brake info needed

[fatassgq]

Hey there all,

Slightly different to the normal gq shake question but could anyone tell me why my truck would be getting a shake in the steering wheel when I brake reasonably hard from a speed?
It actually seems to be worse if you are going down hill and then have to brake!!!???
The shake is surprisingly similar to caster type wobbles but I no longer get them at all under normal driving conditions. (got all bushes etc replaced)
Only this shaking when under brakes. Take foot off brake and goes away.

I think the brakes are a little bit shaged so could a warped rotor or something bring this sort of thing on? I know at least one of my front shocks is in a bad way also so could this be contributing?
Seems odd.
Any oppinions would be great.

Cheers
Brian

[Area54]

Warped rotor, also loose wheel bearings may contribute.

[fatassgq]

Thanks Area54

I have had the wheel bearings replaced very recently so I hope this is not the prob. I had a feeling the brakes where past the use by date but I was not sure if a warped rotor would actually create this shake.

I guess it makes sense that it would.

Thanks again.

Might be an excuse to get some of those dba slotted rotors!! (one day )

[Area54]

do you get any feedback through the pedal with the shake - ie pulsing pedal?

[fatassgq]

I don't think I have noticed this but I know that if you push hard on the pedal when you are stationary it will eventually go to the floor!(but this is a whole new problem lol)

I may have just not noticed the brake pedal as I was concentrating on the steering wheel going left to right in a wallowing type way!

Will have to check.

Thanks again. Any recommendations for a good honest brake repair place to get things checked out on the northside?

Thanks again

[mkpatrol]

Before machining the rotors check the thickness. If they are undersise throw them away for a new set as they may fail under heavy braking. Make sure you replace the pads as well to get the best results.

[V8Patrol]

I have had the wheel bearings replaced very recently so I hope this is not the prob.

would definately pay to get them rechecked .... incorrect
adjustment, fitting or incorrect locking tab placement may result in them becoming loose or over tightening.

Saw a rig with brand new wheel bearings shear a D/side front stubaxle clean off after they "self tightened"....... the mechanic didnt lock the locking plate in the right position.... cost the shop a few grand in repairs not to mention the reputation !

[mkpatrol]

[Saw a rig with brand new wheel bearings shear a D/side front stubaxle clean off after they "self tightened"....... the mechanic didnt lock the locking plate in the right position.... cost the shop a few grand in repairs not to mention the reputation ![/quote]

I am a mechanic and have never seen a wheel bearing self tighten. I would say the mechanic overtightened the bearing causing it to fail. The larger the bearing the less tension required. I prefer to run mine slightly loose.
I have also never seen them cause a vibration until the wheel is just about to fall off. A wheel bearing GENERALLY will not cause vibrations but anything is possible with cars.
I still think the disks will be warped, much more common problem.

P.S I'm not trying to be a smart arse in my first paragragh here, just stating facts.

[fatassgq]

thanks mk,
I have had a cruiser in the past that had floged out front bearings causing the brakes to feel terrible as they tried to bring everything back into line but my nissan is something totally different.
I think I would be able to feel if the wheel bearing was that loose and in this case they are not. (dont think overtight would cause the problem I am having)

I just have a feeling it will be the brakes but am worried that a lot of brake shops will say you need a machine + this + that without much thought!!!

I think it may be benificial to look into new disks (cause I am sure the ones I have are pretty cactus. I could just get new ones on the front and replace pads and see what happens I spose. Then get the rear ones looked at....

Cheers for your comments anyway.
Brian

[V8Patrol]

My mistake ..... lack of details I guess...

The bearings had been placed correctly and locknuts done up to the correct "tension".... problem was the locking plate wasnt installed at all !!

The bearings tightened up as he drove and then overheated thus causing the failing.... unfortunately he kept driving it ( trying to get it home) for repairs and this is when the bearing sized and the momentum and generated heat caused the stub to sheer off.

I did have pics of it but I've deleted em ages ago.... I got the job of the repair

[V8Patrol]

My mistake ..... lack of details I guess...

The bearings had been placed correctly and locknuts done up to the correct "tension".... problem was the locking plate wasnt installed at all !!

The bearings tightened up as he drove and then overheated thus causing the failing.... unfortunately he kept driving it, trying to get it home for repairs and this is when the bearing sized and the momentum and generated heat caused the stub to sheer off.

I did have pics of it but I've deleted em ages ago.... I got the job of the repair

The reason i sugested to get em rechecked was that "fatassgq" stated he had recently replaced the wheel bearings and to me that was a good first place to check seeing no other changes had been made prior to the shakes appearing.

Kingy

[mkpatrol]

Sorry Kingy, I wasn't trying to be a smart arse, thats why I said anything is possible. Cars are like women, you never know what they are g oing to do next.

