Brake experts PLEASE help...
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16 Vettes and counting…..
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Brake experts PLEASE help...
I bought a set of one piece Baer rotors for my C6. I had them installed by a 30 year Corvette mechanic, who certainly knew what he was doing, along with a set of powdercoated calipers from Corvette Pilot, who has done many sets for this forum. After the install was complete, I had a vibration from 46 MPH and up. I can feel it in the steering wheel, and at 80 MPH, it gets worse.
Baer sent me a new set of front rotors, so we switched them out, same thing. So we went back to the stock rotors all around and the vibration is still there, although less severe. I assume it's a bit less severe because the Baer rotors are heavier than stock.
There was no vibration at all before. I even went back to Discount Tire and had a dynamic balance done on all four wheels/tires to make sure a weight had not fallen off. The vibration was still exactly the same and at the same speeds. At this point, the only thing that is different than before anything was changed are the powder coated calipers. Is there any way these could be causing the problem?
Any help would be grealty appreciated....this is very frustrating.
Baer sent me a new set of front rotors, so we switched them out, same thing. So we went back to the stock rotors all around and the vibration is still there, although less severe. I assume it's a bit less severe because the Baer rotors are heavier than stock.
There was no vibration at all before. I even went back to Discount Tire and had a dynamic balance done on all four wheels/tires to make sure a weight had not fallen off. The vibration was still exactly the same and at the same speeds. At this point, the only thing that is different than before anything was changed are the powder coated calipers. Is there any way these could be causing the problem?
Any help would be grealty appreciated....this is very frustrating.
Last edited by VETTE-NV; May 9, 2006 at 06:51 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Everett Wa
Calipers would never cause this problem unles the brake pads where contacting the rotors. This would be felt at low speed also though. My guess the is that one of your rotors is not seated properly. If the rotor is not parralel to the mounting surface it will induce a wobble and it will get worse the faster you go. I would go back to the guy and thoughly clean the mounting surface, reinstall the rotors then check the runout on the rotor.
Thread Starter
16 Vettes and counting…..
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Thanks for the response!
We've had the Baer rotors on and now the stock rotor back on, and I watched the guy clean all the surfaces every time. I can't imagine that they're not seated properly.
I wonder if one of the pistons is not releasing completely and a pad is possibly making contact with a rotor? The vibration is not overwhelming, so perhaps I might not be feeling it until after 45 MPH.
We've had the Baer rotors on and now the stock rotor back on, and I watched the guy clean all the surfaces every time. I can't imagine that they're not seated properly.
I wonder if one of the pistons is not releasing completely and a pad is possibly making contact with a rotor? The vibration is not overwhelming, so perhaps I might not be feeling it until after 45 MPH.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Everett Wa
Well if the cailper was not floating properly maybe this could cause the problem. But it would be doing it I would think because the rotors are slightly warped. It would not hurt to check it out and have the runout checked.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Phoenix, AZ
St. Jude Donor '08
Ask the mech if when he removed the rear rotor -- if the emergency brake aparatus was set back properly. I did my own erad/spd rotor install on my c5 & this was my issue... It happened because while pulling off the rear rotors, you sometimes have a hard time getting it off due to the emergency brake system. He will know what your talking about. I'm no expert but it was my own experience. Good luck...
Thread Starter
16 Vettes and counting…..
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Originally Posted by Noran Raad
Ask the mech if when he removed the rear rotor -- if the emergency brake aparatus was set back properly. I did my own erad/spd rotor install on my c5 & this was my issue... It happened because while pulling off the rear rotors, you sometimes have a hard time getting it off due to the emergency brake system. He will know what your talking about. I'm no expert but it was my own experience. Good luck...
Go big or don't go...
Joined: May 2005
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From: Georgetown TX
Here is an obvious one - did you bleed the brake system; where the caliper piston's returned to pad-install position (or whatever the term is).
I'd say if they are rubbing you'd see a change in the pad wear as well.
Was the toe/caster affected during the change; when was it aligned last?
JK
I'd say if they are rubbing you'd see a change in the pad wear as well.
