Net Doctor

Need help. I did all of the google and yahoo searches and got no hits on my particular problem.

The issue is the steering wheel vibrates like crazy only during high speed (50mph and over) braking. Absolutely no brake pedal pulsing like you normally feel with warped rotors. For grins; here’s what I’ve done:

• Road force balanced all wheels, they are perfect, no high speed vibration when cruising. No help.
• Swapped back wheels to front. No help.
• Replace front rotors and pads with Jason’s group buy deal. No help. I was shocked as I thought this would resolve it.

Car is 2002 Max SE with 33K on it, stock wheels and Conti Extremes in good shape. Car was owned by me since day one and has never hit pot holes or curbs to bend a wheel. Tracks true and straight. Problem started about 3000 miles ago.

I’m starting to think wheel bearings, but I pulled on the wheels to check wheel bearings and they seem tight.

What else?

NmexMAX

iTrader: (22)

Though you didn't state why you ruled out rotors. If you haven't already get the rotors machined just to completely rule it out ...

Net Doctor

Check out bullet #3; I did replace the rotors and pads

NmexMAX

iTrader: (22)

Oh wow look at that

Maybe the shims?

Rogo02SE

That's weird.
Do you hear humming noise at higher speeds?? Bad bearing could cause it.
If it only occurs during breaking my guess is break components.
Get your rotors check with an indicator to see if they spin true.
How is your alignment?? It could also cause vibrations during breaking.

Net Doctor

Shims? I hadn't thought of that. I did retain the old ones as they looked OK and I always use "Disc Brake Quiet" on the back. Maybe I'll get new ones.

Alignment is straight and true. Maybe I'll see if I can find my dial indicator and check for runout on the new rotors. Maybe the new ones aren't right either.

Bobo

You will probably be hard pressed to find new shims for the brakes.

Net Doctor

Shims are hard to find? I thought they would be a dealer item easily.

godlyone

my friend's altima does the same thing at high speeds.
He hit the curb and bent the rim a little.

Check to see if your rims are bent at all.

meccanoble

iTrader: (22)

i have same problem and i also hear a hum sound at high speeds. I'm guessing bearings are the issue if not rotors for me except i cant turn left or right to escape the sound like i could on my 97 max when it had bad bearing in the driver rear wheel.

Rob01ski

Dude i think this is simple answer you got air in you brake lines bleed thebrakes and see if that help, also did you just do the brake job, if you did let the brakes set in for little bit like atleast 2 weeks. If it doesnt stop by then the get your brakes bled, its most likely you have air in your brake lines because your not haveing even fluid distibution to calipers, hope this helps.



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If i had four hands i'd give those tities four thumbs down!!!

neroup5

my 2000 se vibrates the same way. i just put on new wheels and tires, so i thought it had to be the rotors. when im at 30 mph i can engage the e-brake lightly and slow down smoothly, but if i hit the brakes at 30 my car vibrates like crazy.

Rob01ski

LOL, your in the same boat as me we both need knew rotors and pads

A1892Fitch

I've had the same problem with mine and i went to the Nissan Dealer and he gave me new disks and new pads and i replaced it and the car is fine now. I brake from a 100mph to 40mph really fast and their is no problem no sounds no steering wheel shaking. I think the brakes that the nissan dealer has for the 02 and 03 maxima the are really good.

Net Doctor

Thanks Rob01ski for the ideas: I'll try bleeding them tonight. I bled the rears as I had to really squeeze the piston back in to get the the pads around the new rotor, so I had to open the bleed valve, but the fronts pushed in much easier. Maybe they pushed in easier because they have air in them?

2k1Maxdrvr

I had all the problems above and got new tires, brakes, and rotors and the problem was solved. I hope you guys have the same luck!!!

NmexMAX

iTrader: (22)

This is normal for 02-03 brakes. So I'm not sure they have air in them.

dave

Did it work? I also have high speed braking shutter, am about to replace pads/rotors.

