Pulsating Brakes

[TheWETZ]

Hello all,
I have a problem with my brakes pulsating when stopping. I thought it was due to warpped rotors, but I had them turned and the Trailblazer still has the problem :mad:. The pulsating occures once the Trailblazer is between 20 mph - 0 mph. If I am at a high rate of speed and push on the brakes, I cannot feel the brakes pulse.

What could this be :confused:.
My next thought on this problem would be the Tie rods. But the vehicle is a 2002 with 36,000 miles on the clock.
Any help will be appriciated :D .

[LOWRIT00]

Hello all,
I have a problem with my brakes pulsating when stopping. I thought it was due to warpped rotors, but I had them turned and the Trailblazer still has the problem :mad:. The pulsating occures once the Trailblazer is between 20 mph - 0 mph. If I am at a high rate of speed and push on the brakes, I cannot feel the brakes pulse.

What could this be :confused:.
My next thought on this problem would be the Tie rods. But the vehicle is a 2002 with 36,000 miles on the clock.
Any help will be appriciated :D .

:undecided Well it could be from the caliper it self, on my '04 envoy I have a dual piston caliper up front, this should be the same for your too, sometimes one or the other piston can "freeze" or be slower then its partner, in this case you can feel the pulsating at slower speeds, or some call it chatering. in order to fix this problem replace caliper, before doing that test it..... take off tire, take off caliper and pads, have some one push the brake pedal and see if both pistons on the caliper come out even if not replace caliper. :yes: let me know if this works for you.:thumbsup:

thats my :m2:

[rlouisa]

Did they replace the brake pads when they turned the rotors? If they didn't do that, you can also get a chatter. Just thinking out loud here.

Ryan

[TheWETZ]

Thanks for the quick responce.
I do have the dual piston calipers on the Trailblazer. I didn't think that could be the problem. I will try and test them sometime next week and post my results.
As for the brakes. I did the work myself. I don't like other people messing with my vehicles. So I pulled the rotors off and took them to Checker, and had them turn the rotors. But I will also check the brakes to see if they are the problem, and I will post the results of that also. :D

[gmcman]

Does the wheel shake back and forth with the pulsating or does your rumpshaker move back and forth on the seat? The rump shake would be your rear rotors.

[TheWETZ]

I haven't noticed my "Rumpshaker" moving back and forth. But I feel the pulsing mostly in the brake pedal.

[Ruffdog]

Replace the rotors, they are junk!!!!! you cannot cut a warped rotor , it will pulsate the minute it gets hot.
I have had the dealer replace my rotors at 8,000,14,000 and again at 35,000. the junk steel they are using is a pain in the ass.
I have just replaced the rotors again at 40,000 and I bought a good steel rotor from Murrays autoparts with a 5 yr warranty on the rotor,I'm gonna see how these do.
I am not a heavy footed driver, I do all my driving in the city.
My wife has an 02 impalla and I just replaced her rear rotors at 25,000mi,they were rotted on the backside and were pulsating also.
This steel they are using is crap,but due to the costs of slotted rotors I will continue using replacement ones from the aftermarket, because I can buy a rotor for 25 bucks compared to 90 a piece for the slotted ones.
I do all my own work also , I was a gm mechanic for 10 yrs before I changed professions, it usually only takes me about an hour to do a brake job and that includes sucking out old fluid from the master, and bleeding the brakes on all 4 wheels each and every time.
If you want to pay 2500 bucks for Baer go for it but I can't see paying that for brakes that are gonna get replaced every 30,000 mile, when I can do a 2 wheel set for 100 bucks.

[Excell]

Replace the rotors, they are junk!!!!! you cannot cut a warped rotor , it will pulsate the minute it gets hot.


Yep. Turning warped rotors will do no good, the rotors need replaced.

[Boilermaker-744]

Keep us informed on the situation and what the ultimate culprit was.

[TheWETZ]

I haven't had much time to look into the problem again.
But I am now considering new rotors.
Where is the best/cheapest place to buy new rotors?

[ieatglue]

Are they big pulses or really small ones. When i brake, i feel a really small vibration feeling, sorta like the ABS or something :undecided

[gmcman]

Whaddayerrr tires look like in the front....are they cupped or feathered? Sometimes badly feathered tires will give a washboard feel when slowing down. If your steering wheel stays still when braking I doubt it is your rotors. There is a TSB on the intermediate (?) steering shaft which may be the culprit but that's a longshot.