OK guys here is a tuff one. I am travelling and developed a pulse in the pedal of the 02 ranger 2wd with 58k on it.. seems a little early but ok simple enough rotors need turned. Took it to "National chain" (no tools, place to work etc) and they turned the rotors and put new pads on it. It was fine for about 50 miles then started pulsing again, so back to the "national chain" and they say the rotors are warped again and they will turn them again for free and also the back brakes needed adjusted and that was why the fronts needed turned again.( I don't buy it but will give them a chance).
About 50 miles and it starts all over again......

OK damm it. enough is enough. Maybe the rotor were turned too thin. So a cheap set of tools, two new rotors,seals,bearings,pads and a tie rod end ( I found the tie rod when checking it out and it was not bad enought to normally change, but since I was going to be on my back anyway..) The motel parking lot is not where I am use to working, but in a storm any port etc etc.

Good for a hundered miles and its starting again!!!!

Any ideas???
Dave257

 

Have you checked the back brakes? Or do you feel it through the steering wheel?

 

Yes the backs are ok, I think. The "national chain" checked them when they adjusted and cleaned them. Yes it is in the steering wheel, just like a warped rotor feels.
Dave

 

Is it only when braking, or is it worse when braking? When's the last time you got your tires balanced and rotated?

Something else to think about, rotors are made fairly cheaply nowadays. All it takes is one lug nut to be more tight than the rest to warp a rotor. Which is one of the reasons why you should use a torque wrench to tighten your lug nuts.

That's probably not your problem though, because it would warp and be noticeable right away.

 

I also have a 2002 2wd xlt and had the same exact problem. My rotors would warp extremely easy. By 12,000 miles i had them turned twice and had them replaced with new ones. I finally fixed the problem though. I went to sears and bought a torque wrench for $60 and now every time the wheels come off my truck i torque them when i put them back on. If somebody else has your wheels off double check it to make sure they are torqued corectly. Since most tire shops have thier torque wrench set at 95 ft lbs all the time it screws up the wrench so it doesn't do it right. These trucks are super picky about this. I used to never torque my lug nuts until i figured out that it was my problem.
Oh, BTW, never ever ever use semi metallic brake pads, they will drive you nuts with all the moaning and growling. You have to use the ceramics. I recommend the EBC greenstuff pads, They are the best pads i've ever used and highly recommend them. You can get them from summit for about $50.

 

I just fixed a high speed HOT braking vibration problem on my 99.

When removing the front wheels to do a brake fluid change out & inspection, I found that the tire store I use for rotation/balance, hadn't properly & evenly torqued up the lug nuts on BOTH front wheels. I believe they use a torque stick.

There was as much a 25 ft/lbs difference between one or two lug nuts on both front wheels. They ranged from under spec to over spec.

The rear wheels were torqued up evenly & in range .

When I put them back on, I torqued them up with a torque wrench, in three steps, ending at the minimum value. So far so good!!!!

I have the chrome faced steel wheels, not the cast aluminum!!!! Which type wheel do you have????

How are you breaking in the new pads????
There is a proceedure you should use, depending on the mfg & type of pad you've chosen!!!!!

 

Check that your pads are not rubbing on the rotors all the time. If the caliper is rusty internally, it can cause the piston to fail to retract when you release the brake pedal, thus causing the pads to drag on the rotor. If you drive the truck a ways, and don't use the brakes very much, they should be barely warm when you pull over and check them. If they are HOT, the pads may be dragging, thus overheating the rotors.
tom

 

I once worked on a Grand Prix that had a nasty brake pulsation since new. Did the fronts, no help. Rotated tires and carefully torqued lug nuts, no help. In the end, I discovered that one of the rear brake backing plates (drum brakes) was defective. New backing plate and everything was fixed.

 

Thanks for all the inputs. I don't have any place to work and so I checked out a couple of the ford dealers in the Las Vegas area. One had a guy that has been doing brakes for them for 15 years and he says He knows the problem and will fix it Monday. He claims the problem is dirt/shavings in the brake caliper is causing it to drag and will overheat the brakes. He says that when you "mess with em" the passage will unblock and work for a short while. So he wants to flush the system and either clean the calipers or better replace them. It will be about the same price either way as the time involved in cleaning will cost about as much as the price for rebuilts. Told him to order the calipers and I will be in on Monday... will let you know how it turns out..
Dave

 

I highly doubt your truck needs calipers, but if it's under warranty let them replace them. If the sliders dont get cleaned and lubed like they are supposed when they do a brake job then it could cause problems. It's most likely just the fact that you are not personally torquing your lug nuts. I can almost guarantee you tat as soon as that guy gets done charging you $400 to do the brakes he will not torque the wheels right and your rotors will warp again as soon as you go down a grade or get stuck in traffic.
Calipers are the most upsold brake part there is. I have a 1978 chevy silverado that has 334,000 miles on it and it has the stock brake calipers on it still will no abnormal wear, no squeeking, or pulsation. I actually havent ever turned the rotors on the truck since my dad bought it in 1983 with 110,000 miles on it. If you take the time make sure everything is done right you wont have to keep going back.
I will only go to the Ford dealer for warranty repairs since it seems everytime i have a problem i have to go back 3 times and it still isn't fixed to my satifaction and i usually end up fixing it myself. The only turn off i have about fords is the crappy service department.

 

Well here is the update.
As for the lug nut torque. I did not have a torque wrench, and used the "broken L" lug wrench. I don't think I could over torque them with it.( I'm kind of an old guy)
I had the ford guy look at it and he found one rotor needed turned and replaced the caliper on that side after flushing the system. I watched him use a torque wrench on the the lugs and it seems good to go. Will post again if I run into any more trouble.
Dave

 

sounds like a good deal. As for the torque it's not overtightening thats the issue that all the lug nuts are not at the exact same torque which warps the rotor once it gets hot and causes the vibration. Hopefully your problem is fixed now.

 

Ok guys I hate to burst some bubbles here, but rotors do NOT warp. There is a more scientific explanation as to why you are feeling that "pulse/vibration" while braking, and it does not involve "warped rotors".

In simple terms, rotors can develop "hot spots" and excessive build-ups of pad material in various spots on the rotor face. The way brakes are supposed to work is the pads leave a thin even layer of material on the surface of the rotor. If the pads are not bedded in properly, or you regularly exceed the heat range of the pads then uneven deposits will develop on the rotor surface. The extra material + the excessive heat in that spot will cause a molecular change to the properties of the metal in that area of the rotor. The reason you feel the wheel shake is every time the pad slides by these spots it grabs or "snags" on these uneven areas and creates extra friction. Generally if you catch it in time you can "cut" it out by turning the rotors. If it has gone too long then the "hot spot" will have penetrated too deep in the metal to remove it by turning. That is why the symptoms return VERY quickly after turning the rotors. It is like a cancer, if you don't get all of it, then it will return in a short amount of time.

Now, before you go saying I am talking out my backside allow the possibility that there is a scientific explanation to this problem. Take a few minutes and read the following articles: Also, note the name of who wrote the last one.....

http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/faqs.shtml#7
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/faqs.shtml#25
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp...rakedisk.shtml

 

Thank for a very enlightening post. I now know more then i did.
Thanks
Dave

 

Good stuff there G2, I learned that stuff in school a loooong time ago. I book mark the links for the tech info thread.