Was the toe/caster affected during the change; when was it aligned last?
JK
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Racer
Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Phoenix, AZ
St. Jude Donor '08
Originally Posted by VETTE-NV
Thanks....what did the problem feel like before you solved it? Was there a vibration?
Thread Starter
16 Vettes and counting…..
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Originally Posted by jkonkle
Here is an obvious one - did you bleed the brake system; where the caliper piston's returned to pad-install position (or whatever the term is).
I'd say if they are rubbing you'd see a change in the pad wear as well.
Was the toe/caster affected during the change; when was it aligned last?
JK
I'd say if they are rubbing you'd see a change in the pad wear as well.
Was the toe/caster affected during the change; when was it aligned last?
JK
None of the suspension components were manhandled or touched more than necessary to switch out the calipers and rotors....so I don't don't think any alignment specs have changed at all. The car only has 1500 miles on it.
This is tough one! I'm going to swap out wheels and tires with my buddy's C6 on Monday to see if by some chance, it is a wheel/tire issue.
Thanks for all the help guys! I really appreciate it!
Last edited by VETTE-NV; May 7, 2006 at 02:45 AM.
Go big or don't go...
Joined: May 2005
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From: Georgetown TX
Gotcha - well as an aside; I posted to this thread because I have these eradispeed rotor's on my coupe and I run it at speeds as high as 155mph and have no problems. So I'm hoping you discover what the issue is. Maybe it's the rear rotor's that are causing the problem...
JK
JK
Thread Starter
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Swapped out the wheels and tires tonight with my buddy's C6....the problem is still exactly the same. The only other thing I can think of doing now is replacing the powder coated calipers with the original calipers. This really sucks......
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,255
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From: Sugar Hill Georgia
Sorry for your problem. I'm no expert but I'll toss this out there. I'm assuming by dynamic balance you meant they balanced the wheels on the car. I had a vibration issue with my 300C after going to aftermarket tires & wheels. Went from perfect to pretty bad. I went to one shop and had them balanced on the car and the problem was better but not fixed. I went to another shop that did the same type of on the car balancing, and they discovered a very small washer on one of the lug nuts on one rotor. Apparently these were used at the factory to line up the stock wheels a specific way. Once that was removed and the wheels rebalanced the car rides like a dream again.
Putting your friends wheels on without a balance doesn't tell you much IMHO. Given all the other good responses here that you've looked into, and assuming the rotors are true and the calipers are performing properly I'd try to rebalance the wheels, especially If there is another shop in your area to try.
Hope you find a solution soon!
Putting your friends wheels on without a balance doesn't tell you much IMHO. Given all the other good responses here that you've looked into, and assuming the rotors are true and the calipers are performing properly I'd try to rebalance the wheels, especially If there is another shop in your area to try.
Hope you find a solution soon!
Thread Starter
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Originally Posted by StarJack
Sorry for your problem. I'm no expert but I'll toss this out there. I'm assuming by dynamic balance you meant they balanced the wheels on the car. I had a vibration issue with my 300C after going to aftermarket tires & wheels. Went from perfect to pretty bad. I went to one shop and had them balanced on the car and the problem was better but not fixed. I went to another shop that did the same type of on the car balancing, and they discovered a very small washer on one of the lug nuts on one rotor. Apparently these were used at the factory to line up the stock wheels a specific way. Once that was removed and the wheels rebalanced the car rides like a dream again.
Putting your friends wheels on without a balance doesn't tell you much IMHO. Given all the other good responses here that you've looked into, and assuming the rotors are true and the calipers are performing properly I'd try to rebalance the wheels, especially If there is another shop in your area to try.
Hope you find a solution soon!
Putting your friends wheels on without a balance doesn't tell you much IMHO. Given all the other good responses here that you've looked into, and assuming the rotors are true and the calipers are performing properly I'd try to rebalance the wheels, especially If there is another shop in your area to try.
Hope you find a solution soon!
A dynamic balance, as opposed to a static balance, means that there are two rows of weights inside the barrel instead of one. It's a more precise type of balance.
