--Please Help Solve Steering Wheel Shake--
 

It is a 91 Integra. I recently experiencing steering wheel shake during brakeing and at speed over 100kph. I installed new front tires which eliminated my high speed shaking. I also changed the front rotors and pads. However, the steering wheel still have moderate shaking during normal brakeing. It is my understanding that the rear brake component does not play a role in the steering so I elminated that as a contributing [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=yellowgreen]fator. Could it be my caliper, balljoint or tie-rod?

You must be new to cars lol. If its vibrating it means your car is in need of a wheel alignment, I've heard his problem a hundred times I present the same diagnosis and its always the same result once an Alignment is done.

i was gonna say warped rotors but you said you replaced them. all i can say is check ball joints, tie rod ends and wheel bearings. if those are ok, get an alignment

hi guys..i have just started noticing quiet similar problem. my brake pads are fairly new like 3 months old. my steering wheel sort of vibrates when braking at 80+ kph, it kinda moves right to left just a very little bit. my rear left rotor is causing uneven pad wear but i dont think rear rotor has got anything to do with steering wheel wobble so its gotta be either front rotors or calipers, right? what could be done to fix the calipers? i would like to know if calipers need to be replaced or fixed so i dont let mechanics rip me off when i go to him. between its a 96 integra rs. 5spd.
Thanks

uneven pad wear is caused by a siezed slider or piston in calippers with more then one, grease your sliders and make sure you can move the sliding caliper back and forth freely. The shake in the wheel only when braking i would say is a warped rotor they can get mildly warped by hard braking and heating them up and cooling them by braking from high speeds back to normal speeds and lets not forget that its all the quality of the rotor because i get the same problem with my garbage 25 dollar rotors from partsource on my witner beater they warped in like a week.

^ first of all I thank you for your always quick responses! i must admit rotors that i am currently using are cheap ones. is it ok to live with them like this or get better quality rotors?

get better quality rotors, because your just going to end up changing in a couple of months anyways..

Rotors don't last months; they *should* last years. I wouldn't worry so much about warping... Any rotor miss-shaping will be due to deposit formation on the rotor surface. There have been several articles on this subject over on team-integra.net and honda-tech; it was a good read.

Most people involved in solo 1/2 racing tend to run the cheapest rotors they can find; parts source or brembo blanks.

As for the steering wheel issue... Like buff suggested, check your ball joints, tie rod ends, and wheel bearings for excessive play. Check your tire balance as well, and your tire pressure even while your at it. If the problem still isn't remedied, get an alignment done.

Pay for one on an alignment machine; don't try to set your toe by eye or with a string.

^^^^ lol it was a quick fix man! don 't knock on the string technique!

Lmaoo, I've since done it another 4 times; just can't get it right... Its an art I guess :p

not an art the correct way is with a tape meause not a string! toe is measured in degrees or inches not string lengths lol

i am gonna need in a rotor regardless since they have not been changed. can u guys recommand any brands of good rotors?

if its for regular street driving, any cheap blank rotors will be fine

^^agreed; just hit up parts source or canadian tire for the cheapest pair, and spend your ca$h on good pads.

Remember, you have to replace them in at least pairs. fronts/rears.

Btw, your gonna have a REALLY fun time trying to get the rotor screws out. You'll learn all kinds of new swear words...

Spray them down with some wd-40 (I find pb-blaster works amazingly well; available at canadian tire). Let it sit for a bit; smack it with a hammer, then use one of those impact pivoting screwdrivers. DO NOT put those screws back in; not even with corrosion proof screws. Just let the rotor sit in the caliper; it'll make your next rotor change 10x easier.

^^^ lol lesson well learned... i have a set of IMPACT DRIVER, if you wanna take off the rest of them

or you can drill out the center of the screw and then drill one size bigger if need be they come right off after that

i always used the cheapest rotors and quality pads with great success.

the key to making the rotors last is proper installation of the rotors. proper cleaning and lubricating of the hubs. proper cleaning/lubrication of caliper pins/brackets/pads/contact points. and of course proper wheel lug nut torque.

i have a set of 25 dollar rotors i installed 5+ years ago that may look like crap but do not pulsate.

also since you car is a 91 you must go over all suspension components like mentioned before. the car is old now. worn parts are inevitable. i guarantee your inner tie rod ends are worn out unless they were recently replaced. worn front end suspension components will cause steering wheel shake.

good luck!

I had to drill the heads of the screws and then snap them out... Kept chewing up my shitty drill bits lol.

thanks guys between i am getting a mechanic to do my brakes :P lol

you can try cheapest to most expensive, balance all wheels first, doesnt fix the problem, 4 wheel alignment, still doesnt fix then brake service buddy...good luck

front calipers, probably a slider is sticking.

ouch....