02 front brake shimmy

[brymax]

As I stated in previous posts, I'm new to the Q. Bought an 02 with no warranty.

I noticed when I have to get on the brakes the front end shimmies. The car also pull pretty hard to the right without braking. As part of my purchase deal, they installed new tires and cheap ones at that.

I haven't worked on a car myself since I was in my 20's. Honestly, I can simply afford not to, and have always had iron clad warranties on my cars. I haven't taken the wheel off a car since my '67 Camaro, but back in the day I could do just about everything on a car. Car's are far more complex now though.

Honestly, should I be attempting to do my own front brake pads? I'm of the thinking that with tools and a book (Chilton or ???) you can do just about anything.

Or am I going to go buy a jack, tools, pads etc... and pop the wheels just to find out you need to have an engineering degree just to change the brake pads?

I'd like to get into doing SOME things on this car myself but I'm also a realist, and can clearly see that this car poses limitations to even a seasoned electrician such as myself.

Wadda-ya-tink?

[Q45tech]

US and Japanese car engineering philosophies and methods are different.

The first thing required is to secure the Factory Service Manual and spend a few weeks reading and rereading it.

[96Qowner]

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Q4...r.pdf

[brymax]

US and Japanese car engineering philosophies and methods are different.

The first thing required is to secure the Factory Service Manual and spend a few weeks reading and rereading it.

Where can I buy that?

[96Qowner]

You can download a manual from this site:

http://phatg20.info/portal/index.php

You may have to register first, but I think it's free (the site just went back up - was down for awhile). Click on downloads and choose FSM and Infiniti, etc.

[elwesso]

you are going to need new pads and the rotors turned. its not a hard job, just a standard disc brake job.

[xerexabante]

i have the same problem. i replaced the rotor (OE) and the pads (OE). after 3 mos. same thing again. Welll I called my supplier and found me drilled, slotted rotors $120 a piece. this should last me a while.

[brymax]

Yeah, I think I was reading here in this forum somewhere about buying the drilled rotors and racing or performance pads?

I think no matter what I'll buy the parts myself and if I choose not to do the work I'll at least hand the parts over to my mechanic and save some money that way.

I did download the entire manual through the Phat20 link provided. Thanks!

They brake job doesn't look all the difficult or different from brakes from older american cars really. As long as you stick to just the pads and not get into the internal brake components. From there I might let a professional take over.

Whos' the best place through this forum to get parts from?

[96Qowner]

Infiniti Of Scottsdale, 1-888-216-5328, ask for Joe, say Wes sent you.

[elwesso]

Infiniti Of Scottsdale, 1-888-216-5328, ask for Joe, say Wes sent you.

Brilliant, thanks!

[96Qowner]

For OEM parts, Joe's da man. Knows his stuff, and discounts to NICO callers.

[maxnix]

i have the same problem. i replaced the rotor (OE) and the pads (OE). after 3 mos. same thing again. Welll I called my supplier and found me drilled, slotted rotors $120 a piece. this should last me a while.

Stillen brembos much cheaper form Joe and much better than OEM in my experience. OEM pads only unless you are autocrossing.

Must check if the hub is true to specification or it doesn't matter what you install.

[maxnix]

You can download a manual from this site:

http://phatg20.info/portal/index.php

But if you go to http://www.nissan-techinfo.com/infiniti/ you can get the TSB also (the throttle/ECM.TCU is very important for your year of F50).

Well worth the $20 subscription fee to learn about your $60K car.

[brymax]

Hey easy there with the tech talk. I coordinate the technical trades for high-rise construction, but I'm a little out of my element on car talk.

The throttle ECM issue for my year ('02)? This was an service update put out by the manuf. that I need to check and see if was ever done, right? I think I saw that somewhere here.

And what does that have to do with the shimmy when braking?

And the hub issue needs to be checked prior to buying new rotors and pads?

Oh yeah, and what's "autocrossing"?

[96Qowner]

The throttle ECM issue for my year ('02)? This was an service update put out by the manuf. that I need to check and see if was ever done, right? I think I saw that somewhere here. And what does that have to do with the shimmy when braking?

Yes, and nothing to do with braking - just a fix for an annoyance.

And the hub issue needs to be checked prior to buying new rotors and pads?

Yes, it could well be a hub that's out of balance. Always best to check everything.

Oh yeah, and what's "autocrossing"?

A racing competition - beating the crap out of a car, tearing along country roads - drifting, braking, etc. There have been many threads on brake pads. The general consensus is that OEM are best, not too hard, not too much dust, etc - just right.

[brymax]

Yes, and nothing to do with braking - just a fix for an annoyance.

Yes, it could well be a hub that's out of balance. Always best to check everything.



A racing competition - beating the crap out of a car, tearing along country roads - drifting, braking, etc. There have been many threads on brake pads. The general consensus is that OEM are best, not too hard, not too much dust, etc - just right.

