97 TJ - shimmy when braking

Warped brake rotors, and replace your steering stabilizer/dampener. God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O mailto: snipped-for-privacy@aol.com

Probably brake rotors warped a little. Could also be calipers stuck on the sliders, not moving with rotors, but rotors shouldn't move much side to side to start with.

Spdloader

brakes. Pop off the front wheels and have a look at the brake shoes. Those will fairly much tell you what's going on.

I'd suspect warped rotors.

Don't let any shop talk you into turning them. (actually, if they do, you should find a new shop.) The rotors will simply warp again.

A disc brake job is simple and can be done with a minimal amount of tools.

some reading.

note that what they show on compressing the piston is theLAST thing you should do. Use the old brake pad and a larger C clampto press it back in. Never press dirctly on the piston head.Always support the caliper with something other than the brake hose. Keep an eye on the brake reservoir so it doesn't overflow. If it's getting close, use a turkey baster or similar suction pump to draw off the excess. Needless to say, never use that baster on food again. :)

Like others have mentioned, the first place to check is the brake rotor. Have the tire been rotated recently? If so and they used an air gun to hammer the lugs on, that is usually the reason. Dirt could get under the rotor too so an inspection is in order. Sometimes the warp can be fixed by properly torquing on the lug nuts.

A bad ball joint can also cause a shake when you brake. How does the steering feel? any looseness or pulls.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's - Gone to the rust pile... Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view! Jan/06 (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Don't turn the rotors?????? How would you suggest to get them straight again? Turning also gets rid of the "hard spots" caused from heat when braking. Just make sure whoever turns them is bright enough to measure rotor thickness.

That probably was meant to read "dont turn the stock rotors". they are a piece of $%&#. Get new aftermarket rotors if they are warped.

-jenn

With stock, absolutly. With aftermarket it depends on how bad the warp is. Turning just flattens them out, it does nothing for the root cause of warping which is a change in one part of the rotors metal. A badly warped rotor can simply not be turned flat. To restore a badly warped rotor require heat treating to relive the stress, then turning.

As for getting the rotors straight again I suggest new rotors of better that the $#$% OEM and a proper brake-in (pun intended) procedure. There are no "hard spots" from normal braking providing the rotors have been properly broken in. Riding a new set of brakes hard then sitting at a stoplight with the brakes applied is the surest way to cause heat soak and a warped rotor. I have ran my brakes exceptionally hard, cherry red in some cases, and have had zero warpage.

Turning is mainly done to correct any surface issues or "lip" that forms on the disc. For the most part, discs should never be turned unless there is a significant surface defect (rivet or backer pad tracks). The caliper adjusts for rotors that are still parallel but unevenly worn.

Hard spots do occur on any rotor over time. It is also reccommended that you turn new rotors to "dress" them to insure a perfect surface to begin with.

Just to amplify what Mike is referring to: it's not so much how tight the lug nuts are as it is how evenly they are tightened. Uneven torque will do in the best of rotors.

I just bought my daughter a cheap Harbor Freight torque wrench for her truck so that she could check the torque every time the lug nuts were loosened. Besides, the torque wrench I got her is a l> ambr>> 97 TJ 4 cyl

I just let the Stealership do warrantee work and the lugs were left a full turn or more from the hundred I like. While I have watched Discount Tires use a torque wrench every time on final. God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O mailto: snipped-for-privacy@aol.com

I would have to say Warped brake rotors.Also if you do not have the little keepers on the studs that go to the brake rotors it may also do this. I hope this is of any help Jamie

99 wrangler 31 inch good year mtr tires warn M8000 winch 2.5 lift skyjacker shocks a lot of lights (winch,hood,bumper, wind shield) Even more toys to come

Some people have an addiction to drink... Some people have an addiction to drugs.... I just have an addiction to Jeeps and their accessories....

Here are a few pictures of my rig I will update soon as I get new batteries for my cam

Ok folks,

Thanks for the information.

This TJ is my first Jeep since Laos/Vietnam. It's kinda my "dying days" toy, but I do use it here and there for hauling feed across muddy pastures, driving for beer, etc.

You've corroborated my diagnoses as well.

Immerhin, danke sehr...

Matt