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Front end shudder while braking

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Old Jul 7, 2017 | 09:26 PM
  #1  
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Front end shudder while braking

2008 F250 Crew Cab 5.4, 79K miles, had new brake pads iinstalled at 40K miles.

Recently, I noticed front end shudder and some pedal pulsation while braking. It started kind of sudden. My first thought was a warped rotor.

When I took things apart, I found passenger side front rotor was cracked and the caliper pistons were rusted and falling apart, the old pads were only worn about half way. My thoughts on a bad rotor were confirmed, and then some.

I replaced the broken caliper, both front rotors, installed new pads on all four wheels, and bled the brakes.

To my surprise, the brake shuddering did not go away. I'm stumped.
 
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Old Jul 8, 2017 | 03:19 AM
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I'd check all of the calipers and rotors. If you're just feeling it in the pedal and not the steering wheel, it may be coming coming from the rear brakes
 
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Old Jul 8, 2017 | 06:39 AM
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Originally Posted by seville009
I'd check all of the calipers and rotors. If you're just feeling it in the pedal and not the steering wheel, it may be coming coming from the rear brakes
Shuddering is felt in pedal, steering wheel, and seats. The higher the speed, the more noticeable the shudder.

What's really confusing is, parts that would normally cause this shudder, were found to be bad, they were replaced, and there was no change in the shudder.
 
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Old Jul 8, 2017 | 08:36 AM
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It still might be the rear brakes, but I would also look at the front axle U joints.
 
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Old Jul 8, 2017 | 09:22 AM
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I've replaced rotors and got brand new rotors that were warped. Could be rear brakes.
 
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Old Jul 8, 2017 | 05:49 PM
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If the brakes were that bad, they could have wasted suspension components such as bushings or ball joints.
 
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Old Jul 8, 2017 | 08:14 PM
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Ahh the ol death wobble... put some dual steering stabilizers on it for $80
 
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Old Jul 9, 2017 | 09:03 PM
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Steering stablizers only mask the problem . Something is worn out which needs replaced.
 
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Old Jul 13, 2017 | 07:34 AM
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Originally Posted by seville009
I'd check all of the calipers and rotors. If you're just feeling it in the pedal and not the steering wheel, it may be coming coming from the rear brakes
You, and others suggesting it may be rear brakes, were correct. Turns out, both wheels on passenger side had issues with rotor and caliper.

Front passenger side had a cracked rotor and nothing left of the pistons in the caliper. The initial repair was rotor, pads, and caliper on that wheel. Plus rotor and pads on driver side front, and new pads on both rear wheels. The shudder did not go away. I also noticed a bucking feeling, at highway speed with no brakes applied.

Yesterday, I removed the passenger side rear wheel and caliper. What I found was, the rotor had spots on it (like intermittent contact with the pads) and the pistons were frozen in the caliper. Driver side appeared to be OK.

Replaced that rotor and caliper, bled brakes, and took it for a ride. Bucking feeling is gone and stopping is smooth.
 
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Old Jul 14, 2017 | 12:12 PM
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Awesome. Glad you solved the issue.
 
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Old Jul 14, 2017 | 02:24 PM
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Sweet - I was going to limp in with the tire balancing shot in the dark - glad all these items were fixed because of shuddering "hunt" instead of fast and hard impact fro ma failure in system(s)...

Nothing like that feeling of overcoming the mystery and being safer in the long run too - good outcome!
 
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