Identifying brake shimmy...front or back (or both)?

[plarsen111]

I had my brakes done a little over 1 year ago when I bought the car. The shimmy is back.

I am thinking it may be just the front or rear brakes causing the problem. I had Firestone do the front, because apparently there is a bearing that needs to be pressed on. They replaced the rotors and pads.

I did the back myself. I had the rotors turned, and not replaced.

After all that info, here is my question: Is there a way to determine if the shimmy is being caused by either the front or the back of the vehicle?

I am hoping it is the back, as it will save me a lot of money getting the job done.

One more side question, if I replace the rotors on the back, should I replace the pads too?

Thanks!

Phil

 

[hankinid]

I would GUESS if you feel it in the steering wheel, it's the front. If you feel vibration through the body, the rear.

Yes on replacing the pads with new rotors.

hth

Steve

 

[bdac]

Have you tried to bed-in your brakes? There may be brake deposits on the pad or rotor.

http://www.stoptech.com/technical-s...ions-and-procedures/stock-brake-system-bed-in

There was severe brake pulsation on our FZJ80 and the bed-in process resolved it without replacing anything.

All you need is a straight road. Just make sure no one is behind you when you slam on the brakes.

 

[dnp]

Have you tried to bed-in your brakes? There may be brake deposits on the pad or rotor.

http://www.stoptech.com/technical-s...ions-and-procedures/stock-brake-system-bed-in

There was severe brake pulsation on our FZJ80 and the bed-in process resolved it without replacing anything.

All you need is a straight road. Just make sure no one is behind you when you slam on the brakes.

I was always under the impression that bed-in only applied to new brake components. I'm not sure that a bed-in procedure will work on 1 year old brakes.

 

[bdac]

I was always under the impression that bed-in only applied to new brake components. I'm not sure that a bed-in procedure will work on 1 year old brakes.

The bed-in process is normally for new brake components to remove the initial film on the pads and rotors and develop an even substrate on both surfaces. I have however used the bed-in process with older brakes that shimmy (well after a year of use) and with my case it resolved the vibration. Just my hypothesis, I believe doing so removes some of the pad material or rust that may develop on the rotor with constant stop/go traffic.

 

[plarsen111]

 

[bdac]

^^^ that trick won't work on the 100 because the hand brake engages the rear drum brake not the rear disk brake.

 

[iwashmycar]

I would GUESS if you feel it in the steering wheel, it's the front. If you feel vibration through the body, the rear.

Yes on replacing the pads with new rotors.

hth

Steve

This. I just had this problem with my rears. POS Powerstop rotors. Almost felt like some sort of driveline problem, but I assumed rear rotors and was right since my fronts had warped not too long before the rears. Again, POS Powerstop.

 

[uHu]

Phil, there's no press-on bearing at the fronts.

On possible problem area is the inside of the front disks: If the front wheel bearings are not 100 % tight, the inside hub seal will start leaking, and you'll get grease on the inside of the brake rotors. This leaves deposits on the rotors and pads which develop to lumps over time.