On more than one occasion, I have had a buildup of whatever on my Corolla's front rotors shortly after replacing them. This buildup causes steering wheel shake when the brakes are applied. I don't know what to do to prevent it. I always clean the rotors with brake cleaner before I install them. Should I be cleaning the pads with something too? Is there any way to prevent this?
Any way to prevent rotor buildup?
- Thread starter grampi
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You are most likely not bedding in your pads correctly. The buildup is pad transfer. see article- although each pad mfg has a slightly different method, it is important to bed them in exactly per mfg.
https://www.autoanything.com/brakes/how-to-bed-in-brake-pads
https://www.autoanything.com/brakes/how-to-bed-in-brake-pads
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Mine shake too above a certain speed. I found out wearever silver metallics shed a-Lot more dust than the ceramic golds.
I think I heard brake stands clean them off. But to prevent rotors feom shaking, I heard not waiting until the lazt second to stop....aka get most of the speed down at the onset of braking instead of the opposite where you lightly apply them and gradually apply more pressure.
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Also, do not rest your foot too heavily on hot ones at stoplights and such.
Good luck Grampi!
I think I heard brake stands clean them off. But to prevent rotors feom shaking, I heard not waiting until the lazt second to stop....aka get most of the speed down at the onset of braking instead of the opposite where you lightly apply them and gradually apply more pressure.
&
Also, do not rest your foot too heavily on hot ones at stoplights and such.
Good luck Grampi!
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What kind of pads/rotors are you using? I will only put Akebono Ceramics on my vehicles from now on. Too many issues with other pads. I also try to go with OEM rotors if I can.
Originally Posted By: grampi
On more than one occasion, I have had a buildup of whatever on my Corolla's front rotors shortly after replacing them. This buildup causes steering wheel shake when the brakes are applied. I don't know what to do to prevent it. I always clean the rotors with brake cleaner before I install them. Should I be cleaning the pads with something too? Is there any way to prevent this?
Cheap pads will do this. And did you break the new pads In? Is the transmission an auto?
On more than one occasion, I have had a buildup of whatever on my Corolla's front rotors shortly after replacing them. This buildup causes steering wheel shake when the brakes are applied. I don't know what to do to prevent it. I always clean the rotors with brake cleaner before I install them. Should I be cleaning the pads with something too? Is there any way to prevent this?
Cheap pads will do this. And did you break the new pads In? Is the transmission an auto?
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Originally Posted By: grampi
On more than one occasion, I have had a buildup of whatever on my Corolla's front rotors shortly after replacing them. This buildup causes steering wheel shake when the brakes are applied. I don't know what to do to prevent it. I always clean the rotors with brake cleaner before I install them. Should I be cleaning the pads with something too? Is there any way to prevent this?
Cheap pads will do this. And did you break the new pads In? Is the transmission an auto?
I don't know what they are. I just get whatever they have at Advance Auto...my Corolla is an automatic...and I didn't know anything about having to break in pads before...
Originally Posted By: grampi
On more than one occasion, I have had a buildup of whatever on my Corolla's front rotors shortly after replacing them. This buildup causes steering wheel shake when the brakes are applied. I don't know what to do to prevent it. I always clean the rotors with brake cleaner before I install them. Should I be cleaning the pads with something too? Is there any way to prevent this?
Cheap pads will do this. And did you break the new pads In? Is the transmission an auto?
I don't know what they are. I just get whatever they have at Advance Auto...my Corolla is an automatic...and I didn't know anything about having to break in pads before...
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Let me ask this; since these pads are already broken in and still are plenty thick, could I just replace the rotors and keep these pads and not have to worry about it happening again? Or another thought, could I replace the pads with new ones, then break the pads in using the old rotors to avoid getting the buildup on new ones, and then put new rotors on?
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Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Originally Posted By: grampi
On more than one occasion, I have had a buildup of whatever on my Corolla's front rotors shortly after replacing them. This buildup causes steering wheel shake when the brakes are applied. I don't know what to do to prevent it. I always clean the rotors with brake cleaner before I install them. Should I be cleaning the pads with something too? Is there any way to prevent this?
Cheap pads will do this. And did you break the new pads In? Is the transmission an auto?
I don't know what they are. I just get whatever they have at Advance Auto...and my Corolla is an automatic...and I didn't know anything about having to break in pads before...
Well there you go... I use to race a Ford Taurus SHO on the road tracks. The OE Ford branded pads were great but if you got the Motorcraft pads they were garbage and would cause "rotor warping". Generally they weren't warped as that takes plenty of heat but were out of balance due to pad deposits.
