For several years now, when I put the brakes on the steering wheel would "shudder." I pretty much ignored it, but it started to bother me on one of our last trips driving downhill on a 7% grade. I decided to take it in to my local tire/repair shop and they told me the rotors were warped. They trued the rotors, replaced the OEM steering damper with a heavy duty Monroe shock, and they did the usual oil change AND did a Trans service. Even though I only have 20K miles, I have had this MH for almost 9 years and figured it is better to do it now than when I need a new trans. I won't know if it handles better until I go on our next trip, but driving home, the MH felt much better.
Sometimes just braking when rotors are wet causes a hot spot and then they get out of smoothness. The hot spot is a raised portion that causes wobble and pulsating, when breaking. That also causes the brakes not to work smoothly, and with ABS it feels even worse, as the pads grab and release from smooth to rough spots.
So now you will have better stopping and wobble will not occur. Usualy when you get rotors turned you get bearings regreased, and it's a good time to put on new pads, as the new surface and new pads are better than using pads that may be cracked due to the heat the hot spots cause.
Many rotors can be turned three times, if it's done without have deep heat spots that the turning can't remove. Some rotors on rear axles are intragal with the axle, and require special turning apparatus, or replacement of the axle-rotor which is much more expensive than seperate rotors.
When you get new rotors and pads, you are to set the pads by braking easily just after they are installed. If not the surface will pit from weather and then when used will grab and posibly create hot spots.
If the wobble is still present, perhaps the tires are next to be checked for bad spots like broken belts. Broken belts can be determined by balancing the tire and then rebalancing it. If it is not balanced the second check, it's because the belts are moving and not adheared to the rubber, then tire must be replaced or it will blow out due to breaking appart.
Having good brakes is number one on the safety list for having a life saving stop. Dragging brakes due to uneven rotors or cracked pads, will cost you in MPG as the vehicle is under braking partialy as they touch rotor to pad without stepping on the pedal.
* This post was
edited 02/23/12 01:33am by trop-a-cal *
We had the same problem with our 2003 (Chevy Chassis) 23ft motorhome. I found that part of the problem was the caliper assembly was rusty and not working correctly.
I cleaned the calipers, lubed all the moving surfaces, replaced the brake pads, replaced the rotors & bearings. Works a lot better now. I plan to check, clean, and lube the calipers annually. I hope that these brakes will last a lot longer than the originals.
It's a lot more relaxing to travel when you know your brakes are working 100%.
Sometimes, wobble can be caused by a tire, that has a bad spot, due to a pothole, or a rock, and it slowlly develops, a bump on the thread, where the tire hit the side of the pot hole, or ran over the rock.
Bad shock absorbers, can also cause wobble when, one wheel hits the plastic markers, that are glued on freeways, the only way to stop this wobble, is to repace both shock absorbers, in the fromt.
Stored RV's also should have brakes applied when you are running the engine without moving the vehicle. That removes rust from the calipers and keeps them from needing to be cleaned. Taking the vehicle for a short trip and appling the brakes keeps the brakes excersized, and resurfaces the rotors too.
trop-a-cal wrote: Stored RV's also should have brakes applied when you are running the engine without moving the vehicle. That removes rust from the calipers and keeps them from needing to be cleaned. Taking the vehicle for a short trip and appling the brakes keeps the brakes excersized, and resurfaces the rotors too.
How will just aplying the brakes without moving the vehicle remove rust from anything on the rotor? The wheels would have to be turning to do anything. Are you referring to the caliper pins or sliders?
2003 Newmar Mountain Aire, Workhorse W22, 2008 Saturn Vue, Falcon 5250, & US Gear Unified Tow Brake
I'm wondering if you're downshifting enough when going down grades. The resultant high heating is probably the main cause of warped rotors. Truing rotors is less costly than replacing them, but it makes them thinner, so they're less resistant to warping (not as strong, and less heat capacity).
Mis-functioning rear brakes can cause issues with fronts, too, forcing them to do more work and get hotter. If drums, they may not be adjusted correctly. It takes brisk braking when backing pretty quickly to get the self-adjusters to work, something most RVer's don't do.
Jim, "Mo' coffee!"
'06 Tiger CX 'C Minus' on a Silverado 2500HD 4x4, 8.1 & Allison (aka 'Loafer's Glory') www.tigervehicles.com
Handbasket described exactly the problem that I had a few years back. The rear brakes were so far out of adjustment that the front brakes did all the work. That meant overheated front brakes and warped rotors.
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