Vibration when braking, alingnment?

91LX_5L

Founding Member
May 13, 2002
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British Columbia
Can an alignment that is off cause vibration when braking its mostly comming up thru the steering wheel. I got brand new cobra 13" front brakes, and new baer rotors in the rear. Its mostly when braking with a decent force, not light and not hard. Any ideas?

Thanks
 
Hurmm crap thats no good because I paied a shop to install it all for me, cost me quite a bit actually ($400). This pisses me off, any way to tell for sure? It doesnt do it on light braking at all. But the thing is it seems to be comming from the front end for sure, not the rear I dont have the baers up front. I know I need an alignment since I changed my Shocks/Struts, installed CC plates, and Coil-Overs.

Danman765432 said:
i thirdly agree with that i have the same exact problem and it is warped rotors. im just going to get my cheap drilled and slotted summit rotors

What rotors do you have that are warped?
 
When this happens to me it is normally when i am on the highway and i start to slow down, that is when i get really rough jerks in the steering wheel. The rotors i have now are crappy stock replacement rotors. I bought the car with them and never changed them out. But that sucks, were the rotors used and did you get them resurfaced before they were put on?

Edit: Ignore the question i just read up top that they were brand new.
 
Well seems now like they might of not of been broken in properly. I gave the brakes and my car to my mechanic, should it not be his responsibilty to break them in properly or at least inform me?!!?!?!?

I AM SO F'N MAD RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!
 
The pad bed-in (called burnishing, if you decide to search) will take a little bit of time - most mechanics dont do it. Rotors and pads have different bed-in/break-in time intervals.

I would get ahold of the brake company ASAP and make them aware of the issue. They might tell you to continue break-in and see if the issue abates. This way you will have it documented right from the start.

One thing to consider: improper torquing of the lugs can warp brand spankin new rotors. I wouldnt let an air-gun near a lug for this reason.

Good luck with it Matt - I'm sorry to hear about this - those parts aint cheap.
 
I go through rotors like nobody's business becuase they warp invariably every time I buy new ones or get them turned. I can't seem to go 3 months before the vibration comes back. I used to think it was uneven lug torque, but even being anal about the torque, they still get warped :shrug: :mad:
 
Mabye ill get them turned? Ill try the break-in procedure on them, then if that doesnt work get them turned. I contacted who I got them thru and they said its pretty much too late, I bought them last winter but didnt get them on till like a month ago and is been doing it since.

Well **** it pisses me off the mechanic didnt tell me or at least break them in.
 
Matt, I have had similar problems. I ended up finding out that I have a stock spring (front left) that has cracked and broken on the bottom ring that makes contact with my a-arm(turns out thats common with the Focus and our cars...). Now I am not saying that this is your case, I know that you have some suspension mods sooo if I were you I would go through those mods before doing anything with your brakes.
My advice may seem way off from what you are thinking but I say give your suspension a real good look over. Does this vibration feel like its one sided? Is it more front orientated or rear? I always had a bad feeling about my Brembos, thinking I had done something wrong either with the installation or the break in process (which is sooooooo much fun!)
I put my rotors/pads through some heat cycles (as stated on the Baer website) and I know for a fact that I did everything right. So I am saying check your suspension mods out before doing anything to your brakes.
Also, have you gone through any puddles while your rotors were really hot? This may have warped them so until you can rule your possible suspension delima out you shouldnt start thinking that they are alright, they could be warped which sucks balls cause they cost an arm and a leg.

Oh yeah one more kick in the balls (did I say that already?) You cant turn slotted rotors and I am pretty sure that you cant do that on drilled rotors either. I wanted to get my 13in slotted rotors turned to fix my vibrations but its not possible so you have to get new ones.
Good luck with everything and I hope my advice/suggestions help.
-fawcett
 
Well I get a SLIGHT vibration on accel some times. Its not a spring because I have new coil-overs and struts up front, and it didnt do it before the brakes. Im going to get an alignment though.

Anyways I gaver on the brakes doing the heat cycling, on the way home I didnt test them out too much (after the gym) but they felt to be better! I think it might of did it!!!

Ill keep ya'll posted.