# Vibration After Changing Rotors **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [June 24, 2017, 9:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibration-after-changing-rotors/105290 "2017-06-24T21:59:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![N54E90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d9b06d/32.png) [@N54E90](https://community.cartalk.com/u/N54E90)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 9:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibration-after-changing-rotors/105290/1 "2017-06-24T21:59:42Z")
So I changed my brake pads and rotors a couple weeks ago. When I took the car out when finished and bedded in the pads, no issues. The next day, about halfway to work, I had a steering wheel vibration. Not when braking, just when driving. Starts around 40/45 gets worse through about 60/65, then starts to mellow out, although it doesn’t fully go away. No pulsation or vibration when braking. Since then, I have had the wheels balanced, replaced bad control arm bushings and still have the vibration. Went in today and cleaned the wheel mating surface on the rotor hat. Made no difference. At this point, I am thinking I have a rotor that is not balanced. This was a C-Tek rotor from Centric. What do you guys think, swap out some new rotors? I am at a loss at this point as to what might be causing this. ---
**Author:** ![Yosemite](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/yosemite/32/643_2.png) [@Yosemite](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Yosemite)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 10:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibration-after-changing-rotors/105290/2 "2017-06-24T22:19:16Z")
First, I would check that you don’t have a wheel bearing on it’s way out. Second, I would check that the inner and outer tie rod ends do not have any play in them. Third, I would check the run-out at the rotors. I have gotten bad rotors out of the box. You also could have a tire that is out of balance. Yosemite ---
**Author:** ![BillRussell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/billrussell/32/3179_2.png) [@BillRussell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BillRussell)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 10:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibration-after-changing-rotors/105290/3 "2017-06-24T22:23:26Z")
tire out of balance is my guess. I once had new tires with that problem. Two trips back to the tire store to get them rebalanced did no good. Finally took it to a Pep boy’s (yes, I know) and all was fine after that. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 10:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibration-after-changing-rotors/105290/4 "2017-06-24T22:33:10Z")
I’m leaning towards a bad tire or rim, most likely a bad tire ---
**Author:** ![kurtwm1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/13edae/32.png) [@kurtwm1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kurtwm1)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 10:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibration-after-changing-rotors/105290/5 "2017-06-24T22:47:03Z")
🎉🎇🎊💥✨ I agree ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 10:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibration-after-changing-rotors/105290/6 "2017-06-24T22:52:37Z")
New rotors may have been warped when the wheels were re-installed. Were the lug nuts tightened in three rounds in proper sequence to the correct final torque? Are the lug nuts seating against the wheel as designed and evenly all the way around? It’s usually pretty easy to check for bent wheels/rotors. Figure out a way to hold the tip of a pencil about a mm from the rotor (or wheel) surface – clip the pencil to a footstool or something – then hand rotate the wheel to see if that 1 mm dimension stays more or less the same for all 360 degrees of wheel rotation. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 11:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibration-after-changing-rotors/105290/7 "2017-06-24T23:01:50Z")
Sometimes it’s a good idea to clean up the hub flange of any rust prior to installing new rotors. This insures the rotor seats squarely onto the hub flange thereby preventing any run-out of the rotor. This is the tool I use to clean up hub flanges prior to installing new rotors. > **[3M Scotch-Brite Roloc Brake Hub Cleaning Disc Kit 07547 | eBay](https://www.ebay.com/itm/3m-scotch-brite-roloc-brake-hub-cleaning-disc-kit-07547-/131103776209)** > > The system removes rust and corrosion quickly, even in hard to reach places. Kit contains: (1) 3M Brake Hub Cleaning Disc Holder and (5) Scotch-Brite Roloc Brake Hub Cleaning Discs. | eBay! Tester ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 11:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibration-after-changing-rotors/105290/8 "2017-06-24T23:18:11Z")
Tester’s post above reminds me that occasionally diy’er here will report they forget to thoroughly clean the new rotors with hot soap and water and a scrub-brush before installing them, after which problems like this ensue. The new rotors are coated with an anti-rust material that must be completely removed, otherwise it will embed in and contaminate the brake pad surfaces. ---
