My car's braking system is juddering from time to time, the brake shoes are ok. If I brake hard the brakes seem fine but when slowing down sometimes and braking softly, the car will judder. The car is 2000 model, can anyone advise please.
Juddering while braking is generally caused by warped brake rotors ("brake discs") or warped brake drums, not by shoes or pads.
You can check if the rear drums are warped by engaging the parking brake and seeing if the juddering occurs. If not, then the most likely cause is the front brake rotors, which will need to be replaced.
I agree, Ray O. If work 3791 had access to a machinist's dial indicator and a mag base, he (she?) could quickly determine the 'runout' of the rotor.
I'm with Ray on this one, it sounds like you have warped rotors. He suggests a test for warped drums, but I suspect that test will show the drums are OK.
As Ray suggests, set the parking brake a few clicks until it just begins to grab, and if the drums are warped, you should feel it. Add a click or two until you car sure the brakes are round, then get the front rotors changed.
I had a Supra for nine years, I soon discovered that if I washed the car in the driveway on a Sunday afternoon and didn't use it again until I drove to work Monday morning there would be shiny clean patches on otherwise rusty brake disks, which would then cause brake judder under gentle braking. The solution was to always drive the car after had been washed. (Even at today's prices you can buy a lot of petrol for the price of the brake disks.) I think later models had a more rigid front brake assembly which probably helped.
This may not be the case, after having 2 Avensis's, both suffered judder. Does the car have Alloy wheels. If so, remove the wheels and discs (rotors), clean the hub, disc and alloy wheel mating face's and rebuild. When tightening the wheel nuts, "cross" torque the nuts evenly or use a torque wrench. I have seen this many times where the alloy wheel distorts the disc due to a build up of corrosion between the faces. People happily change the discs and it cures the fault but only because it has clean faces.
Regards Steve Cook Service Manager
snipped-for-privacy@truck-services.co.uk
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