# Brake / Rotor question



## pksjay (Oct 27, 2002)

I read several thread in here about warped rotors and the car shaking about. Is there any way you can check to see if they are warped? I replaced them last year and now the front end is shaking like crazy when applying the brakes. We travel 35 miles a trip and the brakes do get very hot. When coming to the bottom of a steep incline you can actually smell the brakes very strong. 

One a related note i had to unbend one of the dust sields due to scraping of the rotors. This happened after a monsson during highway travel. 

I am very curious if you guys think it is the rotors already shot or something else. I am not about to play games with the braking system of my car. Last time i replaced them was with the Wearever brand from advanced auto


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## psuLemon (Apr 23, 2003)

if your car is shakin it is highly likely that you have warped rotors


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

I am not too fimaliar with that name...but as said it sounds like the rotor could be warped.


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## 2nrguy (Feb 18, 2005)

psuLemon said:


> if your car is shakin it is highly likely that you have warped rotors


or what about the tires or the rims being out of balance or maybe the car isnt aligned exactly right


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## chimmike (Oct 17, 2002)

okay, I'm sorry, but you've been ehre since 2002 and you don't know there's a BRAKES and SUSPENSION forum?


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## BRSGXE (Sep 19, 2004)

A few thoughts to your dilema...
1) Rear brakes not self adjusting as lining wears down
2) Seized piston(s) in one or more rear wheel cylinders
3) One or both front calipers starting to seize causing
constant contact with rotors (excessive heat)
4) Bad prop valve
5) Air trapped in rear brake system
6) Weak return springs in rear brakes
7) Seized caliper pin(s)


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## pksjay (Oct 27, 2002)

I looked for the brakes / suspension but didnt see it. Sorry. 

It shakes in the steering wheel. DO you think that this is related to the rear brakes? I lube the caliper pins when changing the brakes. I know that when we come down the mountain there is a godd amount of stress put on the brakes, but i do turn off the OD and try and use them as little as possible, yet at the bottom they smell.


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

pksjay said:


> I looked for the brakes / suspension but didnt see it. Sorry.
> 
> It shakes in the steering wheel. DO you think that this is related to the rear brakes? I lube the caliper pins when changing the brakes. I know that when we come down the mountain there is a godd amount of stress put on the brakes, but i do turn off the OD and try and use them as little as possible, yet at the bottom they smell.


This sounds like warped front rotor or both. I have had several cars that have had this "shakes steering wheel when braking but not when driving" symptom. 
Yes the brakes get hot. If you have a sticking brake i would expect that it would be hot when driving not just down a hill. If your gas milage is normal i don't think you should worry about this yet, fix the rotors first. 
Good luck.....


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## pksjay (Oct 27, 2002)

With 103k on the car. 
A. should i also replace the fluid? If so do i drain it at the calipers?

B. I am not going to get the same rotors again. DOes anyone recomned a non performance everyday driver type rotor?

C. Is there something else wrong judging by the way they stink coming down the mountatin. They have done this since last year when i put on the new rotors and pads.


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

pksjay said:


> With 103k on the car.
> A. should i also replace the fluid? If so do i drain it at the calipers?
> 
> B. I am not going to get the same rotors again. DOes anyone recomned a non performance everyday driver type rotor?
> ...


A. yes never a bad idea to replace the fluid. yes follow the bleeding directions but start by allowing the master cylinder to go just empty, refill, then pump old fluid through till it goes clear (or changes color) or master cylinder is nearly empty again. Then bleed all four wheels. 

b. what rotors did you have that warped ?? 

c. I don't know, it depends how hot its getting and what grease and oil is around to smell. I think some brake pads will actually smell as well. Nissan OEM pads are recommended here, but i got loaded calipers with raybestos and they are OK.


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## pksjay (Oct 27, 2002)

Now i read the sentra.net instructions. Just want to make sure i undersand fully. 

Get most of the fkuid out of the MC.
Replace with fresh. 

Bleed.... How is this done? I am assuming the are fitting similar to a greese fitting to attach the clear hose. Open with a wrench then pump the brakes to move fluid through the system?

When the new stuff starts coming through turn off the bleeder valve and done..

Am i missing steps .


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## Mekanik22 (Mar 14, 2005)

If you completely flushing the system, then yes, keep the fluid coming through the bleeders until new fluid comes out. There are many different types of bleeding. For example gravity. You open the bleeder screw, then walk away and let it bleed itself. But you want is either vaccum bleed (You put a vaccum on the bleeder screw then put a cap on the master cylinder and it sucks it through. Or pressure bleed it which is most common.
Pressure Bleeding:
1:Have 1 person pump up the pedal 5-6 times.
2:After 5-6 times, get them to hold it
3:While their holding it, you open the bleeder screw
4:Go back to step 1 and do the procedure over and over until you see new fluid.

Vaccum bleeding is the fastest, but if you don't have a vaccum bleeder, then next fastest is the pressure bleed. MAKE SURE there is fluid in the master cylinder at ALL times! If not, for 1 you'll get air in the system. And for 2, you'll starve the master cylinder of fluid and you'll bottom out the pistons inside the master cylinder.


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

pksjay said:


> Now i read the sentra.net instructions. Just want to make sure i undersand fully.
> 
> Get most of the fkuid out of the MC.
> Replace with fresh.
> ...


Well you have the idea. 
There are many ways to do this. 
The oldest and simplest is you get help from friend spouse etc to pump the pedal. 
How you do this is you put the clear tube on the bleed nipple. open the nipple. Then push peddle to floor once and hold. Then pinch nipple closed. let peddle return to normal position, then repeat. tighten when finished. 
To do this single handed there are various methods talked about above, gravity works and you don't have to buy anything, but it can be slow. 
There are bleed nipples that have a spring loaded valve, you remove the old nipples and install the new but pinch down then unscrew about a turn. Then you put on the tube, and then pump the peddle. The valve prevents sucking the air and old fluid back into the brake system. tighten the bleed nipple when finished. 

For a normal bleed you just do this till any air bubbles stop coming out, hence the clear tube. 

What rotors did you buy that warped again. I am going to buy some new rotors soon for the same problem and would like to know. 

Hope this helps. good luck......


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