phantomFE3 Posted June 19, 2003 Report Share Posted June 19, 2003 when i hit the brakes on my car when im slowing down and they are pressed kinda hard they shake and the whole car shakes, i would normally ask my dad because he knows alot about cars and stuff but hes been an asshole lately and hasnt given me help with shit. so im just wondering what i need done to my brakes? it doesnt make any squeaking noises or anything it just shakes when i push on the brake pedal, any suggestions on where i should go to get it fixed? or what i need to get fixed? a whole brake job? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slade901 Posted June 19, 2003 Report Share Posted June 19, 2003 Make sure your wheel lug nuts are tight. Raise up your car with a jackstand and grab the top and bottom of the tire and try to wiggle it side-to-side (vertically). Don't wiggle it horizontally or either direction of the tire rotation. If you have a play when you wiggle the tire (vertically), then the ball joints needs replacement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomFE3 Posted June 19, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2003 yeah all of the lug nuts are tight, i took all the wheels off to clean them about a month ago, i took off the lug nuts with a impact wrench and put them back on with an impact wrench and made sure they were tight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robby1870 Posted June 19, 2003 Report Share Posted June 19, 2003 warped/worn rotors Robby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomFE3 Posted June 19, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2003 thats what i was thinking, but i dont know much about brakes, would that be expensive to replace? also, when i look at the back brakes, it almost looks like the back brakes dont even work!!! the front rotors are all shiny, and the back ones are all brown and bumpy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robby1870 Posted June 19, 2003 Report Share Posted June 19, 2003 well, the rear brakes arent used that much, but your calipers could be shot in the rear. Pre 94 rear calipers are know to crap out often. My last set of pads in the rear didnt wear evenly and that caused some vibration too. Rotors arent that bad, they can be turned, which grinds off all the grooves and makes them smooth again, however, this can only be done like once or twice. Then new rotors are needed Robby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomFE3 Posted June 19, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2003 i think i would go with brand new rotors and calipers, do you have any idea of what those cost? sorry if that is a stupid question, but i just got my car about half a year ago, i know how to make an engine have horsepower and i know alot about cars and how they perform and work and everything, never paid much attention to brakes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robby1870 Posted June 19, 2003 Report Share Posted June 19, 2003 I would only get new rear calipers, the fronts do pretty well. You can get pads for pretty cheap like $20-50 a set, and rotors I have seen for like $30+ a piece at Advance. I have not ideas about rear calipers Robby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOHCRagtopguy Posted June 19, 2003 Report Share Posted June 19, 2003 Rear calipers go for around $40-50 (Loaded). Be sure to get them with the e-brake brackets and all that junk, you'll go nuts trying to loosen that damn screw that holds the brackets on. It's always frozen. And then you don't have to worry about turning the caliper piston in either. What a joke that whole design is. Rotors go for around $15-20. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike J. Posted June 19, 2003 Report Share Posted June 19, 2003 The warped front rotors may have cracked the brake shoes, If they are cracked, replace shoes and get higher quality front rotors. The rear discs brakes may be stuck due to corrosion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92euro Posted June 20, 2003 Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 I just finished my first rear brake job yesterday. I thought my pulse was simply due to warped front rotors, but when we removed the rear wheel, there was only one pad on the drivers side. We realized that was because the pistons wouldn't turn back far enough to allow pad clearance. So after spending an hour to figure out there was no way that caliper was going to work we called the parts store and they told we needed the emergency brake bracket. That as mentioned earlier is a pain, we had to grind the heads off and then beat them with a hammer. When we got to the parts store the guy had looked at the front caliper so we had removed the e-brake bracket for nothing. Anyways to make a long story short, it was 30 something for all 4 pads, 28 to turn all the rotors, and 45 a piece for the rear calipers ands as long as you know what you're doing and don't make all the mistakes we did, it shouldn't be as bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutlsp Posted June 21, 2003 Report Share Posted June 21, 2003 Does anbody have any suggestions for me my cutlass needs new disc brakes and shoes i just up upgraded the wheels from 14 inchs to 16 inch wheels i need help on deciding where to go for new brakes. :? i don't know what kind i should get because those new wheel are big and require more braking force then what the factory brake put out can some one help me asap please. :!: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted June 21, 2003 Report Share Posted June 21, 2003 i would seriously consider going to '94+ rear disc brakes. besides the rotors being almost an inch bigger, the caliper design is much better and is not prone to seizing up like the junk '88-'93 design. i got my used calipers, caliper brackets & caliper bolts from a '96 Buick Regal for $10 from a salvage yard, bought new pads for like $20 something (basic Raybestos), and new rotors which were about $22 each (cheapos). only problem is the e-brake. several members here have gotten the pre '94 cable to work with modification, but i already took my cables out and i'm putting in the cables that came from the '96 Regal donor. i gotta weld on a bracket but no biggie. kinda sux having no e-brake with a 5-speed tho :? the fronts are probably good enough, but if you want to upgrade to bigger rotors than you can always get '95+ front strut/knuckle assemblies and re-use your