When braking, the car shaking...

[MatteMan]

Hello.

In low speed when braking, the steering wheel shaking a litle, but in high speed the whole car shaking. What can be the problem??

I have checked all four rotors, they are as new, they are exactly straight!
The pads in front are as new, but in back it´s litle less then half left. But dont´t think the shaking depend on that?

So what can the shaking depend on?

It´s also shaking a litle in the car when driving in around 60 mph...

Thanks, Mattias

 

[the98stang]

Hello.

In low speed when braking, the steering wheel shaking a litle, but in high speed the whole car shaking. What can be the problem??

I have checked all four rotors, they are as new, they are exactly straight!
The pads in front are as new, but in back it´s litle less then half left. But dont´t think the shaking depend on that?

So what can the shaking depend on?

It´s also shaking a litle in the car when driving in around 60 mph...

Thanks, Mattias

Your alignment could be F'ed up or your tires may be out of balance.

Did you recently have rear end work done? If so, your drive shaft may be out of balance. I would check your tires and alignment first.

 

[MatteMan]

Your alignment could be F'ed up or your tires may be out of balance.

Did you recently have rear end work done? If so, your drive shaft may be out of balance. I would check your tires and alignment first.

No I haven´t done a rear end work, sounds expensive... When the car is lifted up I can feel a play like 5mm (0.197in.) in the axle shaft when I pull in the wheels, on both sides. Maybe it´s uppose to be like that?

I bought the car from USA last year and imported it to Sweden, so I don´t know so much whats done to the car, but it´s lowered, maybe it´s a good idea to check the alignment.

Maybe it can be the inner tie rod also?

 

[the98stang]

No I haven´t done a rear end work, sounds expensive... When the car is lifted up I can feel a play like 5mm (0.197in.) in the drive shaft when I pull in the wheels, on both sides. Maybe it´s uppose to be like that?

I bought the car from USA last year and imported it to Sweden, so I don´t know so much whats done to the car, but it´s lowered, maybe it´s a good idea to check the alignment.

Maybe it can be the inner tie rod also?

Normally tie rods will make popping sounds if they aren't funtioning properly. But normally when tires are off balance the steering wheel will shake vertically (up and down). If the car pulls to one side of the road while you are driving, your alignment is most likely off. I think that's your best bet because the car was lowered. Especially If you don't have any caster camber plates to correct the alignment.

 

[DTNODYA]

Here's something easy to check that can cause that. Go check your tire pressure and make sure the two fronts are even and the same with the rears. My mom told me yesterday that her car was shaking bad, checked her tire pressure ... one of them was 19 psi. Filled it up to 32 (which the other front tire is), problem solved.

If the steering wheel is left/right wabbling on you at 60 (like my car is) then it is your alignment (camber/caster out of wack)

To check the driveshaft, look at it and make sure that the little weights (mine has two) have not come off. They look like smashed nickels kinda . . .

One more thing I can think of ... Bald spots on tires can cause hella vibrating!

 

[Black Stang 97]

my friends 94 Gt did that when his stock rotors warped....he replaced them and it went away.....

 

[Z28 KILR]

My Escape had that problem until I added some brake fluid. I thought my rotors were warped too and that certainly could be it.

 

[40oz]

it's your front struts. They aren't doing squat any more. Replace them. Obviously check your brakes and tires, but the problem is your struts.

 

[MatteMan]

Yes I can feel the car is pulling to one side of the road when driving, but not so much.
No there is no caster camber plates on it. Yes it also can be the rims that are off balance, but they quite new, maybe I should get to the wheel shop and balance them… The tires are almost new, so no bald spots on them, and pressure is checked for two day ago, so they are fine.

The rotors are not warped, they almost like new.

The brake fluid looks like it’s enough, but maybe I can fill up little more.

The struts are not old at all, are you really sure it can be them?

My struts look like those on the picture but w/o caster camber (not my car on the picture)

 

[Stangsgrl]

i would check your alignment...your toe may be off too. it'd be the first thing i'd have checked & go from there.

i had that problem a while back when i ran over a dead deer...hit my exhaust only luckily but threw my alignment out. car was shaking around 55mph and would shake a little and pull when breaking.

 

[40oz]

Yes I can feel the car is pulling to one side of the road when driving, but not so much.
No there is no caster camber plates on it. Yes it also can be the rims that are off balance, but they quite new, maybe I should get to the wheel shop and balance them… The tires are almost new, so no bald spots on them, and pressure is checked for two day ago, so they are fine.

The rotors are not warped, they almost like new.

The brake fluid looks like it’s enough, but maybe I can fill up little more.

The struts are not old at all, are you really sure it can be them?

My struts look like those on the picture but w/o caster camber (not my car on the picture)

Those look like coil-overs, not struts. A stiff spring can overheat your shocks, making the seals wear out faster. They are probably rebuildable if they are a good brand, so you should probably get that done, to match your springs. Without shock absorbers, your tire would bounce down the road at speed, like a basketball. That gives you the shaking feeling. The fact that you feel the shaking at high speed even when not braking is what tells me it is the shocks, not the brakes.

I suppose it could be the alignment. I've never had a problem with mine, so maybe Stangsgrl has it

 

[DerekStangGT]

Hello.

