"Klaus Schmoll" (klausschmoll)
03/24/2015 at 14:25 • Filed to: None
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"Klaus Schmoll" (klausschmoll)
03/24/2015 at 14:25 • Filed to: None | 0
| 4 |
Oppo, help me diagnose a weird brake problem/issue, please!
For a few weeks now, my brakes have been giving me a slight shudder in the steering wheel, just as if the rotors were a little warped. No biggie, I knew that they were nearing the end of their lifespan anyways. It just wasn't really consistent. Sometimes a little heavier, at other times barely if at all noticeable.
Today, I realized that it is really terrible when the brakes are cold. As soon as they get up to a certain temperature it fades away until it is gone. As soon as the brakes cool down it comes back, like on a long trip on the Autobahn where you don't have to use the brakes for a very long time.
My armchair diagnosis would be that the rotors are a little warped when cold, but straighten out when they get warm, but is that even a thing? I'v never heard of such a phenomenon.
What do you say?
Also: My car is like a race car now! Brakes have to be kept warm to work perfectly.
Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
> Klaus Schmoll
03/24/2015 at 14:28 |
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I believe this is all to do with deposits on the discs left by the brake pads. I used to think brake discs warped too but supposedly it's very rare and uneven deposition of brake pad material causes it. Either way it sounds like new discs and pads, or (less likely but still possible) some kind of master cylinder problem.
Bird
> Klaus Schmoll
03/24/2015 at 14:29 |
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Most of the time rotors aren't actually warped..it's inconsistent build up of pad material on the rotors. I would try re-bedding your pads and see if that changes the issue at all.
deekster_caddy
> Klaus Schmoll
03/24/2015 at 14:32 |
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Do you use a torque wrench when putting your wheels on? Try removing the wheels and reinstalling, with a torque wrench in a star pattern, bringing lug nuts in evenly before you get heavy on them.
Just a random idea, I've heard of wheels being impact gunn'd on causing rotor warpage.
JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
> Klaus Schmoll
03/24/2015 at 14:35 |
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Modern rotors hardly ever warp, they are simply made too well. What usually happens is that the pad material, which has a fine balance between sticking to the rotor and wearing away ends up getting deposited on the surface of the rotor and builds up little high spots (which also have a different friction coefficient than the clean rotor). If your problem goes away when the rotors are warm it might be worth re-bedding your pads and seeing if that helps.