3rd Gen Shaking Steering Wheel and Brake Pedal - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

lunksunkunk · 08-07-2006, 09:03 PM

Sorry if i sound really beginner with this but if i could get some advice it would be great.

My '95 camry steering wheel and brake pedal shake whenever i brake from any speed higher than 30mph when i have the AC on. If the AC isnt on, it never shakes. I've talked to a few ppl, they tell me it could be a bad belt, bad compressor, or something else. Is there any way i can find out for myself and fix it myself? Any help would be appreciated.

swegyptian · 08-08-2006, 01:33 AM

That doesn't make much sense. The brakes and AC are hardly related. Are you sure that it only happens when the AC is on? It sounds like warped rotors, but again, the AC part is confusing.

mazdaverx7 · 08-08-2006, 07:29 AM

sounds like warped rotors. check out your rotors and post back.

Mike Gerber · 08-08-2006, 10:31 AM

I agree with the warped front brake rotors. It's the fronts, since you said you also feel it in the steering wheel. I think the a/c is just a red herring. You might want to have a person with a bit more automotive experience take the car for a ride to get his/her opinoin. You might even want to have a professional tech drive it, if there is nobody else to turn to. If it is the rotors, you can have them cut (trued on a brake lathe) if there is enough meat left on them to cut. It really isn't hard to take them off (you will have to take them in some place to have them cut), but you will probably need a person with a bit more experience then yourself to help the first time you do this. There is a generation 3 manual stickied at the top of the general Camry forum. Download that and read the brake section to get an idea of what involved.

Mike

lunksunkunk · 08-08-2006, 09:31 PM

i know it sounds weird and hardly related, but im serious when i say that the steering wheel only shakes when the AC is on and im braking from any speed above 35mph. If the AC is off, the steering wheel doesnt shake at all. The brake pedal shaking is kinda strange, because i had my rotors cut not too long ago. Im thinking about taking it to a mechanic to see whats going on, but should i even be charged for having something like this looked at?

V6LE_CAMRY · 08-09-2006, 12:26 AM

maybe the a/c compressor is seizing up. Look under the hood while the a/c is on and have someone quickly accelerate it a bit few times while you look at how the compressors pulley behaves

GEN3Jason · 08-09-2006, 12:53 AM

He would know if his AC Compressor was siezed up -- it would be loud and your car wouldnt blow cold air. I dont think the problem is related to the AC at all. I agree with the other about the warped rotor.

In the future dont allow rotors to be "turned" or "cut". Rotors at your local autozone ard pep-boys are under 20 bucks and should just be replaced. It is easy enough to do once you have your wheel off. If you cant find the rotors in your area that cheap PM and I'll find them here and ship them too you (i get free shipping through my company)

Dave's · 08-09-2006, 02:42 AM

^ Now that's some good advice, IMHO. I have NEVER had rotors turned that didn't cause problems. If they're damaged or worn that much I replace them. Otherwise I just clean them and install new pads. As to the OP's problem- I would suggest checking the brackets for the A/C compreesor and maybe motor mounts. Perhaps it's possible that the force of braking is causing the compressor to move so the belt is misaligned. Sounds like a tough one to troubleshoot.

nunyadamnbiz · 08-09-2006, 07:21 PM

for sure sounds like warped rotors....usually steering wheel movment while braking is associated with front brakes, and pedal pulsation while braking is associated with rear brakes....not sure why this is occuring with and without the a\c being on now that is for the car gods...which i am not

nodrogkam · 08-09-2006, 09:58 PM

i vote for warped too.

asscarracer · 08-09-2006, 10:48 PM

I had a similar problem a year or two ago. My 93 cam would shake when I pushed the pedal, I changed just about every brake compenent and it turned out to be warped rotors. It was an expensive diagnostic lesson

lunksunkunk · 08-10-2006, 01:12 AM

alright, i checked it out myself for sure this time, you guys were right, regardless of the AC being on or not, the steering wheel and brake pedal shakes when i brake from high speeds. Its just that the AC seems to make it shake more uncontrollably when it is on. But for sure i would need to get new rotors, but i have no idea as where to even begin. I know how to take off the wheel, but from that point, i would definitely need help. Do i need to bleed the brakes after i do this? Because i know i would want to replace the pads anyways since i replaced them about a year ago.

