tugging / clamping when breaking

[dieselman8]

tugging / clamping when braking

I don't know if this is a regular characteristic of my 4runner or a serious problem.

When I brake to stop at a stop light, sometimes I feel a very very slight tug when I release the brake after coming to a full stop. Mine is a 2008 4runner with <3000 miles.

Does anyone else experience this?

 

[runnerfreak]

It happened to me when I brake while going through a pot hole or a speed road bump. The truck tugs and sometimes over breaks to a point where i feel the back of my truck raised. I guess thats the abs and VSC thinking the SUV is slipping out of control.

Doesn't happen during breaking on normal surface

 

[tamiyatim]

I am experiencing EXACTLY the same problem with my 2004 V6 SR5.... I'm thinking the rear rotors are warped. I think it's pretty easy to replace them, but I'm hoping that's what the problem really is....

 

[dieselman8]

I am experiencing EXACTLY the same problem with my 2004 V6 SR5.... I'm thinking the rear rotors are warped. I think it's pretty easy to replace them, but I'm hoping that's what the problem really is....

Glad I'm not alone. I'm assuming this type of thing is covered under the warranty. I'll probably bring it in to get checked.

 

[tamiyatim]

I was just gonna get some Duralast rotors at Autozone and put em on.... it's definitely the rear, cuz I don't feel anything at all in the steering wheel...

It's not even that bad at speed, I can feel it more when I'm coasting slowly up to a stoplight... brakes grab and makes my head bob back and forth like I'm at the end of a roller coaster ride.. haha..

 

[CJ3Flyr]

Get good rotors, it's worth it!

Let me mount up on my :soapbox:



There was another member here who recently went through this. Cheapy rotors warped within days for him. Based on his experience and many other similar experiences that I have had I would stay away from AZ/PepBoys etc. Napa offers a premium series OEM replacement that are readily availible and fairly priced. Brembo and Toyota and I am sure there's 1 or 2 other good choices but stay away from the cheap ChiCom rotors.






There's a lot to love about the OEM pads too. When my time comes I'll order OEM pads from partznet.com ( a sponsor here who discounts OEM parts).




That's just my 2 or 3 cents Good luck!


:cheers:

 

[tamiyatim]

Okay, so I cheaped out and got the Duralast Rotors from Auto Zone... they seem fine... for now... very easy to put on... just remove the caliper, and slide em off....

no more annoying grabbing from the back brakes... we'll see how long it takes for em to warp again.... they've got a 2 year warranty....

 

[nc211]

I honestly don't think it's the rotor surfaces anymore, but rather the lack of centering screws for the rotor to be mounted to the hub. The previous owner of my 05' clearly drove it in a straight line for 53k miles in 13 months time. When I measured the rotors recently to see if I was still in spec to have them turned, they were as thick as new ones. I had them turned, and the pulsing stopped for about 1,000 miles. Then it returned. It's from the back too. After taking the wheels off again to take a look, I realized that there is a bit of slack in the studs and rotor holes. I honestly think the pulsing is caused by the rotor wiggling on the studs because the car is so heavy the wheels themselves can't hold them perfectly still. The feeling is exactly the same on my old LS400 that did have centering screws. If you put aftermarket rotors on that car, or didn't use the centering screws, you would get the exact same feeling.

 

[eskimochaos]

Guys, this is the common rear end clunk.

Everyone 4r has it, it is the drive shaft sliding, not the rotor. Have the stealer lube it. there is NOTHING wrong


Oh boy........

 

[tamiyatim]

Driveshaft? what are you talking about?

I had warped rear rotors that would grab at slow speeds... had nothing to do with the driveshaft...

Oh boy is right...

 

[live4thrillz]

Haha..you're talkin two different problems.

I thought the original post was addressing a warped rotor issue, but now I think it might be the driveshaft clunk too!

At very slow speeds (but still rolling), there is a pulsing that you can feel through the car/brakes. I also have this on my 05 Sport (bought w/ 47K and have 94K w/o buying new rotors).

I think one reply was talking about the driveshaft thing. After coming to a stop, there is a clunk varying from a faint pulse to a moderate clunk that kinda feels like someone rear ended you lightly. I think it's the transmission changing from 2nd to 1st gear after stopping and the driveshaft (if not lubed often) will "clunk" or "thud" lightly. I have reduced the occurance of this by slowling down slowly; I'll brake hard initially to slow down, then "feather" the brakes to a stop. This probably allows the tranny to shift into 1st better? (Others have also reported doing this)

I have both issues so that's my opinion. I've learned to live with them; even lubing every oil change still can give minor driveshaft clunks for me. The brakes are barely noticeable but I do have a good shimmy at higher speeds. I'll be doing aftermarket rotors with OEM pads and hopefully that solves it. Rear rotors seem to have a pad "imprint" in them probably from sitting on the brakes after they were really hot. This could be the brake pulse we're talkin about here.

What does everyone think?

 

[tamiyatim]

I've put 6000 miles on my Autozone rear rotors, and they are working perfectly... no more shudder or grabbing...

I do get that unpleasant clunk every once in a while... I'm gonna try to pump some grease into my driveshaft like everyone says...

I think it's from the rear end "loading" or wrapping downward when you come to a hard stop, and then the tension releases when you take your foot off the brake slightly...

I wonder if its because of the placement of the clamps on the rotors? meaning, when you brake, the rear end wants to rotate downward, and when you release the brake tension, it pops upwards, making a clunking sound because the motor/driveshaft is putting tension on the rear end to twist upward??

 

[ALLEGRO]

After becoming totally frustrated with the clunk after stopping, and the lack of any help from the dealership, I read and read for a DIY fix. Most claimed that a good lubing would help but not be a permanent fix. I kept on reading and came across a post that said to only hit the 4 zerks with a couple of shots of grease, but to hit the two slip-joints with a LOT of grease. I hit the slips with about 20 pumps each.

At first (first couple of days) I saw no real improvement, but after that there has been absolutley no thump now for over 6 months. There is no need for special tools, jacks, ramps or anything. Actually you might need a wife (or suitable substitute) to pump the grease gun.

All in all I am very pleased to get that annoying thump out of my ride, and only invested 10 minutes.