front driver side shakes when braking at high speeds

[Dirtman]

I really miss seeing things like that... especially when someone else is paying the bill.

Unfortunately my shop is not a "mechanic shop" we are a welding/machine shop. We build some automotive stuff so we have a lift and tools so we get suckered into working on family, friends, and customers cars out of charity. These hilarious disasters are always someone we know personally. Funny... Until you go... "Wait you took my kid to school in that thing last week!"

 

[Uncle Gump]

Yeah... nothing funny about that at all.

 

[Macneil87]

Or this...

Actual truck I fixed... Pulled into my shop like this. I couldn't find the words to explain why this dude needed new tires. His complaint was a vibration after replacing his calipers....

I miss working retail sometimes for shit like this. Now I just work on fleet stuff.


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[91stranger]

Update.... So to answer everyone's questions. Yes it was the wrong caliper. Bracket that came with it didn't fit on my truck, the bleeder valve was on the bottom(thought it was for passenger side but then why wouldn't the bracket fit?), brake pads are about half life (over 1/4" left on each pad), I replaced the rubber brake line on the front driver side and so far no more shaking. I remember seeing all kinds of crazy stuff when I worked at sears auto. I remember a guy brought a loose wheel in to get a new tire put on bc he had a bubble in the tire. Well the bubble was literally the size of a football inside the tire. I had a picture of it somewhere on an old phone. I remember they had the bat-mobile in there one day too.

 

[91stranger]

Another update. So I thought I was good until lunch break and it started shaking again. Only the one time when I went to hit the brakes at 55 mph. If I am being easy on the brakes then everything is fine but if I have to hammer the brakes down at a high speed then it shakes. Guess I'm back at square one, again.... I'm thinking rotors r bad.

 

[Dirtman]

You positive it's not just the ABS activating?

 

[91stranger]

You positive it's not just the ABS activating?

It doesn't have ABS on the front brakes. Shaking is most definitely coming from the front drive side.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Time to get under there and give the front end the shake down...

 

[Ranger850]

Why do you say it is just the driver side? How can you tell? Is it pulling left? Any shake in the steering wheel?

 

[91stranger]

Why do you say it is just the driver side? How can you tell? Is it pulling left? Any shake in the steering wheel?

It definitely pulls left when it shakes and you can hear it very clearly from that side. my friend was riding with me yesterday and he could tell it was the driver side rather than the passenger side as well. As for the shake down test... I just put new tie rod ends a month or two ago (when this was shaking last time) and had an alignment done. There is very very VERY little play in the ball joints. Everything else is tight. So today on my lunch break I am going to jack it up remove the calipers, press them in as if I were changing the pads, lube the slides again, remove rotor and check the back side out more clearly, and go from there. From googling the symptoms, bad rotors was coming up a lot. Which may be the case as I have never removed the rotors and inspected the back side. I glanced at the back side and it looks like good shiny metal. I know new rotors wouldn't hurt but I don't want to throw parts/money at it if I don't have to.

 

[Dirtman]

Sounding like rotors more and more. I had a vibration while braking issue with my truck a couple years ago. The rotors only had 50k on them so I didn't want to change them unless necessary. I checked the thickness in several spots and then even checked them with my dial indicator. Seemed fine and looked fine. But after doing all the hardware and pads the vibration continued. Finally I took the rotors off and found the backs pitted badly. The initial problem was sticking slides but the rotors were gone at that point and I just didnt inspect them well enough. Not saying this is your issue, but when you have slides that stick, it's the backside of the rotor that takes the punishment. Definitely worth pulling them completely off and at least giving them a thorough inspection. Or swap the left and right and see if the vibration moves sides as well.

This rotor was within thickness tolerance and checked perfect on the front side with a dial indicator.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

If the brakes are good you need new ball joints just replace them all the same time and get a good alignment.

 

[91stranger]

If the brakes are good you need new ball joints just replace them all the same time and get a good alignment.

I just had an alignment. Everything is tight including the ball joints. I cannot express that enough apparently. I don't have the time or money to just go replacing the ball joints. I work 5 days a week and this is my only means of transportation so I can't have it torn apart. Anything that gets worked on has to get done that same day. It's either the guide pins or rotors. Starting with the guide pins today and inspecting the backs of the rotors.

 

[Ranger850]

Swap rotor left to right and vice versa like Dirt Dirtman said. If it moves to the passenger side then rotors are the problem.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Take it to your local frame and axle and ask for a safety inspection. By law they have to tell you everything it needs. Here in wa the inspection is free. I replace the parts and give them the alignment as a courtesy. I would put money on ball joints!