Dave G · 08-10-2006, 05:50 AM

No, you shouldn't have to bleed the brakes.
If my memory serves me right it is just remove the wheel, unbolt the brake caliper (two bolts on back) slide caliper out of the way, rotor simply pulls off, put on new rotor, replace brake pads and put it all back together.
As Gen3Jason said, rotors should cost you 20, maybe 30 bucks each, pads around 20 bucks. For 80 bucks you'll have new brakes & rotors. A $350-$450 job at a shop.
Don't forget to put brake lube on the backs of the new brake pads. This will stop them from squeaking. If you don't know what it is, ask at the auto parts store. It's only about a buck.

Mike Gerber · 08-10-2006, 02:59 PM

First, brake loose the lug nuts of the front wheels but don't remove them yet. Now, jack up the front of the car and place it safely on jack stands. Never work on the car with just the jack itself. Now remove the lug nuts, the wheel and the tire. Now you first have to remove the caliper. That will be held on with 2 14MM bolts. Now push the piston all the way back in to the caliper using a c-clamp and an old pad, or you can also use a set of channel locks. The piston has to come out further and further as the pads and rotors wear. The new pads and rotors will be much thicker and you have to do this so the new thicker parts will clear the caliper piston when you reinstall the caliper. Don't be scared when you see some fluid leaking on the ground. It's the old fluid coming out of top of the master cylinder. This is normal. Just clean everything when you are done. Brake fluid can remove paint if left on a painted surface too long. Now hang the caliper on the coil spring with a piece of wire to keep it out of the way. Now remove the brake pads from the caliper mounting bracket, paying attention to which side the pad with the pad wear indicator goes on. It should be the piston side of the caliper. Now remove the caliper mounting bracket itself (Toyota calls this a torque plate). It will be held on with 2 17MM bolts. Now remove the rotors. If they don't come off easily, there are 2 threaded holes in the rotors. Thread 2 corresponding bolts in those 2 holes and tighten them evenly. This will break the rotor free of the rust that is holding it on to the hub. The rotor will break loose with a pop sound. Now remove it. Clean the new rotor off with brakeclean and some clean paper towels before installing it. Rotors usually come with some kind of protective coating on them, to keep them from rusting before they are installed on the car. Reinstall the caliper mounting bracket. Then install the new brake pads noting which side the pad with the pad wear indicator goes on. Now bolt back on the caliper itself. Reinstall the wheel and lower the car. Tighten the lug nuts to 76 foot pounds. Pump the brake pedal 5 or 6 times before driving off to push the pads back up against the rotors. Brake lightly for the first few stops and brake as lightly as possible for the first 200 miles or so. This will allow the pads to seat to the rotors properly.

IMHO, if there is plenty of pad left, you do not have to replace them. You can just sand them lightly to give them a new surface to seat properly to the new rotors. Then reinstall them in the same positions they were on. It's up to you. If you do get new pads, I highly recommend full ceramic pads. They are more expensive, but last much longer with minimal dusting. You also don't have to get new rotors. If there is enough meat (thickness) left, you can have them cut (turned on a brake lathe) for $8-$10 each. I know Pep Boys in my area cuts them for $8 each. They will check them for proper thickness left before cutting them. That too is up to you. I have never experienced a problem having rotors turned, as long as there is enough meat left and they were turned properly.

PS: Remember what I posted earlier about the generation 3 manual stickied at the top of the general Camry forum. It will show you how to do brakes and many more things on your car. Download it and read through the brake section before starting this job.

Good luck.

Mike