# 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:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 2:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/21 "2020-07-06T02:16:18Z")
One more idea to entertain for the “shake” problem. What if wheel bearing[s] are worn and have excessive play/lash? ---
**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, 2:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/22 "2020-07-06T02:28:31Z")
I’ve dealt with issues on rear bearings before. I’m not experienced enough to know acceptable tolerance on front bearings. Wouldn’t there be extra play in general just from sitting on a ball joint? What’s a good way to check? Not hearing any “bad bearing” sounds yet. ---
**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 2:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/23 "2020-07-06T02:37:58Z")
Sorry, as DIY-er I would not know the scientific method to properly test for the tolerance. I would definitely know if the noticeable wobble develops, the one detectable by forcing the wheel itself. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 3:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/24 "2020-07-06T15:25:44Z")
My 2005 Toyota 4runner had one flaw. Poorly designed brake calipers. For the 9 years I owned that vehicle I replaced the calipers at least 6 times. I lost count. The calipers had 4 pistons (2 on each side of the rotor). What would happen is one or sometimes 2 of the pistons would stick and this caused an uneven braking situation. It felt exactly like a warped rotor. I replace the caliper and the vibration during braking went away. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 10:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/25 "2020-07-06T22:59:19Z")
A few other suggestions. Did you clean the rotors before installation? Some have a rust preventative substance on them that must come off. Sometimes this cannot be seen and at times it can. It may resemble Cosmoline. Looseness in a suspension or steering component. Something I have run into. If the brakes are done and there are zero problems what can happen is that a rotor may develop a few thousandths of an inch warp soon afterwards because of a worn steering or suspension component. Normally that couple of thousandths will go unnoticed but if there is a worn steering or suspension component that couple of thousandths may become magnified and come across as worse than it actually is. Just some food for thought. ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ad7895/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan2)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2020, 4:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/26 "2020-07-07T04:46:29Z")
Rotors. How many were changed? Rear rotors can cause shaking too. The worst looking rotor is often the culprit. ---
**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 7, 2020, 8:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/27 "2020-07-07T20:37:08Z")
Changed front two then back two a couple weeks later. I was hoping replacing the rotors would help reduce the wheel shake when braking, no such luck. Starting to think it might be something with the suspension or steering. ---
**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:** [November 24, 2020, 1:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/28 "2020-11-24T01:06:09Z")
**PROBLEM SOLVED** Sorry for the late reply. It was the rotors. Did 4 pads and rotors replacement and braking is buttery smooth. Thanks for the help! ---
**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:** [November 24, 2020, 6:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/29 "2020-11-24T06:40:53Z")
glad to hear your brakes are in good shape again 👍 ---
**Author:** ![art1966](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/77aa72/32.png) [@art1966](https://community.cartalk.com/u/art1966)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2020, 9:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/30 "2020-11-24T09:36:05Z")
Thanks for update. What brand pads and rotors did you use for the fix? ---
**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:** [November 25, 2020, 1:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875/31 "2020-11-25T01:12:11Z")
![K1589__ra_p](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/6/7/6774d8a5d675c5eea8339e21dbb751a63f2a2ae2.jpeg) I bought a PowerStop brake and rotor kit off RockAuto. Obviously more expensive than the Duralast rotors but definitely worth it considering it took those exactly 0 miles to warp. This set of pads has lasted easily twice as long already and there’s 5-6mm still left on the front pads. [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheel-shakes-when-braking/166875.md?page=1)