Bad Rotor??? Brake question...

[88red4cyl]

This is for my 95 Lumina w/o abs (ie. disc in front, drum in back)... Last night I was in the drive thru, and barely moving as you often do in a drive thru (maybe 1-2 mph)... When I lightly applied the brake, the entire car shuddered pretty hard, and it came to an abrupt stop... On the drive home, it was still coming to an abrupt stop as the car was almost stopped (not smoothly coming to a complete stop like normal)... It also has a metallic squeal when I apply the brake and the car is under 10mph or so... Since sitting in the drive thru, I haven't gotten it to do the violent shudder again, but the pronounced complete stop is still very present... I also can't tell if it is coming from the from or the back of the car... Any suggestions?

[1990lumina]

At highway speed if you apply the brakes a bit does the steering wheel shake? If so, it's front rotors. At highway speed if you put on the ebrake a little bit does the car shake or just slow down smoothly? If it shakes the rear drums are fucked.

[88red4cyl]

I'll try that later on today.. What about calipers? If one was sticking would that make it do this?

[Regal_GS_1989]

I just replaced the front rotors on my Regal because it was shuddering and not stopping smoothly. I was originally going to replace all 4, but after I did the fronts i figured I'd take it for a spin and sure enough, it was gone.

 

Also, the brakes would always squeal when they were applied. Now they are silent

[hermannm]

My cutlass is horrendous on rotors. Just gave up after a while and live with a little shake from the front rotors. Have changed them 3 or 4 times already.

[xtremerevolution]

I would get some cross drilled and slotted rotors to help alleviate the warping. r1 concepts on ebay sells a pair for the front for $73.60, and they're zinc coated too. the drilled part helps dissipate heat, so your rotors don't warp as easily, and the slots constantly clean the pads and help gasses escape for better pad contact, so you need less pad contact to stop, also reducing the warping.

[tornado_735]

I must be lucky as shit, because, while the rotors I just pulled off were trashed, they were not even the least bit warped.

 

You might have a wheel cylinder leaking in back. I know when my Jeep's rear brakes were fucked, they got chattery and would shudder, and grab like a mofo.