In low speed when braking, the steering wheel shaking a litle, but in high speed the whole car shaking. What can be the problem??

I have checked all four rotors, they are as new, they are exactly straight!
The pads in front are as new, but in back it´s litle less then half left. But dont´t think the shaking depend on that?

So what can the shaking depend on?

It´s also shaking a litle in the car when driving in around 60 mph...

Thanks, Mattias

if the car is shaking, first thing i would check is the lugnuts. my car shook for a day, so i took the wheel off to look at the calipers. all 5 lugnuts were loose try that first.
next, your rotors are warped. theres no way you can tell by just looking at them, you have to measure them with a micrometer or digital caliper (my preference). go to any brake place and ask them to turn/cut/machine the rotors for you. they shouldnt charge more than ~$50. after you cut the rotors, you MUST either get new pads, or buff down the pads you have with a die grinder, or heavy grit sandpaper (sandpaper if youre cheap and dont mind spending all day on the pads). your pads have grooves cut into them from the rotor since none are perfectly flat. if you dont change your pads, they will warp your rotors again within the first 200 miles or so.

 

[MatteMan]

Okay coil-over maybe it is But I don’t think that makes it shake like that when braking?
Maybe it can be the bushings in the front?

The lugnuts is not loose, I have checked them all.

The rotors actually have been measured in my friends lathe machine with a micrometer, and it was almost no warped at all.

Here is two picture I took today on the coil-over when I was thinking to change the wheel stud that has broken, but that one I had (for the rear) didn’t fit in the front…

 

[Chili]

Aside from the vibration, my understanding is that you should have 4 bolt caster camber plates in order to align the front with coilovers.

 

[MatteMan]

Aside from the vibration, my understanding is that you should have 4 bolt caster camber plates in order to align the front with coilovers.

Okay, so you mean if I don´t fix caster camber plates, it´s no idea to fix the alignment?

 

[Chili]

Okay, so you mean if I don´t fix caster camber plates, it´s no idea to fix the alignment?

With a lowered Mustang you will need aftermarket CC plates to be able to get the alignment into spec, the stock plates do not allow enough adjustment. Of this I am certain.

There are 3 bolt and 4 bolt. I have been told that coilover suspension on our cars should use 4 bolt. I am somewhat talking out of my ass here because I cannot tell you why, other than relying on the expertise of several friends. Maybe someone who knows a bit more can elaborate.

Here is a bit of info you can read through..

http://www.maximummotorsports.com/ccFAQ.asp

 

[Chili]

Based on the response to these two questions it appears that the reason for going to 4 bolt with the coilovers is that the added pressure of the spring and strut, rather than just the strut in a common Mustang application, will cause additional pressure on the CC plate. On the three bolt design, the bolts are not in a triangular position, rather more like an L, causing more stress on two of the bolts with the potential of bending the CC plate. The fourth bolt gives the added rigidity needed to support the weight of the car on the strit tower / CC plate.

Q. Why doesn't my Fox chassis Mustang require 4-bolt C/C plates?
A. The 1979-93 C/C Plates only require three bolts because the strut top is captured inside a triangle formed by these three bolts (as viewed from the top). This means each bolt carries a portion of the vertical strut load and the plate is in fixed bending (loaded in the middle, supported on each end - like a bridge).

On 1994+ CC plates, the strut top is outside of the triangle formed by the three factory mounting bolts. This means that two bolts carry the entire vertical strut load, and the plate is in cantilevered bending. The plate, and the car's strut tower, are much more likely to bend. Adding a 4th mounting bolt on the main plate now captures the strut top inside the square formed by the four mounting bolts. Now the vertical strut load is shared between all four bolts, and the C/C plate, and car's strut tower, will never bend.

Q. Why do I need MM C/C Plates when I install a coil-over conversion kit?
A. Two major reasons: First, the stock upper strut mount is designed only for the forces from the struts, not the load of the car's weight on a spring. The rubber in the factory strut mount will deform and eventually fail from the increased loading.

Second, when installing a coil-over conversion kit, you must install an upper spring perch under the strut tower. This upper spring perch will occupy a certain amount of vertical space, and therefore use up precious bump travel. If you do not gain bump travel with a Caster/Camber Plate spaced above the strut tower, your coil-over equipped car will actually have less bump travel than it had when it was stock!

 

[MatteMan]

Based on the response to these two questions it appears that the reason for going to 4 bolt with the coilovers is that the added pressure of the spring and strut, rather than just the strut in a common Mustang application, will cause additional pressure on the CC plate. On the three bolt design, the bolts are not in a triangular position, rather more like an L, causing more stress on two of the bolts with the potential of bending the CC plate. The fourth bolt gives the added rigidity needed to support the weight of the car on the strit tower / CC plate.

Thank you very much!
But they are very expensive

This should work fine right? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/must...07061QQitemZ4634283017QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

 

[Chili]

Thank you very much!
But they are very expensive

This should work fine right? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/must...07061QQitemZ4634283017QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Never heard of those.. I have the 3 bolt UPR plates, which run $160 - $180. Ther 4 bolt maximum motorsports from that link I posted are supposed to be good as well, but cost even more.

 

[thomas91169]

1) Warped Rotors
2) needs Alignment
3) needs wheel balance
4) suspension going out(struts, bushings, etc)