Hey there we go! Someone who speaks English, thanks.

Yeah, won't be doing a whole lot of "drifting" on my drive. I get the distinct feeling my car is gonna last a long time. I get on the freeway in the morning and drive 80mph for 70 miles. I leave work and I'm on the freeway idling all the way home.

Of course that 2mph - 30mph idling for 3hrs. in the hot LA sun on the way home every day could be problematic. I'm still hoping that considering I'm strictly a long distance freeway driver and I don't really beat up on cars, I'll have good luck. I bought this car w/ only 33K miles on it, so I should see some longevity with this car.

Of course there is the occasional BMW that needs to be knocked back a peg or 2.

[AlabamaDan]

The brakes on the 94 Q are really easy. That's where I started. It's just a four bolts and the caliper and braket are off. It's where I started with working on my Q. Not too much different from old American Muscle. (Q45 Tech rolls eyes!)

A few things to note, I recommend just pulling the rotors off and carrying them to a quality shop to have them checked - runout included.

When you order the pads from Joe you probably should go ahead and get the shim kit and stuff. Makes a big difference.

Finally, if the 02 is like the 94 clean the tube where the long caliper bolts goes and reinstall with all new high temp caliper grease. That seems to be a point of failure for these if not properly maintained. (Q45Tech regains confidence in AlabamaDan!)

Check the seals on the piston. On an 02 they're probably ok.

The brake job is still easy if done up to NICO standards, just more complete. Do it right the first time. Don't do a "slap" job.

Your vibration is probably warped rotors. I had the same problem.

[brymax]

Thanks mang! Yeah, that's what I said earlier, the brake assembly is not a whole lot diff. than old american cars.

And I don't care if the tech rolls his eye's, cuz he can't build skyscrapers like me. We all have our place in life.

Damn it!, I'm doing it! I'm doing the brakes on my car. I'll be 20yrs. old again living vicariously through Infinit pads & rotors provided by Joe and my memories!

And when the whole thing goes completely wrong, the car's left up on stands in the garage with the wheels off, and I leave my my wife stranded at home with the baby and no car, I'll just tell her the guys on my car blog set it would be easy!

[96Qowner]

And when the whole thing goes completely wrong, the car's left up on stands in the garage with the wheels off, and I leave my my wife stranded at home with the baby and no car, I'll just tell her the guys on my car blog set it would be easy!

That's the spirit!

[dapark55]

I had the same shimmy problem with my recently purchased 03. The seller replaced the pads but I had to have the rotors replaced. I bought EOM from the dealer ($125 ea) and had my tire guy install them. What seemed odd was that there were different parts depending upon the VIN. Anyhow, that cleared up about 95% od the problem. Good luck.

[xerexabante]

i was able to get cross drilled slotted for $107 a peice already odered and waiting to see if it does the trick for warpping

[Q45tech]

Drilled and slotted may make the warping occur faster depending on how YOU cause the warp. Most warp occurs from not slowly cooling the rotors down after serious use. After you stop the temperature builds up for a few [5] minutes as things are stationary [without any cooling air flow from motion].

Grade quality of cast iron in rotor determines weight [good] and resilence.

[maxnix]

Yes, it could well be a hub that's out of balance. Always best to check everything.

Usually it is the lateral runout being too great so even a true rotor mounted on such a hub is tilted with respect to the plane of the caliper - thus the rotor has a built in wobble.

For the truly meticulous and advanced, there is the concept of indexing the rotor to the hub.

A racing competition - beating the crap out of a car, tearing along country roads - drifting, braking, etc. There have been many threads on brake pads. The general consensus is that OEM are best, not too hard, not too much dust, etc - just right.

Actually it is a timed competition on a course demarked with traffic pylons usually laid out on a runway or parking lot with a lot of tight turns.

[96Qowner]

Thanks for the valuable corrections, Brian - first I've heard of autocrossing on a parking lot. I guess I was thinking of rally racing.

I should have checked Wikipedia.

[maxnix]

Yeah, rallying the Q45 makes about as much sense as drifting it.

[xerexabante]

thank you for the input. i don't go to car washes and really don't abuse my car. i guess the heat here in vegas is tremendous. i drive normally and just replced everything twice now. i hope this drilled slotted rotors work. one other thing that helped is the correct tourqe on the wheel nuts. but the shrudder is still there.

[maxnix]

Let me recommend and auxiliary ATF cooler to you.

[xerexabante]

thank you for the idea. i believe i have 1 already. i change my atf about every 6mo.

[maxnix]

i hope this drilled slotted rotors work. one other thing that helped is the correct tourqe on the wheel nuts. but the shrudder is still there.

Over torquing can distort the hubs and cause them to be out of specification. Retorquing to the correct values will not correct the hub distortion.

[xerexabante]

i pulled all tires off the car then torqued correctly with star pattern fixed my shimmy and brake shrudder is less as well.