Another Brake Thread - My plea for Sanity

[4RunnerNewbie]

Here goes - unlike what my username indicates, I have had different 4Runners over the last 7 years, so I am not necessarily a newbie. I am definitively not a newbie to the brake judder/vibration/wobble issues.

So, in my current 2006 4runner XSP I've consistently had brake issues every 5-8 k miles. I did some research and decided to bite the bullet and get some heavy duty pads/rotors. So I did. I got EBC's Green Stuff with the slotted and dimpled rotors. Love them. My braking vibration problem is cured!

But wait - after only about 3k miles - it's back - at high speeds - in the 60 - 70 mph range when braking gently - sometimes it's even when braking with some pressure. It doesn't seem to do it all the time. But, it's more often than not. At this point it is pretty subtle - meaning if my hand is on the wheel, I can barely notice it. If my hand is off the wheel, you can visibly see the vibration.

So, I've gotten it balanced, aligned, inspected, e-mailed EBC and have not had much luck. Still vibrates.

EBC recommended that I use a pro cut lathe. So I have literally contacted every single shop in Nashville that has one, but they wont do it on SLOTTED rotors. I'd love to give it a try, but can't.

So, my plea:

1 - Does anyone know of someone in the NASHVILLE area that would use a pro - cut lathe on my vehicle?

2 - Am I crazy that these vibrations bother me? Do others try to ignore it/live with it?

3 - Will these vibrations continue to get worse - i.e. - now it's only at 60 - 70 mph...will it spread to 50 mph? Will the steering wheelstart vibrating more as time goes on?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I hope someone on this great message board can help with my ongoing problem.

 

[gaterose]

Are you sure the caliper isn't frozen? I actually have the same problem..

EBC Slotted rotors and green stuff pads, I put them on to cure the vibration and like you it went away for a while but it's back now and seems to be getting worse.

I'm planning on checking into the frozen caliper issue as soon as I have time to check on it.

 

[4RunnerNewbie]

You'd think that the two shops it's been two would have checked the Caliper.

I'm pretty handy - but I would have no idea what I'm looking for on a frozen caliper. I guess a quick google search can't hurt. I'll let you know what I find!

Matt - Do you have any noise from the brakes when driving or braking? I seem to hear a slight 'screeching' noise while driving.

 

[gaterose]

I haven't noticed any screeching.

btw this is my 3rd driver's front rotor. I installed an EBC regular rotor (and didn't change the pads like a stupe) and that worked for a while then started vibrating. Then I decided to switch to slotted all around and this time replaced the pads (since I figured that was what ruined the first replacement) but again after a couple of months it started vibrating again.

edit - The fact that this one messed up too is what leads me to think it may be a caliper issue. When I installed the new pads the pistons depressed just fine so I thought maybe I'd avoided the infamous frozen caliper but now I'm thinking not.

 

[4RunnerNewbie]

I just noticed the screeching today, I was driving with the windows down a narrow street and it sounds like the brake is dragging on the rotor, it gets worse as i brake - so I am unsure if it's the slotted rotors making a noise or if a frozen caliper is causing the pad to drag.

It also seems as if the car pulls slightly to the right when I brake. I may be dreaming or trying to find a reason for my vibration problems. I'm going to try to make it to a shop tomorrow and see what they think.

 

[Pickles]

I've recently noticed this happening to my 06 sr5. It only had the vibration for 2 days and it would come and go while going 60ish mph. Sometimes i think i feel it but i could just be imagining it due to paranoia and the squeel almost sounds like a failing belt. I hope someone here can figure it out cause im clueless

 

[settytb]

With my frozen caliper the pad was worn like this \ not like this | it was pretty obvious that like one of the 4 was pushing way more than the others... you can use a big pair of channel locks to push the pad away from the rotor and see both pistons compress. Something worth trying.

 

[stanleybb50]

I'm dealing with most of the same issues. Regarding the going through rotors.... I just ordered dome raybestos semi-metallic pads this time and will have my rotors resurfaced. The ceramic pads seem to eat the rotors more than I'd like, and the ''softer'' pads should help.

 

[aha2988]

I'm having the same issue moderate steering wheel shaking durring hwy speeds doesnt seem to change durrin braking though or cause steering issues just annoying. I dug into both calipers and cleaned them up brake cleaner, "massaged" the caliper pistons put antisiez on the guide pins and back side of pad. found one rotor to be warped had it turned. the vibration seemed to disappear for a while only to come back I feel it's a sticky caliper and by massaging it I can break the pistons free long enough to get a few more miles but I'll be damned if I'm gonna pay 150 for the same damn caliper only to run into the problem again I plan on rebuilding the calipers myself soon and having a machine shop make me some pistons out of a different material that won't corrode to the cast aluminum calipers. if its not the brakes the only they though I have is that I'm lifted 3" without a diff drop I've read like crazy they were useless but I remember hearing not running the diff drop in the 3rd gens would wined up causing a steering wheel vibration at high speeds

 

[ZachAttack]

Also check your control arm bushings. I chased calipers too, but found out the bushings were bad. Replaced them and all my wobbles went away. (wobbles were only in steering wheel.)

