MAC702

I've had the occasional "death wobble" but as usual, a new set of front tires fixed it.

I also replaced my front brake rotors and pads last summer. Since then, I get symptoms similar to the death wobble, but only during braking, and quite often during braking. The previous problems were experienced when hitting a bump in the road, independent of whether brakes were being applied.

Shortly after, I replaced my steering stabilizer. I don't remember how much that helped, but do know that recently the problem is still as bad. At a mechanic's suggestion, I replaced the steering stabilizer again. The previous replacement came from O'Reilly and was the same size as the one I took out. The next one came from AutoZone and was quite a bit bigger. It seems that with this new one, the problem is slightly better, but obviously still there.

You can feel the pulsing in the pedal and steering wheel with slight application of the brakes.

Any ideas what is causing the problem? I can tell you I've not replaced the shocks in the four years that I've owned the truck. But no one here thinks that is the issue.

Tate

Check the run out on the rotors, and the thickness of them. Sounds like warped rotors to me. How are your shocks? My truck was doing the same thing, I can feel my right rotor has a bit of a runout by how it drags when I rotate the wheel. I'd get the bounce on braking. I've replaced my shocks, it seems to have eliminated it. I've got new rotors sitting in the shop, but those will go on when I swap in the DRW hubs.

Diesel Dave2

Pulsing in the pedal seems that your new rotors may have been warpped,new out of the box...

joem

yup, when I purchaced my truck from my friend he had just done new rotors with new lug studs from the local big name auto parts store- warped in a week so bad the truck shakes itself into oncoming traffic when brakeing in deep ruts! I got mad and replaced the rotors and pads with slotted EBC rotors, the same race quality rotors and pads I use on my ATV's, bikes and subaru WRX. It now brakes perfect even after years of toweing abuse

MAC702

Finally got a chance to address it.

It took me all day to get the rotors (with hubs still in them) off the truck, but I'll bet I can do it a lot faster next time, especially without having to hit four parts stores for the 1-11/16" axle nut socket.

Machine shop was busy, so that took a day.

Got everything back assembled today. Machine shop said one of the rotors was warped. Additionally, I reinstalled everything with new NAPA premium ceramic pads, and discovered that one of the bushings around the caliper bolts was missing. So it got a new bushing and new bolts while I was at it.

Seems to stop very smoothly on my short test drive. I think I'm going to be happy again for a while.

Had a few hours left in the day to replace half of my trailer lights to LED upgrades and repair one of its bad wires.

Things are getting smoother and brighter. Something bad must be about to happen.

joem

Did you just turn the stock rotors? Make sure to torque the lugs evenly and never hold the brakes unneedly hard if they are hot. I couldnt handle the stock crap and the tiny rotors on the 95' thats why I upgraded to EBC everything and used thermal paste where the wheel meets the hub to wick as much friggin heat away from the rotors as possable

infidel

If he did the warp will come right back.

sootnsmoke

Why is that? Are stock factory units not supposed to be turned?

MAC702

Yeah, why, and when? It's only been a couple weeks, but that included a 7,000# trailer to Los Angelos and back in preparation for my trip next week to Daytona Beach and back with an 8,000# trailer.

They weren't the stock rotors, but they were the plain "Duralast" replacement brand at AutoZone.

joem

you shoud be ok with OEM quality rotors, just dont hold the brakes tight if they are smokeing hot, otherwise the pad pressure from this style of caliper will "pull" the rotor and warp them. My 95' has the smaller rotors and the OEM ones warped with just one glowing red downhill- but i was pulling a 18,000 LB trackhoe home going down a 15% paved single lane logging road too your 96 3500 should have the larger rotors and put up with standard abuse ok. I ended up going with EBC slotted rotors and put the calipers and pads together dry without greese to avoid the annoying greese fires that plegged me prior, so far no warpage and smooth brakeing!

infidel

It happens because when you turn warped rotors the rotor ends up being different thicknesses.
This causes uneven heating and cooling, thinner part of the rotor warps.
Nowdays the cost of new rotors vs turning are so close you're better off going with new when there's a warp.

joem

I did these on the front: http://www.amazon.com/EBC-Brakes-GD7...1&s=automotive

and standard non-slotted EBC on the rear

MAC702

Okay that makes sense!

I'm back from the East Coast, and another round trip to SoCal. So 6000 miles more and I'm just now starting to feel a pulsing when I apply the brakes. Not much, to be sure, but past the threshold of noticing it. I will inspect the fasteners again, and it will be new rotors when I get to it.

Thanks!

catmech518

Check your track bar if either bushing is worn it will give you death wobble.