have excessive runout, which is probably due to not properly refinishing the rotors with them on the car. However, if they were refinished properly, and there is wheel bearing play, the rotors will begin to show runout over time.

 

This may be minor, but is your steering wheel tight? My steering wheel got loose on track once and I thought it was my rotors until I tightened that up.

Check those rotors and please...check all the hardware as well. I also torque brake items to spec and use loc-tite.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nickrps &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Check those rotors and please...check all the hardware as well. I also torque brake items to spec and use loc-tite.</TD></TR></TABLE>

times elevinty hundred...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EL Vap133 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It could be that your rotors are warped. Did you use new or used rotors?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I used new rotors from napa.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 90sedan &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Are you using all OEM parts? list everything and if its used/new. Did you have the rotors turned? Were they on the car they got refinished? If they were new, did you refinish them?

It sounds like the rotors already have excessive runout, which is probably due to not properly refinishing the rotors with them on the car. However, if they were refinished properly, and there is wheel bearing play, the rotors will begin to show runout over time.

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

I got the rotors from Napa, calipers from O'Reilly, and Autozone brake pads. I didn't get the rotor turned (because they were purchase new). The reason why I did the conversion because I had a spare set of DA knuckles sitting around. So I replaced the bearings and ball joint on the knuckles before I installed everything.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nickrps &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">This may be minor, but is your steering wheel tight? My steering wheel got loose on track once and I thought it was my rotors until I tightened that up.

Check those rotors and please...check all the hardware as well. I also torque brake items to spec and use loc-tite.</TD></TR></TABLE>


The steering wheel or the rack?!? It do seem like I have some play in my rack (I guess it maybe time for that Quife upgrade). I check to see if anything is tight every week or so, but I didn't torque everything down to spec. I'm going to do that asap.

Thanks for your help guys!

 

Also, how are your rotors held down? Just by the wheels and lugnuts or did you drill a hole in the rotors and secured them with a screw like the normal rotors?

 

I don't run the screws...another problem is that you didn't bed your pads in correctly and thus, they are wearing incorrectly. Just another thought.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nickrps &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I don't run the screws...another problem is that you didn't bed your pads in correctly and thus, they are wearing incorrectly. Just another thought.</TD></TR></TABLE>

"bed your pads"

How do you do that? I never heard of that. More info please

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BigDare23 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

"bed your pads"

How do you do that? I never heard of that. More info please </TD></TR></TABLE>

Proper break in of the brake pads. The pads you buy usually have instructions. You get the car up to 50, brake hard, but don't stop and repeat a few times. There's more to it, but I don't have any directions right in front of me. Google can be your friend.

Did you find anything this weekend?

 

could be that we didnt break in the pads well enough D i had the same thing happen to me when i swapped to my brembro rotors on my dc i should have mentioned this to you

 

dare, hit up jeff. he said he might have a few ideas @ what the problem could be.

 

Yo dare usually parts store ship or store the rotors standing up and it warps them. take them anywhere that can resurface them and you'll be good to go. It has nothing to do with seating pads

 

lol @ the IA EF Squad all up in here!

did you check your steering rack yet?

 

all this for some warped rotors?

look, i'm guess that you did this upgrade because you probably beat your brakes pretty good. when you beat your brakes, they get hot, when they get hot they can warp. it doesnt matter what setup you have, if you beat the sh*t out of your rotors, they will warp eventually. i have to turn mine every 3 months or so.

lift your car up, take them off, go down to checker and get them machined. its like 30 or 40 bucks i think. also have them take a width measurement to make sure after they cut it, its still in spec. if it is under spec, there is less metal to absorb heat, and they will warp quicker.

and while you got your rotor warper in the air, might as well check the tie rods and such....

good luck!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nickrps &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Proper break in of the brake pads. The pads you buy usually have instructions. You get the car up to 50, brake hard, but don't stop and repeat a few times. There's more to it, but I don't have any directions right in front of me. Google can be your friend.

Did you find anything this weekend?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Oh.... I do that every time I change my pads (just never knew it had a special term for it).

I haven't had a chance to work on the car yet (due to moving) but I should have time this weekend. Thanks again for your help


<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDMJAYDC2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">could be that we didnt break in the pads well enough D i had the same thing happen to me when i swapped to my brembro rotors on my dc i should have mentioned this to you</TD></TR></TABLE>

I did break them in (don't forget I left Vuong's house to goto the gas station). I guess what I considered "breaking in" wasn't good enough.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by green91 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yo dare usually parts store ship or store the rotors standing up and it warps them. take them anywhere that can resurface them and you'll be good to go. It has nothing to do with seating pads</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thanks green!!!

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EF’n C5 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">all this for some warped rotors?

look, i'm guess that you did this upgrade because you probably beat your brakes pretty good. when you beat your brakes, they get hot, when they get hot they can warp. it doesnt matter what setup you have, if you beat the sh*t out of your rotors, they will warp eventually. i have to turn mine every 3 months or so.

lift your car up, take them off, go down to checker and get them machined. its like 30 or 40 bucks i think. also have them take a width measurement to make sure after they cut it, its still in spec. if it is under spec, there is less metal to absorb heat, and they will warp quicker.

and while you got your rotor warper in the air, might as well check the tie rods and such....

good luck!</TD></TR></TABLE>

I made this post because I didn't think they were warped. I did the upgrade to beat my car, but since I did the conversion I never really had the chance to use them (Hence the reason why I didn't think they were warped).

Thanks again for the info everyone. Hopefully I have it from here.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BigDare23 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Autozone brake pads.</TD></TR></TABLE>
You did an 11.1" brake conversion but you're using AutoZone pads?

You must be joking.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Targa250R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
You did an 11.1" brake conversion but you're using AutoZone pads?

You must be joking.</TD></TR></TABLE>


Why? Not like I'm building my car for autocrossing. The increase in contact surface area was more than enough upgrade for me. Plus, I had DA Knuckles laying around that needed calipers and rotors anyway. So I might as well....


Plus, you're acting like pads are a pain to swap in

 

Did you check the upper arm ball joint?