1994 Ford Ranger 4.0 Auto 4x4 brake chatter

[Wayne Ward]

Down hill w/hard braking and there is a chatter like a washboard in the road. Feathering there is nothing. Only with constand good pressure does the vibration start. Warped rotors??? Could it be anything else? I did notice that the leading edge of the outside brake pads on both sides are tapered (see 1st image). Is that normal with Rangers? Given this has auto hubs how hard is it to pull the rotors?

 

[scotts90ranger]

with auto hubs pulling the rotors is easy, take a screwdriver and hammer and drive out the caliper pins, pull off the plastic cam from the hub nut, pull the clip and splined washer from the axle shaft, grab a magnet and find the keyway in the threads of the spindle and grab the hub nut with your hand, stick the strong magnet up to the keyway and wiggle the nub back and forth, the key should come out. Now back the nut off by hand and the rotor will come off I believe.

 

[dvdswan]

Maybe it is just the shadow of the middle picture, but it looks like the outer pad is missing. It is obviously there as you can see it in the 1st and last pictures. But I would think you could clearly see it as you see the inner pad.

 

[rumblecloud]

Maybe it is just the shadow of the middle picture, but it looks like the outer pad is missing. It is obviously there as you can see it in the 1st and last pictures. But I would think you could clearly see it as you see the inner pad.

@dvdswan : Are you saying that the outer pad could be mis-aligned?

 

[Uncle Gump]

The taper on the brake pad is normal... many replacement pads look like that.

If the rotor is warped... it's warped at high speed heavy and low speed lite braking. You should feel it anytime the brakes are applied. A warped rotor will also cause a slight rise and fall of the brake pedal... in direct proportion of how bad it's warped. It does this because the high spot on the rotor forces the caliper piston back into the bore which sends fluid back to the master cylinder and causes the pedal to rise. It may be subtle but if it's warped it will do it.

I suggest taking a little drive and really get in tune with the pedal and see if you can feel it coming through the pedal.

 

[Wayne Ward]

Maybe it is just the shadow of the middle picture, but it looks like the outer pad is missing. It is obviously there as you can see it in the 1st and last pictures. But I would think you could clearly see it as you see the inner pad.

Just the shadow

@dvdswan : Are you saying that the outer pad could be mis-aligned?

Not sure what the problem really is but warpage is probably it. That bevel in picture one on the lead edge of the pad is not something that I have seen before but makes sense to me now. Thanks

 

[Wayne Ward]

The taper on the brake pad is normal... many replacement pads look like that.

If the rotor is warped... it's warped at high speed heavy and low speed lite braking. You should feel it anytime the brakes are applied. A warped rotor will also cause a slight rise and fall of the brake pedal... in direct proportion of how bad it's warped. It does this because the high spot on the rotor forces the caliper piston back into the bore which sends fluid back to the master cylinder and causes the pedal to rise. It may be subtle but if it's warped it will do it.

I suggest taking a little drive and really get in tune with the pedal and see if you can feel it coming through the pedal.

Would that cause what is shown on the leading edge of the outside pad...the bevel there seems odd to me. The pulsing comes through the pedal on a hard brake. Getting the darn things off is my next challenge.

 

[Ranger850]

Have your rotors turned/re-surfaced and scrape your pads on some concrete. Chatter comes from grooves in the rotor, like an old vinyl record. They have a spiral to them and when the pad rubs on the rotor and "skips' over the grooves, you get the chatter. I bad lathe tip or a crappy lathe man can actually turn a rotor that didn't have chatter, into one with chatter. I have 3 years experience as a lathe operator for a brake shop. I was crappy at first, then got really good at it.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Would that cause what is shown on the leading edge of the outside pad...the bevel there seems odd to me. The pulsing comes through the pedal on a hard brake. Getting the darn things off is my next challenge.

That bevel is just how the pads were manufactured.... many pads look like that.

 

[Ranger850]

Yes. ^^^ The bevel is there to give the pad more surface area as they wear and the rotors get smoother.

Did i use the right "wear" or should I have used "ware" ?

Definitely not "where".

 

[superj]

ha ha ha /\

i guess it depends on where the wear is

 

[dvdswan]

Yes. ^^^ The bevel is there to give the pad more surface area as they wear and the rotors get smoother.

Did i use the right "wear" or should I have used "ware" ?

Definitely not "where".