Pulsating Brake pedal. HELP!

If you bought aftermarket rotors rather than original equipment, they may be thinner and more apt to warp.

B.O.

Turn your rotors. We charge $12.00 each for carry ins.

jbres wrote:
terryallan- how do you have them turned? Would it be cheaper to just buy new?

No it is not cheaper to buy new. Turning rotors is VERY inexpensive. You simply take off the rotors, and take them to a mechanic. He puts them on a lathe, and skims off the high spots. Turning them "true"
Some garages can turn them while still on the vehicle. Now IF the rotors are warped badly enough, or very worn, They can turn a hole in them. Then you would have to replace them

Many things can cause the rotors to warp. The main culprit is cold water. Cold water on a hot rotor is almost a guaranteed warped rotor. That is why when I hit a puddle, and see the steam come off the brakes, I gently apply the brakes just enough to dry them.

Be very careful when putting on a new rotor. All it takes is a tiny piece of rust or dirt where it makes contact on the back side to cause one to think there is a problem with the rotor that doesn't exist. I like to hold the rotor in.place with a couple of the nuts so I can put a dial indicator on it. Takes a few more minutes, but may save some grief.

Had almost the same thing happen years ago on one of my pickups, warped rotor for sure. I doubt you'll be able to have it turned, although you can try. Most shops are going to try and sell you new rotors. Just say'n

Dan

yes there is a rust ridge, as I can visually see. Also, I forgot to mention, I do here some "noise" out of the rear tire each time the rear wheel rotates. (I can hear it when the Tahoe is coming up the driveway, as I wasn't sure where the noise is even coming from, as its not a squealing noise.)
I will jack it up this weekend and check it all out.

Double check the rear rotors. is there a rust ridge? if there is there could be a chunk of rust missing causing the pad to hit the low rust spot causing the pulsation!

Good luck!

If it started with the new front rotors, then they are likely the problem. That said, I had a Tahoe with a similar problem. To make a real long story short, it turned out to be the rear rotors where the parking brake shoes contact the drum surface. They were way out of round from the factory and I had to show Mr. Goodwrench the problem as he couldn't find it.

I have had new rotors be warped out of the box.Did a broke job on my van could feel the warped rotor when braking. Jacked up each wheel and spun tire slowly and could here the rotor scrape the brake pad every so often. Change only the one warped rotor and all was good.

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
The junk I've seen come out of parts houses now days I would wager the "new" front stuff is warped.

Bingo. Rotors don't really "warp" but they can heat unevenly resulting in uneven deposits of pad material that create high spots on the rotors, and that';s what creates the pulsating effect when you apply the brakes.

In a safe area try a 2-3 real hard panic stops. Don't come to a complete stop at the end, but take your foot off the brake and re-accelerate. After the 3rd one drive around for a few minutes until the rotors cool down before applying the brakes again. Sometimes this helps even out the deposits of pad material on the rotors.