brake, shake, and vibrate...

[Phantom01Pathfinder]

Ok, so i have searched many other posts on the situation(s) that i have. I have found them helpful but still need other opinions.

I have an 01 LE w/ 83k on it. First ill start off with the slight vibration in the steering wheel at 55 to 65mph. Im not sure when the wheels/tires were balanced last (rotated 3500k ago)... The vibration will only last for a couple seconds then go away. It will eventually come back again then go away... Any thoughts?

Next, say im going 60mph and i have to stop quickly, if i step very firmly on the brakes, it feels like the whole truck shakes. i would say most of the shaking is coming from the front. It just doesnt happen at 60mph...if i am going slower and i press harder on the brakes and it will still happen...just not as much...

im thinking i have warped rotors...but the brakes were just replaced about 4k ago and the bearings were repacked...

Insight from everybody would be great!

Thanks,

J

[Prozac]

Sometimes a mystery out of balance condition can exist when you have water inside of the tire. If it is bunched up you get the wobble, if it spreads out the wobble goes away.

Water can enter when the tires are filled with air, compressors pull in humid air that condenses inside of the tank. Sometimes that water is dispensed with air.

[Issac]

maybe tires like Prozac says, and get them balanced because if you have problems, you tire warantee should cover a rebalance free. Check first.

And/or

Wheel bearings... I had mine seat after I put them in. This means they got loose, and yet were correct on install I thought.

So jack up one wheel, grab top and bottom of tire, push/pull. Any play?Check other side. crank on them and watch your toes. Should not go clunk clunk, or dunk dunk. Mine seated 2 x which really messed me up.

And/or, maybe they didn't turn rotors, doing it on the cheap. The turning is not an automatically done thing by some. So find out from them.

If the pedal pulsates at all this is another sign.

I am putting my money on wheel bearings and tire balance.

Crank your tire pressure up to 40psi and see what happens too.

And the front driveshaft Was causing my vibration at 60mph exactly. So who knows. Do the free ones first and it can't hurt.

[InfinQX4]

I've had rotors turned and replaced on my 2000 QX4. Seem to have an ongoing issue with warping. Anyone else have this problem? I can tell when they are new or turned correctly - smooth as silk. When they start to warp just a little I can tell right away.

The vibration slowly creeps up as the rotors get worse. At highway speeds the steering wheel shake/vibration gets really annoying, especially when you brake. Slower speeds you can feel the pulsating.

Come to think about it, I always have the bearings packed at the time the rotors are dealt with, so I’m not 100% sure if the fix has always been the rotors. Maybe a combination of each.

Certainly agree with having the tires rotated, balanced and inflation checked to rule those out before jumping back on the brakes and bearings.

My 2 cents...

[Phantom01Pathfinder]

thanks for all the replies. Ill check the tires first, and if that doesnt solve the problem...itll be brake checking time...

thanks again.

[smancer]

Hey guys,

I just want to revive this topic from the dead since I'm experiencing the similar problems. I have an 01 Pathy 4wd. A few years ago when I bought the vehicle I saw the previous owner service records and the rotors just had been turned. Then last year I was it started to shake while braking, so I had it checked by a mechanic and they found out it was warped rotors. So I changed the rotors and pads out myself and repacked the bearings and problem fixed.

Now the brake and shake is back again! I have driven around 15,000km since I changed the rotors out. What would cause rotors to keep warping this fast?? Anyone else experience this re-occurring problem? This time I can actually hear a thumping sound along with the shaking of the steering wheel as I press on the pedal.

I'm going to lift it up when the spring snow here in Canada clears out and check for movement if the bearings are the issue.

And before I forget, I've ruled out the wheel balancing issue since I recently had it done on both my summer wheels and tires and winter wheels and tires and the shaking happens on both.

[Buzzman]

It could very well be related to the quality of the rotors and pads that you put in.
You didn't state what you bought/installed, but if it was low end stuff, then that might explain it.
Also, being from Canada myself, I know what winters and road salt can do to a set of brakes.
Good luck and keep us posted.

[BoostMyQX4]

If you travel across mountains that will do it for you, i warp my rotors because of going up this mountain just to save 1 mile of traveling but i didn't know that it was the mountain that did the warping until i replace the rotors and kept on traveling up and down the mountain and with in a month the rotors warp again.
Once again i change the rotors and now i avoid that mountain and travel that extra mile to go around it, haven't had a problem since.

[smancer]

I used NAPA premium rotors and pads. Very interesting point about mountain driving though. Although I do only head out to the mountains a few times a year but here in Calgary and the neighborhood that I drive is pretty much a big hill but I doubt that will be enough to warp the rotors that quick since I've never had this problem with my other vehicles.

Also an update, I jacked up my truck this afternoon and there is a slight play in the bearings so when I change over to my summer wheels I'll try and tighten the lock nuts to see if that helps.