Front end shakes when braking

[Bloomer]

Recently, the front end on my LC will shake when I brake. Not all the time, though. Michellin tires getting close to needing replaced, so I thought this might be the source. Any other things to consider?

95 FZJ80

 

[LX_TREME]

Could be couple things, Hows your front rotors?

 

[Romer]

Tire Balance

Alignment

Rotors

Mine was rotors.

Cruiserdan gave me a tip. Try braking with your e-brake. If it still shakes. Balance or alignment. If it does not, it's your rotors

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Wheel bearings loose

 

[Romer]

Wheel bearings loose

Forgot that one as well as loose tie rod ends.

Use a floor jack on one side at a time to lift the tire several inches off the ground and grab the tire at the 6 and 12 oclock positions push and pull and if you have movement, your beaings are loose.

Grab the tire at the 3 and 9 position and push and pull again. If this has movement, tire rod ends could be the problem.

Push and pull on the tire means push one side and pull the other and alternate back and forth to see if there is any movement.

Do the same to the other side

 

[MH_Stevens]

Raise the front end and check for bearing play. Then remove the wheels and check the rotors (most likely cause).

 

[Boston Mangler]

Cruiserdan gave me a tip. Try braking with your e-brake. If it still shakes. Balance or alignment. If it does not, it's your rotors

Execellent idea!

 

[-Spike-]

Loose panhard bolt and bad steering dampener will also cause shimmying when braking.

-Spike

 

[Little Boss]

front end shaking

My truck has done this before and again now. Happens when braking under load. So either on steep downhills with speed and the weight of the vehicle of on flat with load (light turns red and last minute stop). Before it was the rotors. Replaced the rotors again this weekend and put 100 series pads on. All is well again.

Teresa

 

[snowwolf]

99% sure it will be rotors, the trick with the hand brake is only good to find if the rear rotors are warped, best way to find if the fronts are warped is to lift the front up and revolve the wheel, if you hear the disc pads rub then not rub while turning, that is sure sign of rotor warp.

At the weekend I removed right hand side rotor and when I got the new disc out the box, it was 10mm to thin DOH!!!! so had to put the old one back together.
The new discs I had were for the 4.2 diesel and not the 4.5 petrol so will have to buy some more!!!!

 

[dmc]

Well I'll add another component to the mix. My front end shook pretty dramatically when braking under load. I KNOW I have warped rotors. When braking slowly at an intersection you can feel the truck pulse. On a descent or rapid stop I guess that was just magnified.

I discovered over the weekend that one of my front control arm bushings was blown out. They are now swapped for caster plates and stock bushings. With proper caster angle and intact bushing the front end shutter is 95% elimintated. Their is now only a very sublte pulsating in the pedal and a slight, damn near un-noticable, shimy in the wheel when I stop aggressively now. Just another source if the above suggestions don't help. Althought I'd check rotors and bearings before the control arms.
thanks,

 

[Romer]

the trick with the hand brake is only good to find if the rear rotors are warped,!

Not true, The trick is to isolate from either Brakes or non brakes. If the shimmy is felt in the pedal and the steering wheel, the front is the problem. A rear brake rotor problem would be felt in your seat.

So, if you are trying to see if it is tire balance, alignment, bearings, etc. OR the brakes, you use the E brake trick.

If you pull the E brake and the vibration is not there, it is likely rotors.

I had the shimmy in the wheel a few weeks ago. Had my tires rotated and balanced, Checked my bearings and tie rods per the methods above. Still had the problem.

Went out to an isolated road, stopped with brakes and had the shimey. Same conditions, used emergency brake no shimey, which told me front rotors. Took it to a brake place and they said Rotors needed to be resurfaced and that fixed the problem. I replaced my Rotors a year ago when I did my Front axle, so I knew they did not need to be replaced.