riding the brake causes lunging

[HuiDaddy]

hey guys been a long time. i was wondering if anyone else has or can diagnose this issue i have been noticing in the ride of the 4runner. the ride has always been car-like since day one, but now with almost 65k miles on it, there is an issue that has been driving me bonkers the past 20k miles. it has only gotten worse as the miles add up.

during braking, i notice that the 4r seems to lurch or lunge forward as if i am pumping the brakes. my foot is at a constant pressure on the brake pedal, but as the car comes to a complete stop, its doing the lunging effect and its bugging the hell out of me. i thought it would be cured when i got the brakes worked on, but to no avail. toyotal dealer didnt know what the heck i was talking about.

during braking i understand that the pads are stationary and if the rotors havent been properly resurfaced, it would cause this problem. the flatness of the rotors is probably off and its got this really effed up angle to them, but they were resurfaced at the dealer and the cars still doing it.

what else could it be? at low speeds the car isnt lurching at all, but only when i press the brakes to decelerate. somebody please come up with something brilliant. thanks so much guys!

 

[HuiDaddy]

pulsing is a good description! i see a few posts in the maintenance section. i hope this doesnt cost me too much...

any other info would be much appreciated! thanks!

 

[rook]

pulsing is a good description! i see a few posts in the maintenance section. i hope this doesnt cost me too much...

any other info would be much appreciated! thanks!

If what you are describing can be summed up as a pulsation felt in the steering wheel while applying the brakes, then you have warped rotors (discs).

You will most likely need to replace the pads and rotors. You may be able to save money if you know a reputable mechanic willing to machine the rotors. They will need to be measured to see if they meet the minimum thickness for machining.

I use partznet as a good estimator for the cost of parts. You can then determine how much someone is marking things up on you.

 

[TechWrench]

hey guys been a long time. i was wondering if anyone else has or can diagnose this issue i have been noticing in the ride of the 4runner. the ride has always been car-like since day one, but now with almost 65k miles on it, there is an issue that has been driving me bonkers the past 20k miles. it has only gotten worse as the miles add up.

during braking, i notice that the 4r seems to lurch or lunge forward as if i am pumping the brakes. my foot is at a constant pressure on the brake pedal, but as the car comes to a complete stop, its doing the lunging effect and its bugging the hell out of me. i thought it would be cured when i got the brakes worked on, but to no avail. toyotal dealer didnt know what the heck i was talking about.

during braking i understand that the pads are stationary and if the rotors havent been properly resurfaced, it would cause this problem. the flatness of the rotors is probably off and its got this really effed up angle to them, but they were resurfaced at the dealer and the cars still doing it.

what else could it be? at low speeds the car isnt lurching at all, but only when i press the brakes to decelerate. somebody please come up with something brilliant. thanks so much guys!

What you are describing sounds like a classic rotor problem. Some attribute it to warped rotors, others to hard spots in the metal which cause the pads to grip differently as the rotor turns. Sometimes the steering wheel shakes, other times is is just the pulsing as you stop. Most often it is the front rotors, but I have seen it caused by the rear ones to. In any case, resurfacing the rotors again is probably not worth the effort, just replace the rotors with new. The dealer will hit you hard for a set, so if you can do it yourself, you will save a bundle.