Wheel Shake/Bounce

[Missile Man]

I have 100K miles on my Camaro and am intermittently getting steering wheel shake when braking usually over rough road. I recently replaced the pads and rotors (ceramic pads, slotted and drilled rotors) and I doubt the rotors are warped as it's intermittent.

With the added weight of the super charger and 100k miles, can worn struts cause this? It still has the OEM struts.

[rebelyell22]

Bounce your car up and down and that will tell you. I doubt the SC would make a difference.

[Missile Man]

Originally Posted by rebelyell22

Bounce your car up and down and that will tell you. I doubt the SC would make a difference.

I can bounce the front up and down about an inch or two each way.

[GRNFLSH]

Intermittent problems as you described are hard to find, but could be the result of a wheel bearing or suspension component that is in the early stages of developing movement or play, allowing things to shift slightly in certain circumstances (you mentioned rough roads, worn struts, etc). Check your wheel bearings and suspension components for movement or play. If brake pads are wearing unevenly or one set faster than the others, that may be an indicator or where to start looking. Good luck!

[Missile Man]

Originally Posted by GRNFLSH

Intermittent problems as you described are hard to find, but could be the result of a wheel bearing or suspension component that is in the early stages of developing movement or play, allowing things to shift slightly in certain circumstances (you mentioned rough roads, worn struts, etc). Check your wheel bearings and suspension components for movement or play. If brake pads are wearing unevenly or one set faster than the others, that may be an indicator or where to start looking. Good luck!

I can hear what sound like a wheel bearing howling I believe its the front right wheel. So I plan on removing the tire and see if there's any play in the rotor. If there's another way to check short of removing the hub?

[sixty9fordkiller]

Originally Posted by Missile Man

I can hear what sound like a wheel bearing howling I believe its the front right wheel. So I plan on removing the tire and see if there's any play in the rotor. If there's another way to check short of removing the hub?

dont need to remove the wheel or hub. if its the hub thats bad, lift the car and put it on a jackstand. spin the tire by hand and listen for any sounds other than the brake pads sligthly grazing the rotors (which should sound like a slight "HISS")

then check for play. try and wiggle the tire/wheel top to bottom and then side to side

if you have even the smallest amount of play, then you have either a suspension or hub issue

so you will have to get under the car and have someone help you and do the exact same wiggle of the tire/wheel (top to bottom and then side to side) will you closely observe the lower control arm/ball joint. strut to knuckle bolts. outer tie rod, and rack & pinion for any play.

If none of that shows any sign of movement, then your culprit (if the wheel has movement) is most likely the hub assembly. You would be able to spot it right away from under the car too. The wheel would move while the steering knuckle remained completely still

[SSINISTER]

Youre going to have a bad wheel bearing or bad ball joints, or both. Completely normal maintenance for 100k miles.

[Missile Man]

I had the front end jacked up (oil change) and noticed that the rack and pinion has some play. When I move the tire back and forth (left/right turns) there's slight movement in the rack and pinion, the input shaft from the steering wheal rotates back and forth slightly. Is this normal? I would assume there should be no movement.