Juddering on braking?

[JB_A3_Turbo]

Hi,

My car judders on braking (not the abs). The pads are pretty new. My mechanic mate has told me it feels like the pads are uneven or bumped and the surface has probably got damaged when they've got hot and the foot brake has been used for a long period to rest the car when stopped after heavy braking (instead of using the handbrake?)

anyone else had this?

 

[god_thats_quick]

More likely the discs have warped rather than the pads, if you use the brakes heavily then stop and put the handbrake on it's not advised as holding a very hot piece of metal in position can cause problems. I'd say that it's quite unlikely on a standard car though unless you've been doing lots of stops from motorway speeds etc.

One last thing is it definately the breaks and only under breaking, not something like a bent wheel etc?

 

[JB_A3_Turbo]

It's most noticible on braking from high speeds. But now you say it the steering wheel does have a slight wobble when you reach 60+ (I thought it's just one of the wheels needs balancing). I've not crunched any wheels since owning (5 months ago) but it has always done it.

 

[imported_alecblack]

I had a problem which sounds very similar to yours, I would get a shudder when braking from 60mph.

It turned out that the front discs were about 60-70 /% worn down and the very outside edge of the discs were rusty. I put them in and got them skimmed for £20 which sorted the problem.

I was ready to replace them but my mechanic told me that I could get another 20-30k if i just skimmed them.

Might not be the problem but its worth checking out.

 

[JB_A3_Turbo]

My brake pads dont look even! The bottom part of the pad is close to the disc where as a the gap between the pad and the disc increases as you move from left to right (e.g first pic)see pictures below:

 

[Khufu]

that looks wrong! they should be parallel!

 

[S3Steve]

I would check the mounting bolts for the calliper. If these have come loose your calliper can move causing the pad not to be parallel with the disk and also causing alot of juddering under braking.

 

[JB_A3_Turbo]

Thanks, ok I'll check but this is on both the fronts? I could believe one could be wrong but both the front brakes?

pictures 1 & 3 are the two fronts.

Cheers.

 

[HTC]

That pad looks normal to me.

When thay are new they have a taper on them.

 

[god_thats_quick]

[ QUOTE ]
That pad looks normal to me.

When thay are new they have a taper on them.

[/ QUOTE ]

spot on!

 

[Rev-head]

I would check bushes ,........and as said warped discs is the first thing that comes to mind

 

[JB_A3_Turbo]

The discs look really new and smooth.

I've just tried seeing if there is any movement in the brakes etc.. when operated standing still. Nothing appears to move at all?!?!

 

[god_thats_quick]

Have you tried jacking up one side at a time then trying to see if there is any movement in the wheel? if the track rod or anything suspension / steering related is on it's way out the wheel may move around. It may be nothing to do with the brakes...

 

[TDI]

I've had the same problem since we bought the car. It got worse over the months, spent a lot of money trying to sort it out as it was driving me crazy. I bought Three sets of discs, two sets of pads. No joy, then i changed all the bushes, ball joints, trackrod arms, still no joy. So I changed both calipers, shocks allround and bearings BUT still no joy!!! won't be taking it to all these different garages ever again, as they all said to try different things. Each time i would pickup the car thinking I hope this has sorted the problem, only to be left lighter in the pocket and p!!!!! off..

The only thing that has made a difference (slightly) is replacing the rear discs which seems to have reduced the judder when braking from 60 downwards. Hope that helps and post a reply if you find the problem.

Cheers

 

[JB_A3_Turbo]

My back tyres are getting low very close to the limit. I'm getting these replaced at the weekend and see if this has anything to do with the problem- I'll see if the garage can look at it and make any suggestions.

 

[Rev-head]

[ QUOTE ]

I've had the same problem since we bought the car. It got worse over the months, spent a lot of money trying to sort it out as it was driving me crazy. I bought Three sets of discs, two sets of pads. No joy, then i changed all the bushes, ball joints, trackrod arms, still no joy. So I changed both calipers, shocks allround and bearings BUT still no joy!!! won't be taking it to all these different garages ever again, as they all said to try different things. Each time i would pickup the car thinking I hope this has sorted the problem, only to be left lighter in the pocket and p!!!!! off..

The only thing that has made a difference (slightly) is replacing the rear discs which seems to
have reduced the judder when braking from 60 downwards. Hope that helps and post a reply if you find the problem.

Cheers

[/ QUOTE ]


ABS would be the cause what you are talking about pulsing more than juddering ??

 

[TDI]

Rev-Head,

Can you explain a bit more about your theory

Cheers

 

[paul_brad]

just to add my tuppence worth, if you are experiencing a bit of steering wheel wobble at over 60+, then i think its possible that is the sole reason for the juddering breaking.

I seem to recall having unbalanced wheels before that became more pronounced upon high speed breaking.

 

[jesters3]

Had a similar issue today.

Went through a rut last night and it kicked up a whole load of mud and crap, this then stuck in the brakes and in the inside of the alloy. Only this morning on the way down the A34 low speed was fine, the minute I got to 60 you could sense it, then at 70 it got more noticibley and by 80 was juddering to buggery.

The juddering only came through the steering wheel not anywhere else. Took it in to the garage and they had a squint underneath and low and behold the dirt and stuff was about an inch thick. Cleared it out and the issue is fine.