**Author:** ![kurtwm1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/13edae/32.png) [@kurtwm1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kurtwm1)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 11:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibration-after-changing-rotors/105290/9 "2017-06-24T23:20:19Z")
I use a cheap can of brake cleaner, not only for the rotors but to also get rid of other gunk around the brake system ---
**Author:** ![N54E90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d9b06d/32.png) [@N54E90](https://community.cartalk.com/u/N54E90)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 11:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibration-after-changing-rotors/105290/10 "2017-06-24T23:37:35Z")
I have the OTC hub cleaning kit. Just like the 3M one posted by Tester. I was meticulous cleaning the wheel hub. I also cleaned the rotors with soap and water. So I am pretty confident the vibrations do not result from one of those two issues. The thing that really stumps me is how there was no vibration right after the change and then there was the next day. ---
**Author:** ![kurtwm1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/13edae/32.png) [@kurtwm1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kurtwm1)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 11:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibration-after-changing-rotors/105290/11 "2017-06-24T23:57:59Z")
> [@garrett.nye](#): > > steering wheel vibration You may want to take a second look at your brake calipers. A sticking caliper could cause vibration at speeds of 40 mph and up. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 11:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibration-after-changing-rotors/105290/12 "2017-06-24T23:58:50Z")
Did you install OEM specific rotors? Or cheap white box rotors? Tester ---
**Author:** ![kurtwm1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/13edae/32.png) [@kurtwm1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kurtwm1)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 12:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibration-after-changing-rotors/105290/13 "2017-06-25T00:03:38Z")
> [@garrett.nye](#): > > C-Tek rotor from Centric I think OP said he purchased C-Tek rotor from Centric. I don’t think they even come in a box 😁 ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 12:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibration-after-changing-rotors/105290/14 "2017-06-25T00:06:38Z")
Actually, I feel Centric brakes are fair quality, as far as aftermarket parts go I’d rather have factory brakes, but you could do far worse than Centric ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 12:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibration-after-changing-rotors/105290/15 "2017-06-25T00:13:22Z")
> [@garrett.nye](#): > > The thing that really stumps me is how there was no vibration right after the change and then there was the next day. Maybe you bumped a wheel weight, and it finally fell off. (However, the older I get, the less stumped I am over coincidence and just accept it.) ---
**Author:** ![N54E90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d9b06d/32.png) [@N54E90](https://community.cartalk.com/u/N54E90)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 12:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibration-after-changing-rotors/105290/16 "2017-06-25T00:38:41Z")
Yup. Not OEM rotors. Calculated risk being that they are a centric product. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 12:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibration-after-changing-rotors/105290/17 "2017-06-25T00:44:43Z")
My first thought too was that the rust prevention coating wasn’t cleaned from the rotors before installation. To the OP; there’s a spray available at any parts store specifically sold to clean that film off of new rotors. It’s well worth the few bucks. ---
**Author:** ![N54E90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d9b06d/32.png) [@N54E90](https://community.cartalk.com/u/N54E90)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 12:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibration-after-changing-rotors/105290/18 "2017-06-25T00:46:33Z")
I had read about this. I don’t notice any difference (hand test) in temps from right to left. How would I test for this other than an extremely hot wheel? ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 12:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibration-after-changing-rotors/105290/19 "2017-06-25T00:49:23Z")
Here’s an article about installing cheap brake rotors. [http://www.aa1car.com/library/brake\_rotors.htm](http://www.aa1car.com/library/brake_rotors.htm) Tester ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 12:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibration-after-changing-rotors/105290/20 "2017-06-25T00:50:34Z")
With a noncontact infrared thermometer. ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/0/0ecb929852753b4ad727e0f9ccfbdf39176b8c46.png) Once you get one, you’ll wonder how you ever survived without it. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vibration-after-changing-rotors/105290.md?page=2)