brake shudder
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,013
Likes: 5
From: NJ: the garbage state
brake shudder
experiencing front end brake shudder at high speeds (120+). the vehicle is driven moderately hard but i only have about 6k miles on my '09 z51. wheels are stock sized repros from factory reproductions, tires are f1 supercar stocks as well. the shudder is only felt at the higher speeds. can this be rotor warpage? will the warranty cover it if it is? i have a feeling the dealer will blame modifications. anyone with similar experiences?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,066
Likes: 9,829
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
If the car was put in service after 3-14-09 you might get them to consider something under warranty. There really isn't any such thing as rotor warpage. You could have uneven pad deposits on the rotors due to overheating the pads and then stopping while holding your foot on the brake pedal. Once on the rotor those deposits will grab every time the pad hits them. Sometimes the deposits get so hot they change the metal structure of the rotor in that location so you have hard spots that will cause thumping. You could also have rust areas on the back side of the rotors. I have seen large patches of rust in the pad wear area cause all sorts of thumping.
Bill
Bill
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Lake Havasu City Arizona
SoCal Events Coordinator
St. Jude Donor '12
Are you on the brakes when this shuddering is happening? As you are slowing and braking while coming to a stop is there a "surge" feeling from the rotors? If that is the case I'd say you do have some warped rotors. As the prior poster said, you can do some damage braking at high speed and then sitting stopped with your foot still on the brake. good luck
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,013
Likes: 5
From: NJ: the garbage state
i see.... however i would expect that the brake components would be able to keep up with what they are intended to be used for on a car made to perform at high speeds.... i never had brakes go bad on lesser performance cars... i would think a warranty would cover this issue... so foot on brakes after high speed stop not good?
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,884
Likes: 0
From: Forked River N.J.
experiencing front end brake shudder at high speeds (120+). the vehicle is driven moderately hard but i only have about 6k miles on my '09 z51. wheels are stock sized repros from factory reproductions, tires are f1 supercar stocks as well. the shudder is only felt at the higher speeds. can this be rotor warpage? will the warranty cover it if it is? i have a feeling the dealer will blame modifications. anyone with similar experiences?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,013
Likes: 5
From: NJ: the garbage state
what is a good replacement? dbs 4000? can the z51 cross drilled be cut on a machine? and do i have to replace brake pads when i do the rotors? i only have 6k miles on them.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 19,574
Likes: 168
From: Frederick, MD
Most Corvette brakes are really not designed to stop from high speeds. As mentioned above rotors don't warp by themselves, there is usually another problem. An on-car brake lathe can fix a lot of "warping" rotors though.
Instructor
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 242
Likes: 2
From: San Diego
Bill is spot on. Rotors do not warp like potato chips. What has happened is there is a build up of brake material on the rotor surface that has created hills and valleys. Each time you transfer brake material to the rotor the hills get higher and valleys lower. Now your pedal shudders under medium to hard braking. Turning the rotors can get rid of the material build up but if you got them hot and heat spots were created on the rotor turning them will not remove them. Shudder will come back.
Somebody was doing some hard braking. With only 6,000 miles there wasn't enough time for the pads to brake in before hard braking was introduced.
Somebody was doing some hard braking. With only 6,000 miles there wasn't enough time for the pads to brake in before hard braking was introduced.
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CF Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Tucson Arizona
If it's kind of a 'judder' noise and sensation...I'd inspect the rotors and pads. See what condition they're in. You might try cleaning the rotors....you can use brake cleaner and Scotch Brite (red) pads and give the rotors a good scrubbing. Cleaning the rotors may not cure the problem but it's worth trying before you replace them. If you replace rotors you might consider solid/slotted rotors instead of the drilled ones. Good luck....I hope it's a simple fix.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,154
Likes: 27
From: West Des Moines Ia
I have had this shudder thing happen on several of my C5's and C6's. All was covered under warranty. First they always try to repair. I have no idea what was involved in a repair. That would last only a short time and then the Rotors were replaced... Currently I am running Baer's...
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Pinellas Park Fl
St. Jude Donor '08-'09 & '12, '14
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,013
Likes: 5
From: NJ: the garbage state
ok. and i would get flamed for saying something like that. anyway i see you are from florida. where the average age is 65 yrs old. am i far off? where's a mod when you need one. look if you drive your car like its grandma's classic fine by me, but i purchased a performance car to do just that.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 679
Likes: 4
From: TremontonUT UT
I have had several outfits over the years that had a shudder/pulsation when and only when I applied the brakes. Most noticeable at slower speeds. If this is what you are experiencing have the rotors turned. Usually .010" on each side will clean them up. If there are hard spots you will be able to see them. Later! Frank 
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,974
Likes: 14
From: Pinellas Park Fl
St. Jude Donor '08-'09 & '12, '14
ok. and i would get flamed for saying something like that. anyway i see you are from florida. where the average age is 65 yrs old. am i far off? where's a mod when you need one. look if you drive your car like its grandma's classic fine by me, but i purchased a performance car to do just that.
Last edited by glenB; Mar 17, 2012 at 01:11 PM. Reason: added avg age
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,154
Likes: 27
From: West Des Moines Ia
I had my rotors turned at the Chevy dealership but alwasy withing a couple of weeks the shudder was back and they replaced the rotors. Someone was mentioning this to me last summer and I think he said they dont turn the rotors anymore...
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,013
Likes: 5
From: NJ: the garbage state
now if you actually are less than the average age and drive it "like you stole it," which i highly doubt, you might be able to contribute to this conversation in a more educated fashion.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,013
Likes: 5
From: NJ: the garbage state
my personal mechanic doesnt seem to think that you can even turn a cross drilled rotor. are these types of rotors normally, or even capable of being turned?
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,974
Likes: 14
From: Pinellas Park Fl
St. Jude Donor '08-'09 & '12, '14
we're getting off topic here. but if you care to argue then i will point out that clearly you must not be familiar with some of the poor dealership service performed by the techs they call mechanics. the common trend is NOT to bring the car to the dealership for reasons such as this. if you take offense to my comment then post elsewhere. i never claimed to be so smart. i came here seeking information and asking a question because i would rather fix it myself than have an uninformed, uncaring dealer "tech" perform the work on a car he is not passionate about.
now if you actually are less than the average age and drive it "like you stole it," which i highly doubt, you might be able to contribute to this conversation in a more educated fashion.
now if you actually are less than the average age and drive it "like you stole it," which i highly doubt, you might be able to contribute to this conversation in a more educated fashion.
While the common census here is to avoid the dealership, I have read some very good threads praising the dealer tech, so it is a double edged sword, and, no one said you had to take it to the dealer. The warranty would not cover turning rotors due to your condition after the first 12 months anyway, unless you get a sympathetic writer who believes he can squeeze one by the warranty department.
The reason I hadn't given any suggestions is because they have all been given, replace the rotors, or refinish by either turning them or cleaning and using an abrasive pad in the friction surface. And yes, you can turn drilled rotors. Myself, I would replace them with a slotted rotor from DBA.
But I'm done
Last edited by glenB; Mar 17, 2012 at 04:34 PM. Reason: closing subscription
