| March 24th, 2009 by admin |
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What Causes Your Car’s Brakes To Vibrate?
What Causes Your Car’s Brakes To Vibrate?
Despite the prevalence of frequently advertised brake job specials, millions of drivers neglect to have their car’s braking systems checked. Even when there’s noticeable grinding and squealing present during their daily commute, motorists will put off a trip to their mechanic. Eventually, they may notice vibrations in their steering column as they bring their car to a full stop.
Vibrations while stopping indicate warping in your vehicle’s rotors. Unfortunately, the longer you wait to have them inspected and repaired, the greater impact they can have on your safety. Below, I’ll explain the root cause of the vibrations you’re feeling in your steering wheel. I’ll also briefly describe the process your mechanic will use to fix the problem.
Warping And Pulsating
To understand the source of the vibrations, it’s important to know how your car’s braking system works. In a disc-based assembly, each tire is equipped with brake pads, a rotor, and a caliper. When you press down on your brake pedal, fluid is transferred to the tire’s caliper. The caliper pressurizes the pads which squeeze the rotor. Normally, the rotor is turning at the same rate as your wheel. When the pads squeeze against it, your vehicle slows.
Raised and uneven surfaces often develop on rotors. Sometimes, it’s due to wear and tear; other times, it’s due to the metal expanding and contracting after prolonged use. It can also occur when your brake pads wear down to the point they’re grinding against the metal. When that happens, they can carve small grooves into the rotor creating an uneven surface.
If the surface is uneven when the pads apply pressure, you’ll feel the pulsing or vibrating sensation in your steering wheel.
Fixing The Problem
There are two methods for correcting the problem. The first is called “truing.” Your mechanic will remove the rotor and place it into a special lathe. The lathe has bits which shave metal from the surface in order to smooth it. Unfortunately, there are limits to the amount of “truing” your mechanic can perform. If the surface of the rotor is so uneven that it requires more truing than can be done, replacing the unit is the only other option.
Communicate With Your Mechanic
A lot of drivers feel vibrations in their steering wheel when braking, but fail to mention it to their auto technician when having a brake job performed. The problem is that a warped rotor with an uneven surface is difficult to see unless the technician is looking for it. So, having the pads replaced may not eliminate the vibrations.
If you experience a pulsing sensation in your steering wheel when slowing or stopping your car, let your mechanic know. If you’ve identified the problem early enough, he may be able to correct it through truing rather than replacing the rotor.
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