old calipers, buy the new bigger rotors and then new pads. the '95+ front rotors are 11.25" compared to the '88-'94 10.5", so that's quite an improvement considering your front brakes do up to 80% of the braking. another upgrade would be the bigger '96+ power brake booster, but unfortunatley i can't use this on my car since my clutch master cylinder is in the way. you can even add ABS but i can't do that either cuz my turbo will be in the way! oh well i think my brakes will be good enough. oh yeah, stainless steel braided brake hoses would be a good idea too.... btw, why didn't GM put vented rear disc brakes on W-bodies? the SHO got them, as well as a few turbo dodges and those cars are way lighter! joshua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted June 21, 2003 Report Share Posted June 21, 2003 Couldnt that newer e-brake bracket be bolted in rather than welded? I have to do the same but I have no access to a welder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted June 21, 2003 Report Share Posted June 21, 2003 Couldnt that newer e-brake bracket be bolted in rather than welded? I have to do the same but I have no access to a welder i don't know how you'd do it, maybe a tap? i don't know how thick the frame is there. i plan on having mine spot welded at each corner of the bracket. joshua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted June 21, 2003 Report Share Posted June 21, 2003 Man, screeeeew that. When I get rid of the car, I'll put the old style calipers back in so I can get the old e-brake working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92turboLE Posted June 23, 2003 Report Share Posted June 23, 2003 only cuz mine had the same problem, to the point whhere it was almost undrivable.... go get new rotors on the front, if they are anywhere near as warped as mine were, then you cant turn em. Second, check your calipers... the only reason that mine warped was that i was railin on the highway at about 95 or so, had to hit the breaks kinda hard then back to full throttle for about 15 minutes, when i got off and pulled into a gas station, my rotor was glowing red. i had a stuck piston in my caliper that wasnt stuck enough that i could feel it, but to the point where it was causing enough friction to ruin my breaks.... needless to say, the breaks were also on fire and burned through my break lines, ruined my tire and scorched my paint.... got new wheels and tires and a new paint job... needed one anyway... and the car looks brand new... make sure you check your calipers is all i got to say really.... - Justin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomFE3 Posted June 23, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2003 does tires plus do brake jobs? if so then ill just take it in there and see whats wrong with it and what i needed done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted June 23, 2003 Report Share Posted June 23, 2003 DIY all the way! really; brake jobs are CAKE! and places like Tires Plus or Midas will charge you an arm and a leg! besides, us forum members can help ya joshua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomFE3 Posted June 23, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2003 k i think im only gonna replace the rotors on all of them see if that helps, and if it doesnt, ill replace the calipers, since rotors are probably the cause of the problem and are cheaper? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted June 23, 2003 Report Share Posted June 23, 2003 Speaking of brakes.. I was gonna change my rear pads a few months ago. I could NOT get the caliper off for the life of me! I worked on it for like 2 hours, and it still would not come off. I was pissed and frustrated, so I said screw it, and took it to a shop. After I wrote out a nice check for the job, I then realized what I had done before.. I had set my parking brake when I got out of the car!! Thats why the caliper wouldn't come off... ARRGHHH!! Talk about being an idiot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted June 23, 2003 Report Share Posted June 23, 2003 k i think im only gonna replace the rotors on all of them see if that helps, and if it doesnt, ill replace the calipers, since rotors are probably the cause of the problem and are cheaper? don't forget new pads! they are cheap enough.... joshua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baddflash Posted June 27, 2003 Report Share Posted June 27, 2003 I then realized what I had done before.. I had set my parking brake when I got out of the car!! Thats why the caliper wouldn't come off... ARRGHHH!! Talk about being an idiot. Sorry but . That sucks don't you hate when you do things like that, I know it pisses me off. Just installed my fog lights and was cutting the hole for switch with dremel and was being so careful not to screw up the hole that i gouged the knuckle of the dremel in 1/2" above and below the switch. I bought new trim piece today though for $1.50 so no big deal although I don't like the idea of doing it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
god910 Posted June 27, 2003 Report Share Posted June 27, 2003 ...and put them back on with an impact wrench and made sure they were tight That is a good way to warp your rotors. Make sure you torque your wheels w/ a torque wrench. I don't know about your impact, but mine will fuck alot of shit up. Aftermarket, and factory aluminum wheels don't like to be overtorqued either. Dodge Caravans, and Penis Cruisers are nasty, nasty about over torqueing wheels and warping rotors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pharmtek Posted July 2, 2003 Report Share Posted July 2, 2003 while we're on the topic of the bigger front rotors i am very interested in this upgrade but im trying to figure what im getting myself into. i know i need a new strut/knuckle. but what exactly is this if i have to worry about compressing the springs? is it the whole shaft that runs from the plates under the hood to the axle? i went to the junker yesterday but all the cars on the list were raped of parts. so i may end up buying those part # from gmpartsdirect.com for 124 each. what will come in the mail if i order those? there is no picture on the site. is this upgrade even worth the effort? or should i just put better quality stock size components up front and do the 94+ rear upgrade out back ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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