# Wheel Shakes When Braking **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** lacrosse, buick\ **Created:** [July 5, 2020, 10:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875 "2020-07-05T22:51:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vinny.mossman\_163369](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/278dde/32.png) [@vinny.mossman\_163369](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vinny.mossman_163369)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2020, 10:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/1 "2020-07-05T22:51:35Z")
Not alarming, yet noticeable shake when braking even after replacing pads and rotors (x4). Installed new rotors hoping it would resolve the issue. I was careful to torque the nuts properly to spec using a torque wrench instead of an impact. Only thing I left out of the process was bleeding the fluid. Would degraded fluid cause uneven pressure on the pads somehow? I’m not sure. That’s why I’m asking you! ---
**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:** [July 5, 2020, 10:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/2 "2020-07-05T22:56:15Z")
> [@vinny.mossman\_163369](#): > > Would degraded fluid cause uneven pressure on the pads somehow? No. Did you check the hub flanges for rust prior to installing the new rotors? ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/7/e/7e0c65d86d91a8d8117910e269d3d07babfe226f.png) Tester ---
**Author:** ![vinny.mossman\_163369](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/278dde/32.png) [@vinny.mossman\_163369](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vinny.mossman_163369)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2020, 11:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/3 "2020-07-05T23:00:06Z")
Yes! Took a wire brush and did a pretty good job cleaning them up. Painted rotors didn’t suggest any grease, but I put a thin layer of high-temp grease on anyway. Is that where I could have messed 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:** [July 5, 2020, 11:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/4 "2020-07-05T23:01:30Z")
Where did you apply the grease on the rotors? Tester ---
**Author:** ![PhantomPatriot](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/phantompatriot/32/20713_2.png) [@PhantomPatriot](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PhantomPatriot)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2020, 11:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/5 "2020-07-05T23:02:39Z")
Possibly. Adding grease to something that shouldn’t be greased could have disastrous results. ---
**Author:** ![vinny.mossman\_163369](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/278dde/32.png) [@vinny.mossman\_163369](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vinny.mossman_163369)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2020, 11:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/6 "2020-07-05T23:02:50Z")
I applied grease to the hub flange. ---
**Author:** ![vinny.mossman\_163369](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/278dde/32.png) [@vinny.mossman\_163369](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vinny.mossman_163369)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2020, 11:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/7 "2020-07-05T23:03:50Z")
Maybe better not to go over the top, eh? Next time I’ll skip the grease. ---
**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:** [July 5, 2020, 11:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/8 "2020-07-05T23:11:11Z")
That’s fine. I apply a thin coat of ant-seize to the hub flange after removing the rust. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/9/8/98250786c1de706fc10141d2c4f77e35e58165e3.jpeg) I don’t suppose you have a dial indicator? ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/4/d/4df95888cf2e7e436b9ed181bc75f7d9dc8c936f.png) Tester ---
**Author:** ![vinny.mossman\_163369](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/278dde/32.png) [@vinny.mossman\_163369](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vinny.mossman_163369)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2020, 11:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/9 "2020-07-05T23:13:55Z")
That’s exactly what I did on the flange. I don’t have a dial indicator. What are you thinking of measuring? ---
**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:** [July 5, 2020, 11:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/10 "2020-07-05T23:15:54Z")
Rotor run-out. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/f/8/f8ca575163d41709cc59845204d7e39aa7a6fd43.jpeg) Tester ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2020, 11:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/11 "2020-07-05T23:20:13Z")
Sometimes new rotors warp right away. Especially cheap ones. Did you tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern and not a circular pattern? That can also warp brand new rotors. ---
**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:** [July 5, 2020, 11:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/12 "2020-07-05T23:24:23Z")
How much did you pay for the rotors? > **[raybestos\_rotor\_warning.pdf](https://www.aa1car.com/library/raybestos_rotor_warning.pdf)** > > 323.53 KB Tester ---
**Author:** ![vinny.mossman\_163369](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/278dde/32.png) [@vinny.mossman\_163369](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vinny.mossman_163369)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 12:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/13 "2020-07-06T00:16:27Z")
Star pattern. 100 ft/lbs ---
**Author:** ![vinny.mossman\_163369](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/278dde/32.png) [@vinny.mossman\_163369](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vinny.mossman_163369)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 12:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/14 "2020-07-06T00:17:25Z")
Duralast Gold Rotors. $60ish/rotor ---
**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:** [July 6, 2020, 12:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/15 "2020-07-06T00:18:20Z")
That sounds like OEM grade. Tester ---
**Author:** ![vinny.mossman\_163369](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/278dde/32.png) [@vinny.mossman\_163369](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vinny.mossman_163369)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 12:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/16 "2020-07-06T00:19:43Z")
Maybe I’ll get in there and polish off the flanges and be extra careful with the grease. Might even get myself a dial indicator. Best ---
**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:** [July 6, 2020, 12:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/17 "2020-07-06T00:26:12Z")
> [@vinny.mossman\_163369](#): > > Duralast Gold Rotors. $60ish/rotor And THAT may be the cause of the problem(s) in my opinion I’ve never had as many problems with brakes . . . pads AND rotors . . . as with Autozone brand ---
**Author:** ![vinny.mossman\_163369](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/278dde/32.png) [@vinny.mossman\_163369](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vinny.mossman_163369)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 12:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/18 "2020-07-06T00:34:12Z")
What do you go with? ---
**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:** [July 6, 2020, 12:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/19 "2020-07-06T00:57:51Z")
> [@vinny.mossman\_163369](#): > > What do you go with? Definitely not Autozone . . . that’s for sure Here are some thoughts Factory brakes . . . usually very expensive, but I’ve never had problems right out of the box and certainly no noise complaints or scoring of the rotors due to junky ceramic brake pads do NOT get Wagner Thermoquiet. they are anything BUT quiet Centric brakes are often pretty good Bendix is also pretty decent But don’t get the “budget” lines of any brand, no matter what the particular brand happens to be I would also avoid NAPA brakes . . . ESPECIALLY the ceramic brake pads. They are noisey, score the rotors AND the brakes also don’t grab very well. A lose-lose situation ---
**Author:** ![vinny.mossman\_163369](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/278dde/32.png) [@vinny.mossman\_163369](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vinny.mossman_163369)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 2:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/20 "2020-07-06T02:06:48Z")
> [@db4690](#): > > Factory brakes . . . usually very expensive, but I’ve never had problems right out of the box and certainly no noise complaints or scoring of the rotors due to junky ceramic brake pads Yeah took a quick look, about twice the price for OEM parts. Centric might be a nice middle-ground for cost. I’ll have to weigh out performance and how long they last to see if it’s worth it. That shake is very annoying, though. Thanks for the ideas! [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875.md?page=2)