 

[gaterose]

Thanks for the advice Zach, I do plan on doing the LCA bushing upgrade soon and that may solve some of the highway vibration. But mine has gotten to the point that it wobbles a lot even at moderate speed (35-45 MPH) but only when braking hard or stopping.

Also, as with OP, it completely went away with a new rotor (twice in my case) but came back after several thousand miles. For me, around 3-5K after changing it was noticeable, and now, 13-15K after changing, it is very bad. It was also very bad when I changed the last one. I put a lot of miles on mine but I had about a year in between each change.

When I say very bad, I can control it easily, but if I let go wobbles 10-15º each way at most red lights after 5-10 mi of driving when stopping.

 

[settytb]

In my experience on other vehicles ceramic pads while awesome for stopping, eat up rotors very quickly and generate more heat (which causes warping and therefore the steering wheel shaking). I've stuck with regular plain semi-metallic pads and have gotten longer life out of both rotors and pads since then. Again just my 2 cents.

 

[4RunnerNewbie]

Well - I don't have a seized piston. Everything moves freely.

Magically,It seems like the vibrations have gotten worse in the last day - so I am not sure what is going on.

I just took it to another shop that had a Pro Cut lathe - but they would not perform the work because it would damage their equipment. They did offer to replace my pads and rotors for $500, so that was very kind of them.

So, I am at wits end. I'm convinced that they are warped. So, I either need to get them machined or I need to get a refund. 3k miles on these pads and rotors don't cut it.

I'm not sure what to do next. I either throw more money at it by replacing the pads and rotors and pray that it fixes it for good (highly unlikely) or I try to get someone to machine these or replace these.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Any in Nashville that wants to share in my misery?

 

[settytb]

I would try new rotors for sure. Although I'm sure you probably paid a pretty penny for yours. I would try working with them was it EBC you got your rotors from? I would make them either 1 give you another set or 2 refund your money and you go elsewhere... 3k is rediculous. I have probably 10k on my cheap autozone rotors with no vibration. FWIW. Also, something to think about is driving style. If you do a hard stop...like freeway offramp where you were going fast and now you aren't. Your brakes are very very hot by the time you come to a stop...what I do is stop a few feet short...and slowly roll forward. That way i know my pads aren't baking that one spot on the rotor and it spreads out the heat. Again, just something I do, and I rarely ever have a warped rotor. Most people don't give it a second thought, but i read an article about racing brakes and bedding them in and they mentioned this. It makes sense to me logically but I'm not sure how practical or if there are any studies done on it etc.

 

[4RunnerNewbie]

Well, I think I am going to plead/beg/cry for EBC to either:

1) Replace my brake set up

2) Give me a refund

So far EBC has been very responsive and helpful - I am hoping they continue to be helpful.

I actually purchased everything thru Autoanything.com, I am trying to work with them also, but have not gotten to a live human being yet.

As for driving style - I've babied my brakes, I've broken them in, I've tried metallic, I've tried ceramic.... I've literally done everything you could think. My current set up was my last ditch effort.

Based on my research I believe that IF the rotor is not perfectly parallel to the pads, a high spot/low spot will develop. This is what causes the vibrations. This is what a Pro Cut lathe is supposed to help 'Cure'.

If I knew that the vibrations didn't get worse, I think I'd just live with it - but I am not so sure that will be the case...

I'll keep everyone updated...

 

[Aquabear]

Good luck man. I had that shaking for a while but now gone with my new setup. I put on new front Napa calipers, EBC Greenstuff pads, EBC drilled n slotted rotors all around and its nice to be confident in brakes again. I am at 75k but at 30k is when I first noticed my brake problems- shaking, longer stop dist, etc.
I am hoping with the new front calipers the problem won't come back- unless it's something else ugh but good luck- I'd vote to change your calipers as well at least the fronts

 

[Ducman]

Rotors

Its your slotted rotors.

Get a set of napa ultra premiums or brembo blanks, new nice and straight pads and I bet your problem will be gone. Both you guys with the issue have slotted rotors.

I have no vibrations like what you are describing. I bet the slotted rotors are either slightly uneven or have slightly uneven slotted pattern and have worn your pads unevenly.