Brakes Pulsating
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 757
Likes: 2
From: Orlando Fl
Brakes Pulsating
Brakes are giving a pulsating feel when applying. Do you think it is the rotors? That is my first guess. Any input would be greatlly appreciated.
Best Regards-
John
Best Regards-
John
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 13,542
Likes: 1
From: Are you fat because you're lazy or lazy because you're fat? San Jose, CA
Cruise-In X Veteran
St. Jude Donor '09
If the car hasn't been really driven hard, I believe Stoptech has the answer.
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp...rakedisk.shtml
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp...rakedisk.shtml
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 19,557
Likes: 1,470
From: I love you & miss you Linda
2017 C7 of the Year Finalist
St. Jude Contributor
If the car hasn't been really driven hard, I believe Stoptech has the answer.
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp...rakedisk.shtml
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp...rakedisk.shtml
Very good reading.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 17,640
Likes: 1
From: Lenoir City TN
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
If the car hasn't been really driven hard, I believe Stoptech has the answer.
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp...rakedisk.shtml
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp...rakedisk.shtml
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 757
Likes: 2
From: Orlando Fl
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 5,865
Likes: 6
From: Saraland Alabama
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Because of the relative light weight of the C5 rotors it is imperative that you use a torque wrench and torque your wheels exactly like FSM describes.
If you don't follow the directions you will physically warp your rotors which you may have already done. Try retighening them correctly.
If you don't follow the directions you will physically warp your rotors which you may have already done. Try retighening them correctly.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2,786
Likes: 22
From: Cary NC
No it's not evident. The uneven build up, if that's your problem, is not visible. Take some 100 grit or so sandpaper on a sanding block and give them a good scrub. It would be easier to remove them to do it. But if you don't know how then scrub both side and turn the rotor by hand. Then go follow that stoptech brake pad bed in process. If they still pulse badly then time for new rotors.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,614
Likes: 7
From: South Florida
If the car hasn't been really driven hard, I believe Stoptech has the answer.
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp...rakedisk.shtml
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp...rakedisk.shtml
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,614
Likes: 7
From: South Florida
Because of the relative light weight of the C5 rotors it is imperative that you use a torque wrench and torque your wheels exactly like FSM describes.
If you don't follow the directions you will physically warp your rotors which you may have already done. Try retighening them correctly.
If you don't follow the directions you will physically warp your rotors which you may have already done. Try retighening them correctly.
READ the stoptech article.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 4,295
Likes: 2
From: Indianapolis Indiana
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
If the car hasn't been really driven hard, I believe Stoptech has the answer.
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp...rakedisk.shtml
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp...rakedisk.shtml
Resurfacing costs as much or more than a new set of rotors.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,332
Likes: 31
From: Silver Spring MD
pulsating brakes
Make about 10 or 15 HARD STOPS from say 70 or so down to 20 MPH to really get the brakes HOT. DON'T KEEP THE PEDAL ON TO A COMPLETE STOP OR YOU WILL GET MORE BRAKE MATERIAL ON THE ROTORS. Most rotors AREN'T WARPED just have some brake residue on them. Super hard braking can remove most of that material.
BIGHANK
BIGHANK
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 776
Likes: 0
From: Palm City Florida
My car occasionally pulsates just before it stops. I don’t drive the car hard so it is likely buildup as described in the StopTech article. My ‘cure’ has always been to make one medium hard stop and it brakes smooth for a while. This probably only works for cars that aren’t driven hard, but for daily drivers used for transportation like mine it seems to do the trick.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
Likes: 85
From: San Diego CA
Slamming the brakes is only temporary at best. The only permanent solution if you'd like to continue to use the excellent OEM pads is to replace the rotors with slotted versions. I bought PowerSlot rotors a few years ago and have not had any pulsating brake pedal issues, since.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,152
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
I would either get the rotors cut or install new ones. Make sure you clean the rust off the mounting surfaces so they mount true. I've gone 6000 miles since surfacing mine and the brakes are still excellent. I'm lucky since I can borrow a brake lathe and do them for free. I did the ebrake drum too so it works great now.
I've put my S10 one piece hub and rotor onto the lathe using the bearing races to mount it and it had run-out indicating a warped rotor. The vette rotors seemed more to be just uneven but I didn't check them really, just cut them and went.
Peter
I've put my S10 one piece hub and rotor onto the lathe using the bearing races to mount it and it had run-out indicating a warped rotor. The vette rotors seemed more to be just uneven but I didn't check them really, just cut them and went.
Peter
Last edited by lionelhutz; Aug 11, 2008 at 06:03 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 776
Likes: 0
From: Palm City Florida
PowerSlots
One of my sons has a hotrod Mustang with a Brembo / PowerSlot combo that has been working great for several years. I drove the car myself for a while and the were flawless.
David.
David.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 29
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
On my '99, I kept having the rotors getting warped. Had them turned more than once, replaced them once and always the problem kept coming back. Finally, I bought new rotors again and put on ceramic pads at the same time. No more problems following that.