Net Doctor

I didn't get around to it last night. Replacing pads and rotors should do it, but did not for me, that's why I'm fishing for help. I also have a dial caliper, so I'm going to give that a shot and see if there's side to side movement or something. Maybe I have some rust between the hub and the new rotor or some dirt. I just can't believe the new rotors didn't fix it unless I got a bad one.

john893

To all the guys that replaced the rotors and pads my question to you is how long will that resolve the issue? I have had the front rotors cut 3 times, and replaced twice, once with after market (brembo) rotors and the issue just comes back over time. I am looking for the real fix.

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....54#post4086754

I will try bleeding mine tonight to see what that does, but I don't hold out much hope as the issue goes away with new rotors....

Net Doctor

I think you need to look at this as a maintenance item; when they start acting up you, cut them or replace them, just like you would do with pads. I just think it's a fact of life with these cars. OR you do Matt's BBK.
As I said earlier in my post I'm puzzled that my RTP rotor and PBR Ultimate swap didn't solve my problem.

My history:
12K - dealer cut the rotors... fixed
25K - I replaced with Brembo blanks and Metal Masters... fixed, but only lasted 5K miles
33K - replaced with RTP rotors and Ultimates... NOT fixed???

Galo

If the steering wheel shakes only when braking and u have no other untoward symptoms like a thrumming noise (wheel bearings) or other definite suspension problem like a bad tie rod, ball joint, etc, the shaking is caused by warped, contaminated or out-of-plane rotors, period. This cannot be caused by air in the lines.

If new rotors dont fix the problem, then you most likely have a warped hub flange that's causing the rotors to 'wobble' radially so that it feels like the rotor is warped, but it's not...it's being forced to wobble by the warped axle flange/face.

If the axle flange/face is warped, that was most likely caused by over-torqueing the wheels and -other than replacing the whole hub assembly- the only way to fix the brake problem is to have the new rotors turned on an in-car brake lathe, which turns/trues the rotors while they are still amounted on the car, meaning, the brake lathe will correct the axial warpage caused by the warped axle flange.

So, if your prior 'off-the-car' brake rotor turning and/or new, fresh rotors have not cured the shaking, buy some new rotors and have them mounted and trued using an on-car lathe...that will fix the shaking.

And yes, I know brakes

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/698776/1

Net Doctor

Thanks for the great explanation. Since the Brembos only lasted 5K and the new RTP's have not solved it, I was looking for help as to what else it could be. Like I said before, I'm going to try the dial caliper to check runout and possible check the hub flange mounting surface to make sure it's clean. I think the bearings are tight and I don't hear thrumming.

By the way, how much are the Wilwoods and do the bolt right up?

boondoxmax

iTrader: (1)

i had the same problem on my 02. I had the rotors cut and used cermic pads and the problem never came back.

Galo

That's exactly it a runout test. If the flange is somehow warped a little bit, you will see it in a dial caliper when u do a runout check, but......remember....the warpage might be so small that if you check the runout at the flange, it may test out good but when u bolt the rotor to it, the runout is magnified, so.....check runout at both the flange as well as the rotor. If you get any verified 'wobble' of runout from the rotor itself, try indexing it -removing the rotor from the flange and repositioning the rotor on the studs one-fifth of a turn at a time- and see if that removes or dramatically reduces the runout....if it does, you may not need to resurface the rotor

I actually helped design that Precision Brakes/Wilwood kit, performing all the original measurements and offset calculations and as a result Precision Brakes gave me a good deal on the pieces and yes, it does bolt on perfectly but wont clear stock 17" wheels. All the original measurements and offsets were for a 12.9" x 1.25" rotor which was really too big as it required grinding away part of the lower A-Arm as I had to do with my car but subsequently, Wilwood introduced a slightly thinner rotor (1.1") which fits much better w/no A-arm grinding required.

Dont quote me but I think the kit is up around $1.5k right now....them two-piece rotors are pricey. Call Jonas at Precision Brakes (precisionbrakes.com) for a quote & tell him I sent you