97subaruGT Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Hey guys and gals. 97 Legacy, 160k miles. I'm getting a vibration in the steering column and pedals when I hit the brakes. I replaced my pads about 16K miles ago and at the time, got new front rotors. The shop said my rear rotors were still ok. Does this mean now I need rear rotors? Anyone have a part number so at least on ebay I can find something that fits? At the dealer, they're around $90 each..a bit pricey but not bad since the shop wanted to sell me the front rotors for $150 each...ouch!! I went to the dealer and got 2 for a total of $150. Any ideas on diagnosis would be appreciated. So far, I have no squeal and no other brake problems...braking power does not seem to be less than before. Front rotors are very smooth. Rear are not as smooth but no glaring defects either. Any way to tell if the rotor is warped? THanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuBrat84 Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 I just deal with my vibration.. Part of it is because of the anti lock brakes.. the other part might be a very slight warp in the rotor. When I can afford to replace the rotors I'm going to do all four at once.. preferrably with performance rotors.. and do all the pads too.. and make sure everything fits like it's supposed to.. like if you need any little weird clips to hold the pad in place.. gel it up.. and see if it goes away... if it doesn't.. I'm gonna blame it on the anti locks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firstwagon Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Go to a brake specialty shop and ask them if the turn the rotors (machine them). If they are not too far out they should be able to machine them far cheaper then replacing them. ABS brakes shouldn't cause any vibration unless you are on the brakes hard enough to get the tires to lock up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcspeer Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 If you can feel the vibration in the steering I think the problem is the front rotors. I would suggest you get the ones at Auto Zone for around 30.00 dollars each. They hold up fine on my car and it is right hand drive used for mail del. This means it is loaded with weight and over 500 hundred stops a day. Including crossing a river at the time they are most hot. I have not had any luck having them turned they warp really quick, maybe for regular use it would be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outback_97 Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 I just got two front ones from www.tirerack.com. They're the plain jane Brembos (not drilled or slotted) and look pretty darn close to the OEM. Maybe Brembo makes Subie rotors, I don't know. Anyone know who does? They were around $50 each, plus <$20 freight, and tirerack delivered them FAST. Supposedly a good replacement for OEM. Some people say rotors don't usually "warp", but rather get uneven deposits on them from the pads. It's also important to follow certain "bedding in" procedures when you get new pads and/or rotors. Did you do this? Is there a chance your lug nuts have been tightened too much? This can also cause rotors to be uneven. 16K miles seems pretty quick to have problems again. On my car I feel a vibration / pulsation in the steering wheel, to a lesser extent in the brake pedal, and very subtly in the seat of the pants. It is much more pronounced during high speed descent down a hill. I'm hoping the new front rotors and pads will address most of the problem Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99obw Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Turning is rarely worth the trouble(at least in this part of the country), I would just replace the rotors and most likely install new pads. I am pretty happy with the cheap brake parts at Advance Auto. Make sure the wheels are always torqued evenly using a torque wrench. That's what usually warps rotors, if indeed the rotors are actually warped. Using AA's "Wearever Silver" parts, I just put new rear rotors, pads, and calipers, and new front pads using the old OEM rotors without turning. Not a hint of vibration and stops as good as the day it was new. One of the biggest keys to a good brake job is cleaning all of the parts with brake cleaner, and using brake lube, anti-squeal, and never-seize where appropriate. Periodic bleeding will contribute to the best possible pedal-feel as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frag Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 If by any chance you mean «pulsating» when you say «vibrating» and if these pulsation tend to dissapear when you apply the brakes harder (push more firmly on the pedal) it could be something as simple as brake pad deposit on the rotor surface probably put there when holding the brakes at stop lights. When this happens to me, i clean the rotors with brake cleaner and it goes away. Maybe not your problem but worth a try. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRum Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 I had a very similar post a week ago. My girlfriend has 2001 legacy with the exact same symtoms...vibration in the brake pedal and steering wheel while braking. I replaced the rotors and pads myselft in the front less than a year ago and now I have that problem. I checked the rotors in the front and they look fine to me. I have heard it could be the rear rotors but that doesn't make sense to me. I also have heard that it could be a sticking caliper so I am now trying penetrating oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
97subaruGT Posted June 24, 2005 Author Share Posted June 24, 2005 Hey guys and gals. 97 Legacy, 160k miles. I'm getting a vibration in the steering column and pedals when I hit the brakes. I replaced my pads about 16K miles ago and at the time, got new front rotors. The shop said my rear rotors were still ok. Does this mean now I need rear rotors? Anyone have a part number so at least on ebay I can find something that fits? At the dealer, they're around $90 each..a bit pricey but not bad since the shop wanted to sell me the front rotors for $150 each...ouch!! I went to the dealer and got 2 for a total of $150. Any ideas on diagnosis would be appreciated. So far, I have no squeal and no other brake problems...braking power does not seem to be less than before. Front rotors are very smooth. Rear are not as smooth but no glaring defects either. Any way to tell if the rotor is warped? THanks. Thanks for the help everyone. I'll try some cleaning, etc...and bring it in if the problems persists. Thanx again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danz75 Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 Thanks for the help everyone. I'll try some cleaning, etc...and bring it in if the problems persists. Thanx again I agree with the cleaning method. I try to clean my brake parts at least 3-4 times a year. That allows me to apply anti-seize on the parts so that it will not stick and definitely apply fresh calliper pin lube. On newer cars, the rear rotors are solid disc and are so thin that it is usually not possible to 'turn' them. I've had rotors turned before(usually as a last resort) but I would prefer to replace them. Brembo blanks can be purchased for about $50+/pc which IMHO is a good price for decent, quality rotors. For me brakes are what stops the car so I usually don't go cheap on these parts. my $0.02..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.