Shake and Brake Please help

Jollyllama18

Jollyllama18

New member
I have an 05 T4R sport, 103k miles. When I apply the brakes at high speeds it shakes. At low speeds it feels as if the brakes are grabbing and slightly releasing and grabbing again.

I had the rotors and pads replaced because it was time anyway and hoped that would solve the issue. They were replaced with brand new aftermarket parts.

I still have the issue. There is no pulsing in the pedal and no pulling in the steering wheel.

I took it to a local independent mechanic who said it could be the control arm bushings were worn, and he wanted to replace the front control arms.

I appreciate any insight.
 
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Could very well be a stuck piston. We have 4 pistons on the front brakes on these trucks. If one of the brake pistons is stuck it can cause the shaking.

It could be the control arm bushings (but I doubt it). But you can easily check them before you replace.
 
I don't know but thumps up for a clever title lol! Also, as if you joined 4 years ago and this is your first post, Welcome...I guess lol. I would have said warped rotors but if you replaced them then who knows and if it was warped rotors your brake pedal would pulsate. Maybe a tired caliper? but you should feel it abit in the pedal. Maybe a severely out of balance tire...do you live if the snow belt?, maybe there snow/ice in your rims? I don't know man, I just shooting the ****.

I can't see it being your bushings unless they're really toast but thats funny because I went for an alignment a couple days ago and the mech. said I need new LCA bushings. My truck rides like a dream (no squeaks, rubbing, vibrations, none of that) so you can imagine what I told him to do with his new bushings!
 
You have uneven brake pad deposits on your rotors. Very common, feels like a "warped" rotor. Normally happens from getting your pads hot from hard driving or towing, then stopping at a redlight leaving the hot pads to steep into the rotor. You can have your rotors turned, upgrade to a higher temp pad, or maybe "even" out the deposits by getting the pads hot and braking hard a few times. I did that with my wife's Accord and it helped smooth things out a bit. Hope that helps.
 
Doubt its the control arm bushings. I have same year Runner w/ approx. same miles, my control arm bushings are fine.

As mentioned above it might be uneven brake pad deposits, but I doubt it if you replaced pads and rotors and the problem didn't go away. Try re-bedding your pads anyways, maybe it'll help. If that doesn't work, try to push the pistons on each caliper back in. If one of them is seized, then that is what is causing the shake and brake.

Your mechanic cannot possibly rule out seized caliper pistons unless he (or she) tries to push the pistons back into the caliper. Sounds like he was being lazy, and suggested replacing the control arms to make a quick buck without exploring all of the potential solutions to your problem.
 
1,000,000 says is uneven deposits.
Even with new pads/rotors sometimes it's easier for the uneven deposits to happen on a new rotor. What pads did you use? Have you driven it hard lately or towed anything? Heck, you might even be able to see the "sticky" spot on the rotor if you look. Google "uneven brake deposits" and you'll find plenty of pics and symptoms just like yours.
On my old Tacoma I fought what I thought was warping rotors for years, turned out it was uneven deposits due the the cheap lifetime warranty pads I was using. Live and learn I guess.
 
The OP stated that he experienced the problem before and after replacing pads and rotors. If the problem is in fact due to uneven deposits, he would temporarily noticed improved braking (for a short period) until the uneven deposits accumulated once again on the new rotors. 12Guns, you may be right. I don't have 1,000,000 to bet you, but I had the same problem (shaking at high speeds, etc.) about 2 months ago and it was due to a seized piston.

Jollyllama18, have you noticed any unusual amounts of brake dust on any of your wheels? After heavy braking, do any of your wheels feel slightly warm to the touch? These are both indicators of a seized piston. Like I said before, I'd try re-bedding your pads to remove any uneven deposits because its easy. Check StopTech's website for instructions. If that doesn't work, check the calipers.
 
I'll take suspension bushings, I've had this problem on a couple cars and fixed it with new bushings. The brake rotors will always have rust or brake pad deposits causing slight shake, it usually wears off as you use them. If your suspension bushings are worn the shake will be more noticeable. It will cause other problems if not dealt with. It might be the rear suspension if you're not feeling it in the steering.

First I'd check the rotors, but you've already replaced them. Or did you just replace the fronts?

Check prices on control arms, and check prices on bushings. Sometimes control arms are cheap enough it's not worth pressing in new bushings.
 
warped rotors., jack one side up and spin the tire, if you can hear the caliper kinda catch and release the rotor, and also you might be able to see it catch and let go. just replaced rotors, or get em turned. Mine is also a 05 sr5 v8 and its doing the same thing now.
 
LOL I don't have 1mill either, just didn't know a frozen piston could cause those symptoms. Learn something new everyday! You're right that the new pads/rotors should have temporarily fixed the problem, but you never know.
Hope the OP finds a fix!
 
I'm ruling out stuck piston because a mechanic would certainly have noticed when replacing rotors and pads. I'm ruling out warped rotors because they were replaced without fixing the problem, unless only the front rotors were replaced. I just replaced the rear rotors on my son's Subaru because of pulsing brakes, fixed it nicely.

I'm changing my prediction to rear rotors if they weren't replaced. Bushings if they were.
 
scottm said:
I'm ruling out stuck piston because a mechanic would certainly have noticed when replacing rotors and pads.
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First off, nice company vehicle....I'm not going unless it's a Beoing! hehe

Secondly, I wouldn't trust the mechanic without asking a few questions first. Alot can happen to obscure someones judgement...what if his wife left him, or his dog died or it was friday afternoon (sounds like i'm writing a country song). Have you ever been looking for the TV remote and it turns out its been on the coffee table the whole time. Sometimes the obvious isn't so obvious after all. I would either take it to a different mechanic or inspect it myself just for a fresh set of eyes. I got an 03 with 125k miles in the snow belt and my bushings are fine, from a driving stand point, so I just can't imagine an 05 with bad bushings but I guess nothing is impossible.

As of now, my vote is rear disks if they haven't been replaced, stuck caliper or uneven brake deposits.
 
[

Jollyllama18, have you noticed any unusual amounts of brake dust on any of your wheels? After heavy braking, do any of your wheels feel slightly warm to the touch? These are both indicators of a seized piston. Like I said before, I'd try re-bedding your pads to remove any uneven deposits because its easy. Check StopTech's website for instructions. If that doesn't work, check the calipers.[/QUOTE]

i noticed greyish dust on my wheels after driving for long.....n my steering shakes a bit if i brake on high speeds....pls what do i need to do?...bought the truck used. 114k..and just noticed it
 
i had my passenger caliper replaced saturday due to 1 piston being stuck and i didnt get a shake just a pull. Im not to sure on this but could it be the ABS messing tweaking out. Just my thoughts
 
zerowkul98 said:
I'll take "seized caliper" for $800, Alex! :crybaby:
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This /\

I'm going though this right now. My chick was complaining that her 4runner had no power I went out side to check it out & the driver side wheel was rotor was red hot.

Gonna change it this weekend. Those calipers & rotors are not cheap.
 
I realize this is a couple years later, but I wanted to thank everyone for helping me out a couple years ago. I ended up replacing all the rotors and pads again and it cured the issue back then..

I have been brought back to this site over the last couple months as my Xreas shocks started leaking. I decided to lift her and used this site for the vast amount of information posted here.

So thank you again. I will post pics once it is all completed.

:thanks:
 
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