Ok, so today I just installed my new front rotors and new pads all around... drove her about 30-40 miles and its hella smooth and high stopping power... but! from 60 down to 35 I still get a vibration in car/steeringwheel quite heavy vibration right at 40... could this possibly be a combination of non broken in pads on new front rotors and a worn/crappy steering system? or what else could cause this... it does not vibrate under 35 no matter if I barely press or stomp on em or anything in between, nor have I noticed it above 60 really (too much traffic to properly test the full range).

 

if you havent changed your rotors, then its probably that; Z rotors warp very easily and is usually the culprid, but it could also be brushings or other parts in the suspension...

 

There are a number of things to check like suspension bushings, steering play and tension rods. Z'z seem to be pretty finicky with brake rotors. The fsm and a number of people have said that the only way to completely eliminate this problem is to have the rotors turned while they're on the car. I haven't had any problems with my aftermarket rotors. If you have a dial indicator set-up, you can check the rotor runout yourself, with them on the car. max allowed is .005" per fsm.

If everything checks out o.k., you might try rotating the rotors by one lug hole on the hubs...... or two.

 

When was the last time you had an alignment? Checked the U-joints? Rear shaft? Tire balance? Then look at suspension. Which if you are not aware, will require a slight once over every now and then.

 

mine does it, but i assume it's because of my wheel spacers.........

 

Unless you had your new rotors machined before putting them in... There's about a 95% chance they are slightly warped. Just because they were "Flat" when they left the factory doesn't nean they are still "Flat" when they get to you. I've covered this in depth before if you want to search for it. Now before some know-it-all questions me on this... I've owned and operated my own shop for 17 years, my shop has the lowest come-back rate for brake service in the industry and I'm the US Poster child for Akebono (Akebono brake pads are the worlds best pads and came OEM in YOUR car). I know a thing or two about brakes.

Rod.

 

hmm, it could be my steering, It is loose, and from the FSM it seems I may either need to readjust my pinion rotating torque or replace the steering gear assembly. but this shaking was not like this before I changed rotors/pads so it has to have something to do with that

 

I bought the cheapest rotors I could find from autozone once and they warped with in 2 weeks.

 

Well, I didnt actually mind the mild vibration in the steeringwheel from the origional rotors... but the new ones have huge vibration throughout the car... not cool... I had them machined before I put em on, so Im gonna go back and say WTF?? you supposedly machined these... and see if I can get them fixed for free.

 

Yeah, but you can only have them "turned" (machined) so many times then they are too thin to be turned any more. Mine were fine untill I hit my first water puddle. I donno what kind of rotor you bought but I would suggest getting a top of the line expensive rotor and that should fix your problem if it is brake related because warped rotors are the only reason ,I can think of, that you have a vibration espacilly only during braking. Thats just been my experience with brakes. I could be wrong. Also does it pull to one side or the other while you brake? Also it could be your tension rod bushings going bad if you dont have adj. tension rods.

 

Check you tension rod bushings. From the factory the tension rods had a liquid filled bushing in them over time they will crack and the fluid will leak out. This will cause play in the tension rod and will cause harsh vibration under braking.

Look at the tension rod bushing and see if it is wet, if it is the bushing is wet you need to replace them.

 

I second that. I had a vibration in the stearing wheel then bought adj. tension rods....now its gone.