Steering vibrates when braking

[mhkeyemd]

When I step on the brake while driving on the freeway, sometimes my steering wheel vibrates a lot. It appears to happen at certain sections on the freeway. This all happened after I changed my OEM Bridgestone tires to Hankook Ventus tires. I didn't do the wheel alignment when I changed the tires. Do you have any ideas what is going on here? Is it the brake, wheel alignment, or just the tires? Thanks.

 

[jbaker1121]

It could be all three, but since it happened after the tire switch it could be that or the alignment.

 

[Bklynjohn718]

I think it could be warped rotors.

 

[tchuck]

I think it could be warped rotors.

+1. I had those symptoms EXACTLY, and they were completely cured by new rotors. The tire change timing is likely coincidence.

 

[jumbosrule]

Were the tires balanced when they were installed?

Hard to think one/both rotors warped at the exact same time as a tire change. That's a pretty big coincidence.

Can always have your rotors checked - best to have them check "rotor run out" while they are still on the car with the wheels removed. Then you would know for sure if the rotors are the culprit.

 

[bleedingsujit]

if i were you i would start with alignment. rotor problem does sound like a big coincidence.

 

[ocal21]

i say start wit an alignment first and at the same time have them see how your rotors are if they need to be replaced.

 

[tchuck]

I'm sticking to my rotor theory but you should get an alignment with new tires anyway so it's probably a good idea to do that first.

 

[Bklynjohn718]

If it was improper balancing he would have wheel shake at certain mph without stepping on the brakes. I really think it's your rotors. Wheel alignment would fix any pulling of the vehicle.

 

[sir21]

Resurface/replace rotors and you'll be good

 

[mhkeyemd]

Can I go to any alignment place or do I need to go special "Infiniti" place? I will try the alignment first since my car functioned perfectly normal before the change. I don't understand why I didn't have that symptom before the tire change. Also, the tires were changed at the Infiniti dealer because they are a great deal that month. Accordign to them, it was balanced. I skipped on the alignment, however.

 

[MTN FX]

Any good allignment place should be fine. Do you feel any pulse in the brake pedal while braking?

 

[mhkeyemd]

When you say pulse, you mean it kinda jerks while it is slowing down? Yes, it does. Does that mean bad rotors? If so, how much is it to fix that?

 

[Dracula]

i recently resurfaced my rotors, it didnt help. Get new ones, centric premium blanks or brembos.

 

[mhkeyemd]

Just an update. I decided to resurface my rotors. My problem is solved! For those of you said that it was the rotors, you were right! Thanks for all of your inputs! Happy New year!

 

[tchuck]

Nice! Glad you got it figured out.

Sent from my DROID RAZR

 

[Ge0rge]

My steering wheel will vibrate/shudder when I come down this huge hill near my house. I am guessing it is a rotor issue. I have done plenty of brake swaps on my old car and it is a classic sign that the rotors need swapped out. I used to change pad and rotors every 2 years on my old car. I was doing a lot of twisty mountain travel daily at that time. It took a toll on my car as the road surface sucked as well. I ended up replacing the whole suspension on my old car from a few years of traveling that road. Now I take the longer route, the highway.