so the last couple weeks my steering wheel has been shimmying a little bit at around 65mph. I originally thought it was an unbalanced front wheel so I had each tire/wheel rebalanced. However, the problem persisted. Anyway, yesterday I jacked up my car (was looking to see if I had a rock or nail in a tire or if it was just the beginning of the axle click (it was the latter)) and while it was up, i was spinning the right front wheel and it made an intermittent SHH SHH SHH noise as it was spinning. If i spun it very slowly, it was harder to spin at a certain part of a full revolution.

Is this a sure sign of a warped rotor???


Thanks guys

 

if the rotor was warped you would feel the entire car pulsate as you slow down to a stop. Get your wheel bearings checked out, that could be why its harder to spin.

 

before replacing try cleaning your rotor off and putting all your break parts back together clean and then the wheel and make sure to cross bolt it back on if that does not work then yes your rotor is wharped or messed up in some way or check your brake pads to see if there is anything on them

but just to let you know it is pretty darn hard to warp a rotor

 

yeah i really dont notice a big difference in the vibration as im stopping, maybe slightly but not much

how hard is it to check my bearings? or how much to replace?

 

to me the whole sh sh sh sound would have to come from something rubbing consecutively if that is really how it sounds which would have to be brakes

 

yeah it sounds like a light rubbing for sure... that's how i came up with my rotor conclusion

it would be nicer if it was the pad instead

 

Sounds like u warped your rotors bro .. i know i did.. sounds what mine did.. I had my friend cut em down at his shop.. but a few days later it started again.. so just get a new set plus pads.. im doing that very soon..

 

You can check if its the wheel bearing by jacking up the suspect wheel and push/pull the wheel on opposite sides if there is any play it could be the bearing. It could be the rotor but its probably not warped as that is nearly impossible, but more likely its uneven pad transfer on the rotor causing the shaking. Try cleaning the rotor with some steel wool and brake parts cleaner and rebed the brakes, it may help. Check out this link it explains the warped rotor myth and one on how to bed your brakes.

http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp...rakedisk.shtml
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp...contents.shtml

 

our 05 sedan rotors were warped at less than 30K miles. Was also told if turned, they would still be warped. Ended up getting a great deal on a G35X, so didn't do anything. Would have bought new rotors and much BETTER ceramic pads.

 

Where did you guys get the idea that rotors are hard to warp, it's actually quite common. Rotors become warped due to the manufacturing process and mounting your wheels with an impact gun, over tightening your lugs. It's obvious you have warped rotors when you hit the brake pedal at high speeds and the steering wheel moves/shakes radically.
Gary

 

the only thing making me doubt the rotors, is that the wheel shakes when im just cruising (no brakes) and doesnt get much, if any, worse when i apply the brakes

 

Rob, locate/find an alignment/brake shop in your neighborhood and have them checkout your issue. Not Infiniti/Sears/Firestone/Goodyear and definitely not PepBoys....LOL If the bearings are bad that too can result in wheel shake you're describing....
Gary

 

Rotors are not hard to warp at all. I warped a set...

 

Rotors warp all the time and as Gary said it usually caused by over tightend lugs or having to follow an old fart down a hill and riding your brakes so you dont hit the old fart.

 

+1, that is why I also feel like it is a wheel bearing issue, not warped rotors.