Hi guys,

i have a little problem, When i apply the brakes on my 1995 vitara /sidekick tracker etc.  I get feedback through the pedal like a juddering, it does shake the car slightly too.

I went travelling for 6 months and left it, and it was like that wen i come back been driving it for a month or so now and its still there.

Any ideas to what it might be.

Thanks Guys Roeman

Sounds like a warped brake rotor.  A decent shop may be able to save it assuming its not to bad.  Sounds like you may have been running it for awhile though...

Ye ive been driving it for a while, i only live on a island where the speed limit is 35mph, so hasnt really bothered me too much.

But seeing as its brakes i should probably get it sorted!

I don't know about where you live, but around here there aren't many shops who will even bother turning rotors any more. Brand new rotors cost $21 each and have a 2 year warranty, so it's kind of a no-brainer to just go with the new.

Don't forget to check the calipers, too. One or both may be hanging up causing heat. This could be the reason the rotors warped in the first place. Calipers run $50 ea.

Guernsey is one of the Channel Islands between England and France. Pepatt is right, its probably cheaper to get new discs from a motor factors or eBay. You can't take that much off the rotors bfore you go beyond the minimum thickness.

Just depends on how bad it is.  It takes suprisingly little to feel that chatter on the brakes.

will i be ab to tell my taking my wheels off and spinning to rotor?

It seems weird that they warpped whilst the car wasnt being used!

will i be ab to tell my taking my wheels off and spinning to rotor?
It seems weird that they warpped whilst the car wasnt being used!

You probably won't be able to see it. If your can then it's probably yanking the wheel out of your hand when you hit the brakes.

This didn't happen while the vehicle wasn't being used. Most likely, you do have a caliper hanging up. If so, it only takes a couple of miles to generate the heat necessary to warp a rotor. 

You probably won't be able to see it. If your can then it's probably yanking the wheel out of your hand when you hit the brakes.

pepatt is right, if you can see it you probably could not drive it.  And if you can see it then it is too far out for turning it.

Hi guys,

i have a little problem, When i apply the brakes on my 1995 vitara /sidekick tracker etc.  I get feedback through the pedal like a juddering, it does shake the car slightly too.

I went travelling for 6 months and left it, and it was like that wen i come back been driving it for a month or so now and its still there.

Any ideas to what it might be.

Thanks Guys Roeman

That is called brake pulsation! It can be caused by a couple of things. First excessive heat. If you are a hard on the brakes it will warp them. But by the sounds of it you aren't. You also said the truck sat for a while. In this case I have seen that vehicles that have been sitting from condensation or moisture between the pad and rotor or shoe and drum. This in turn creates rust and then the next time you drive it, it catches the ruff spot and pulsates. You said it shakes the truck when you apply the brakes! Does the steering wheel shake or does it feel like the whole truck is jerking. The reason I ask is because in my experience it the past if the front rotors are the problem it shake the steering wheel and if the whole truck jerks it is the drums. Best way to test this is next time you drive the truck use the emergency brake to slow down. If you get the same shaking as when you normally brake then its the drums and if not i would think its the rotors!