[V8Patrol]

Sorry Kingy, I wasn't trying to be a smart arse, thats why I said anything is possible. Cars are like women, you never know what they are g oing to do next.

tits or wheels mate..... always gunna give ya problems !

[J Top]

Definately check your rotors, but wheel balance badly out,ie wheels full of mud or weights knocked off plus bad shocks or steering dampner can ad up to the same thing.
J Top

[bazzle]

Most likely rotors. BUT loose wheel bearings can give symtom on these.
They can bed in a bit and have a bit of play after new fitted.
Jack up wheel and check for play.

If ok or no difference rotors are about $60 each for standard and about $100 for slotted each. I use slotted. Hold up to hard braking well.

Bazzle

[fatassgq]

about $100 for slotted each. I use slotted. Hold up to hard braking well.

Is that right!? That is good. What type are these Bazzle? Will my standard callipers bolt up to the slotted disks? What pads should I run with em?

I was going to look at those dba ones but I would have thought they would be a lot more than this and therefore I will have to wait a lot longer for em!! lol

I will check the wheel bearings but apart from buggered front shocks I can not see it being anything else.

Gotta get me some new brakes.
Cheers
Brian

[Singo17]

about $100 for slotted each. I use slotted. Hold up to hard braking well.

Is that right!? That is good. What type are these Bazzle? Will my standard callipers bolt up to the slotted disks? What pads should I run with em?

I was going to look at those dba ones but I would have thought they would be a lot more than this and therefore I will have to wait a lot longer for em!! lol

I will check the wheel bearings but apart from buggered front shocks I can not see it being anything else.

Gotta get me some new brakes.
Cheers
Brian

Instead of starting a new thread I am having the same dramas on a GU. But it is intermittent. I have just changed the pads (Bendix Offroad) without a machine of the disks so I thougt it was the bedding in. Farked if I know. The braking performance now is 200 percent better than before.

Damper is 2 years old moderate off road use?

Tyres are on the shagged side, 285/75 MTR's 50,000 kays, and I have just developed the 80-90kph wobble.

I will search too (I know but I am a lazy farker)

[fatassgq]

Ok I changed the topic heading as I now am going to replace my front rotors and pads to start the ball rolling.

Can anyone recommend a good pad to put on the front of a very heavy gq.
Dba guy said that bendix 4x4 pads seem to go well with the slotted rotors but I wanted to see if anyone else had an oppinion or better yet some experience in this area???

Hoping to just do it myself as I have only just recently had the bearings etc done so no need to do much else except pull off rotor and change in new ones.(I hope!!!)
If there is anything I should be aware of could ya let me know.

Thanks heaps

Brian

[Singo17]

Ok I changed the topic heading as I now am going to replace my front rotors and pads to start the ball rolling.

Can anyone recommend a good pad to put on the front of a very heavy gq.
Dba guy said that bendix 4x4 pads seem to go well with the slotted rotors but I wanted to see if anyone else had an oppinion or better yet some experience in this area???

Hoping to just do it myself as I have only just recently had the bearings etc done so no need to do much else except pull off rotor and change in new ones.(I hope!!!)
If there is anything I should be aware of could ya let me know.

Thanks heaps

Brian

Only thing I can say about the bendix Offroad pads is that they are miles better than the factory pads.

On the Bendix site there is and application chart and the other option is the performax pad from the same company.

I was recommended the offroad pad by a friend when we were discussing the fall off in braking performance once you in the 33' + tyres sizes. I find the feel not alot different on application of the brakes however the wash off speed is continual and constant to halt. Where as I found with the stock pads to wash off speed and then fade mid brake and cause you too continually modify applied pressure to achieve the same ends and if you had to stop in a hurry you had to bury the boot and hope for the best.

The bendix leave me with heaps of head room for emergency braking manouvres. Seems they provide normal type braking power in normal conditions but give em a hard time they work better so I can only guess they have a higher ideal operating tempertures and as you sink the boot in hard they progressively work better. Of course there would be a higher end threshhold where there was fade but I could only assume that this would be quite high and is why slotted might be a better option in the long run to keep the rotor cooler, then again this might change the normal braking characteristics.

I am sure someone here with more techno mumbo in their heads can expand on the above. But that is my experience with the Bendix pad and I would put them on any other truck I owned with larger than normal tyres. I am sure there are other like products and I guess there are only so many ways to make a pad so they would not be neccessarily any less or more of a product.

Must add my original rears when changed were just less than the same width of the backing plate and the fronts just more than the width of the backing, so I assume that the performance difference between the two types was more pronounced than a comparison between two new products due to the originals struggle with heat dissapation.