You should break in new pads. After a few miles find a safe stretch of road where you can go from highway speeds to 5 mph as fast as you can without locking the tires. Do this about four or five time, the brakes will smoke usually. Then limp home without using much brake and let it cool. Do not use the emergency brake at this time.
I've just noticed this happens more with auto trans vs a manual one due to engine breaking more with the manual trans. The autos you are on the breaks much more.
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Originally Posted By: grampi
On more than one occasion, I have had a buildup of whatever on my Corolla's front rotors shortly after replacing them. This buildup causes steering wheel shake when the brakes are applied. I don't know what to do to prevent it. I always clean the rotors with brake cleaner before I install them. Should I be cleaning the pads with something too? Is there any way to prevent this?
Cheap pads will do this. And did you break the new pads In? Is the transmission an auto?
I don't know what they are. I just get whatever they have at Advance Auto...and my Corolla is an automatic...and I didn't know anything about having to break in pads before...
Well there you go... I use to race a Ford Taurus SHO on the road tracks. The OE Ford branded pads were great but if you got the Motorcraft pads they were garbage and would cause "rotor warping". Generally they weren't warped as that takes plenty of heat but were out of balance due to pad deposits.
You should break in new pads. After a few miles find a safe stretch of road where you can go from highway speeds to 5 mph as fast as you can without locking the tires. Do this about four or five time, the brakes will smoke usually. Then limp home without using much brake and let it cool. Do not use the emergency brake at this time.
I've just noticed this happens more with auto trans vs a manual one due to engine breaking more with the manual trans. The autos you are on the breaks much more.
Originally Posted By: grampi
Let me ask this; since these pads are already broken in and still are plenty thick, could I just replace the rotors and keep these pads and not have to worry about it happening again? Or another thought, could I replace the pads with new ones, then break the pads in using the old rotors to avoid getting the buildup on new ones, and then put new rotors on?
I would buy some quality pads and keep the old rotors. With some hard braking they will clean up wobbly pad deposited rotors.
Let me ask this; since these pads are already broken in and still are plenty thick, could I just replace the rotors and keep these pads and not have to worry about it happening again? Or another thought, could I replace the pads with new ones, then break the pads in using the old rotors to avoid getting the buildup on new ones, and then put new rotors on?
I would buy some quality pads and keep the old rotors. With some hard braking they will clean up wobbly pad deposited rotors.
If the source of vibration is uneven brake pad material, then about 10 fairly aggressive 60-10 mph stops should remove them and make the braking smooth again. This method has work d wlquite well for me over the years and saved me from doing few brake jobs early.
Whether you use cheap pads or high-end ones, if you get the brakes real hot and then keep your foot on the brake pedal while at a traffic light you WILL deposit another coating of the pads in that spot. That's what causes most rotors to seem warped.
What to do to fix it: "bed" the brakes in again, this will remove the coating on the rotors and if you cool them off correctly the vibration should be gone.
Bedding in procdure: Find a nice long safe stretch of road where you can safely acceralte quickly to about 60mph, then brake quickly to 20mph, then repeat quickly three, maybe four times, then drive for about 15-20 minutes WITHOUT TOUCHING the brake pedal. Don't freak out if you start smelling cooked brake pads, that's normal.
What to do to fix it: "bed" the brakes in again, this will remove the coating on the rotors and if you cool them off correctly the vibration should be gone.
Bedding in procdure: Find a nice long safe stretch of road where you can safely acceralte quickly to about 60mph, then brake quickly to 20mph, then repeat quickly three, maybe four times, then drive for about 15-20 minutes WITHOUT TOUCHING the brake pedal. Don't freak out if you start smelling cooked brake pads, that's normal.
Best way to clean rotor buildup is to use the brakes harder, and don't park with really hot brakes.
I had this problem with a 95 Accord. I installed EBC (expensive) pads.
Remember these cars had the old style suspension where you had to bust the knuckle and remove the entire assembly to get to the rotor.
So I didn't turn them.
After replacing the rotors (with quality parts) the brake shake was still there.
One of the pads was worn unevenly; you could see the slant in the pad material.
So I got a decent pad and all was good.
I kept blaming the rotors and it was the pads, at least partially.
By the way, Akebono pads are really good pads.
Good luck.
Remember these cars had the old style suspension where you had to bust the knuckle and remove the entire assembly to get to the rotor.
So I didn't turn them.
After replacing the rotors (with quality parts) the brake shake was still there.
One of the pads was worn unevenly; you could see the slant in the pad material.
So I got a decent pad and all was good.
I kept blaming the rotors and it was the pads, at least partially.
By the way, Akebono pads are really good pads.
Good luck.
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