The washer you are referring to (more likely a clip) is used by the factory to keep rotors in place. They are basically unnecessary, and should always be removed when switching to aftermarket wheels. I'm surprised your first tire guy didn't do so....pretty stupid.
My friend and I bought Cray wheels at the same time just a few weeks ago. His wheels and tires are almost brand new, as mine are. My car had no vibration issues when I brought it into the shop for the caliper/rotor install. It left with a vibration issue. The wheel/tire swap was merely a final way of confirming that they are definitely not the problem. The vibration occurs at the exact same speeds and in the same way with his wheels and tires.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,208
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From: Long Beach CA
Were the brackets powdercoated also? I installed some powdercoated brackets and calipers, the brake pads were not sliding freely. I had to file the powdercoating off at the point were the retaining clips are mounted. Also check the point were the bracket is bolted to the knuckle, must be squared.
Another quick check you can do is take the wheel off and installed all five lugnuts on without the wheel on positioning the rotor in place with caliper and pads installed. Then turn the rotor by hand as fast as possible checking to see if the caliper is moving shifting in and out. Hope that makes sense.
Another quick check you can do is take the wheel off and installed all five lugnuts on without the wheel on positioning the rotor in place with caliper and pads installed. Then turn the rotor by hand as fast as possible checking to see if the caliper is moving shifting in and out. Hope that makes sense.
Thread Starter
16 Vettes and counting…..
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Originally Posted by 99FewteRC5
Were the brackets powdercoated also? I installed some powdercoated brackets and calipers, the brake pads were not sliding freely. I had to file the powdercoating off at the point were the retaining clips are mounted. Also check the point were the bracket is bolted to the knuckle, must be squared.
Another quick check you can do is take the wheel off and installed all five lugnuts on without the wheel on positioning the rotor in place with caliper and pads installed. Then turn the rotor by hand as fast as possible checking to see if the caliper is moving shifting in and out. Hope that makes sense.
Another quick check you can do is take the wheel off and installed all five lugnuts on without the wheel on positioning the rotor in place with caliper and pads installed. Then turn the rotor by hand as fast as possible checking to see if the caliper is moving shifting in and out. Hope that makes sense.
Last edited by VETTE-NV; May 9, 2006 at 06:54 PM.
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16 Vettes and counting…..
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Originally Posted by timd38
And here I thought stuff like this only happened to me.
My brother, who's a pretty good mechanic, read me the riot act about doing this to a brand new car. He said: "The guys who designed this car are a helluva lot smarter than you. Once you get it straightened out, leave it the ***** alone."Point well taken.
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I too am a shade tree type, but let me add this. First your post stated the vibration occures at 46 and gets worse the faster you go. If so do you start to feel it as you go up in speed?. It sounds like the rotor(s) are not balanced and the imbalance in them is moving. What I mean is a rock, casting slag or something is moving around causing the imbalance to move. This happens all the time, not only when you are braking. If it only happens when you brake, then rotor is warped. You might also make sure you don't have water in your tire. I know this sounds crazy, but if you haven't been careful about you moisture in your air it can be a big problem and as little as a couple of ounces can make a big difference. Lastly does the vibration occure only in the front end? Also can you make it go away if you take a long sweeping corner either left or right. This changes the dynamic balance of the tire and if so then you will know which side it is. Lastly, is the ABS ring secure? Don't laugh, I had it come loose on a Volvo once, ugly really ugly.
Race Director
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From: Carlsbad Ca
Originally Posted by VETTE-NV
My brother, who's a pretty good mechanic, read me the riot act about doing this to a brand new car. He said: "The guys who designed this car are a helluva lot smarter than you. Once you get it straightened out, leave it the ***** alone."Point well taken.
Now,back to the problem. It sounds like you have a pad hanging up in the caliper. Can you put the car on a dyno to isolate which axle it is? (Not to check power,but to run it for vibration while applying brakes.) I would say put it up on jackstands but running a car on stands is pretty gutsey. You might also be able to isolate which pad it is by using a feeler gauge between the pad & rotor. Also,is there any "heat checking" on your rotor surfaces? You might see some pad material on the brake surface also. Is it evenly distributed?