windstar rotor question

Hi I've got a 2000 windstar, 45,000km. Over the past month when braking from highway speed to a off ramp you hear and feel in the pedal a "dub, dub, dub" sound which slows as the vehicle slows. A while ago I had an oil change and rotate the tires after that the sound started. I took the lug nuts off, torqued back to appropriate torque but the sound continued. Last night I took my dial indicator, removed the wheel and tried to determine if the rotor was warped. Now the indicator I have is one ususally used with a lathe so I can only mount in on a base which I set on the ground and then turn the rotor by hand. The indicator is not mounted on the van. The rotor according to my indicator seems not warped, but the symptoms persist. Could this rotor be warped even though I've found no warp? I did of course check both rotors and the sound is difinately coming from the front.

I have ~3/16 inch of brake pads on both sides of the rotor, driver's and passenger's side. 2 months ago (when I retorqued the tires after the oil change) I lubed the sliders on the caliper.

At 45 buck each I'm tempted to replace the rotors anyway to see if this will work, although I know replacing parts simply because that's what it seems to be isn't the best way to go. If I do replace the rotor, should I do the pads even though they have a fair bit of material left?

TIA

Cameron

Reply to
Cameron
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-------------------------- Sounds like the brakes but maybeeee. The tire(s) that where on the back are now on the front. So...look at them also, could be the funny wear they get on the back, you now feel in the front. If so they will straighten out over time.

Reply to
Scott M

The rotors have slight warping that may be able to be made true by machining if there is sufficient thickness remaining.. .... Bear in mind that as rotors become thinner by whatever means, they become more prone to warping. If you install New rotors or machined rotors, they should be matched up with new pads... fresh start.. If your tires were at fault, you would feel the vibration as you increase speed, rather than when you are braking from highway speeds

Reply to
V.B. Mercon

Reply to
Marky

Follow up to this thread I started. I replaced the rotors and pads both sides yesterday. Topped up the brake fluid etc. Road test worked well, no noise, just really good braking. On the Ford shop manual (cd version) it says (to discard the old) and replace the caliper anchor plate bolts. Now I didn't have 4 12 mm bolts so I just reused the original ones. Also, the manual doesn't mention anything about using locktite although the bolts originally on had locktite. So, to make a long story short, I used the original bolts and added locktite.

How does that sound?

Cameron

Reply to
Cameron

Sounds good, I hope it was blue and not red loctite.

Reply to
Scott M

just remember that next time you have to do the brakes.. you might have to use a propane torch on the bolts with locktite on them.... depends on which type you used... i think its the red tube where you need to use heat to melt the loctite to get the bolt to move....

Reply to
jim

Reply to
V.B. Mercon

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