BRAKES and ROTORS question : Warning : NEWB

[djsuperhero]

So my rotors squeak when I brake, could be a bunch of issues right?

Brought it to the shop to get a few things touched up and I had my rotors checked. She said my brakes and rotors were fine and that whoever did them last time didn't rotate my rotors (by rotate i'm assuming she meant turn or machine them).

She wanted to charge me 175. Its an old car and I wanted to learn how to change my rotors myself so I said no, bought some new drilled and slotted rotors and installed them with a few very informative friends. Worked for a few days and then all of a sudden starting squeaking again!

A friend suggested I clean my brakes and rotors with brake cleaner and try again. I did so, and voila, stil squeakin away. Not only that... NOW THE NEW ROTORS SURFACE IS ALL WARPED AND WAVY!

My friend AND the lady at the shop told me my brake pads were 'fine and i didn't need to change them'.
Question #1: When I touch the surface of my brand new rotors after 1 month of use, are they supposed to be jagged and wavy? Even if it's light?

Question #2: Despite what my friends/the old lady said, is it possible that it could be my brake pads and I should just f*ckin change em anyway???

Any help would be appreciated!!! And yes... Im still learning :D :fruit:

[I LUV MY S13]

change ur pads before the rotors get worst..wat brand were the rotors anyway?

[djsuperhero]

Ebay. Bought em for 110, I heard there is no true difference between performance rotors and generic rotors.

I'll def change the pads this coming week.

[djsuperhero]

So I bought my 240sx not long ago at all. Was really excited and didn't care about how beat up it was, and also as my first 240 was excited that I got to figure out problems and how to fix them myself.

So when I drive down the road and I brake my car 'swerves to the left by itself, I countersteer, and it straightens out about after half a second'. Usually happens around the 30mph+ range, and on heavy braking at the highways it swerves and kinda freaks my out.

Honestly it's not enough to get me into an accident (unless I'm drunk, which I would never drive my car drunk anyway.) but the swerve is still detrimental to my driving.

My buddy says it's my control arm. Someone else says it could be a 'bent bushing'??? I want to bring it to a shop, but I also want to know on my own what it could be.

Any guesses before I bring my girl to the hospital? :'(

[OptionZero]

next time don't waste your money on cross drilled and slotted shit

no performance benefit and kills pad life

i bet you didn't bed your pads either

pretty sure if u got some new blanks and pads from your local auto parts store, bedded them, they'd be fine for the driving you're undoubtedly doing . . . to school and work

[djsuperhero]

OptionZero: note on the drilled and slotted rotors, will not do next time. did it mainly as they weren't that much more expensive and i thought they wouldn't hurt. didn't realize they killed pad life, my fault for not researching enough.

learned what bedding your brakes is thanks for the info, i'll change em this coming weekend... and yea... i just drive to school and work. but hopefully in this year i can get more into the scene as I work on my car! Thanks again.

[s13tilldeath*]

buy from 88rotors.... they are about the same price dont waist your money on ebay shit.... yea i would change your pads....

[S14DB]

You should have changed the Pads and Rotors together.

[OptionZero]

buy from 88rotors.... they are about the same price dont waist your money on ebay shit.... yea i would change your pads....

why buy from online when u could call kragen and pick up the rotors in a couple days?

[chadca18s13]

im no mechanic or anything, but if its only happening when you hit the brakes at higher speeds maybe your right brake caliper/lines/whatever are effed?

left front wheel slowing down while right front isnt, causing the car to swerve left?

i think if it was control arm/bushing then it would swerve without applying the brakes

[payne219]

I would guess that its most likely an issue with your brakes. You say the car only swerves when you brake right?
You could have a partially seized caliper... Bad brake pads (metal on metal) which causes brakes to grab an pull the car in one direction or the other depending on which side you have the problem on.
If it was a suspension or tie rod issue it would probably swerve all the time, not just when you press the brakes.

[djsuperhero]

S14DB: yeah, but everyone told me my pad were fine. Anytime I ever change either I might as well change both then no matter the situation?

OptionZero: yeah I figured I could pick up stock brakepads at Kragen/Pep Boys.

chadca/payne219: I'll def have the brakes completely checked. Very useful info thanks guys.

[S14DB]

You can change the pads and be fine. The pads are softer and conform to the rotor. So when you change the rotor the old pads will be worn to conform with the old rotor.

When you bolt new rotor on these pads they will not wear normally. Usually you will just burn off the abnormal parts. Decreasing your pad life. But, when you have a problem like you had you just transfer the old problem to the new rotors.

Also check your pistons to see if any are worn or sticking.

[5t341tH]

check out ur suspension components. i suspect the tension control rod is your problem. those will give your car a wavy feel when braking/accelerating.
changing your pads will be ur best bet.
also go resurface your rotors.
install em and bed your pads accordingly


EDIT: oops u have drilled/slotted rotors. those cant be turned iirc

[insanemaniac]

check out ur suspension components. i suspect the tension control rod is your problem. those will give your car a wavy feel when braking/accelerating.
changing your pads will be ur best bet.
also go resurface your rotors.
install em and bed your pads accordingly


EDIT: oops u have drilled/slotted rotors. those cant be turned iirc


Check your TC Rods( rods with a big fat bushing about 2.5in diameter that connects to the front sub frame to your LCA's.) Chances are the rubber bushing are shot the hell, good time to change em out, get polyurathane or some hard rubber bushings if you want to drive on the street and feel every pebble.

If your car pulls when you hit the brakes, changes are either your calipers aren't sliding properly or your alignment is off.

As far as brakes stay away from that drilled/slotted shiet esp if your on the street and want to save your pads, axxis MM/hawks HPS/ are both good sporty street pads, quiet and low dust. Get a second set of pads for when you go racing.

Enjoy working on the car, thats half the fun!:2f2f: