Feeling the stop pedal pulse and shake as you slow down? Please don’t freak out, but don’t ignore it either. The unsettling feeling called “brake shudder” is probably caused by a number of problems that need to be fixed, but the brakes are not about to fail.
Still, getting to the bottom of the problem is important for getting safe, smooth brakes back. To find out what causes brake shake, how to fix it, and whether the way you drive is causing it, keep reading.
What does Brake Shudder mean?
When you step on the brakes, you might feel a shaking feeling through the steering wheel and front suspension of your car. This is brake shudder. When stopping at low speeds instead of high speeds, this shaking often happens at different rates.
The main reason for brake shudder determines how the condition is feels. Because not all brake shudders are causes by the same problem, this is the case. While a lot of people think that issues with the vehicle’s floor brakes cause all brake shudder, this isn’t always the case.
Knowing the above idea also helps when you’re trying to fix brake shudder in general. Because every case of brake shake is different, there is no “one size fits all” solution to this problem. A careful diagnosis of the problem is the only way to avoid replacing parts that are still fully functional but don’t need to be.
Reasons Why Brakes Shake Often
You can get brake shake from a number of different problems, some of which are much harder to figure out. When someone knows the other reasons for brake shudder, they can often fix it faster.
Here are some of the most common reasons why your brakes might be shuddering.
1: Brake rotors and pads that are worn out
Most of the time, brake shudder is caused by brake pads that are worn out and brake wheels that are bent.
When a car’s brakes and pads get bent. They make the otherwise smooth friction surface less effective. When the brakes are applied to the affected car. These problems are due to a constant shaking or vibration.
2: Unbalanced tires
Balance Wheels and tires at regular times to keep performance at its best and reduce vibrations.
When tires or wheels are out of balance, you can usually feel a noticeable rumble at a certain speed. This is similar to how someone would feel a brake shudder when the speed of the car drops below a certain point while stopping.
3: Brake Calipers That Won’t Move
Every so often, a problem that “sticking” happens when the brake pads on a car go old and worn out. When a brake caliper sticks, it can’t move when you let go stop pedal.
The stopping forces does not workout evenly when a brake caliper sticks. Which can cause a noticeable shudder.
4: Not aligned well
It is common to feel the vibrations that come from this uneven wear more strongly at a set speed. When you apply the brakes, and the speed of the car drops to within this range, this vibration shows up as a brake shudder.
How to Fix Shaky Brakes
Finding and fixing the root problem that is causing the vibration in the first place is the key to improving brake shudder. For the most part, fixing the problem will require replacing the brake pads and rotors on the car. This is especially true at any speed when the brakes shake.
If the brake shudders after getting new pads and rotors, the focus will shift to fixing the uneven tires and wheels, worn steering and suspension parts, and the car is out of line. Check All of the front-end parts at this time.
After doing this , align the front end of the car , and balance all four wheels . As soon as you finish these tasks, a full test drive should show that the previously annoying shudder is alright.
If you have brake shudder, is it dangerous to drive?
Brake shudder is relatively safe by itself. But this problem is only going to get worse over time, which could make stopping less effective overall.
So, you should take care of the problem immediately, especially if you’re not sure what’s causing the brake shudder.
In any case, you should find out why your car’s brakes are shuddering and fix the problem as soon as possible. This will keep you from taking unnecessary risks and lower the chance of the base brakes breaking down even more.
Fixing things yourself isn’t your strong suit? Get a trusted mechanic or service shop to take care of it right away.
Would an alignment be useful?
Getting your car alignment right can help with brake shudder in general. But only if the main cause of your vehicle’s brake shudder is a bad alignment.
For example, this can happen when uneven tire wear from bad balance makes a car shake when it reaches a certain speed. If this happens, an adjustment and tire rotation are likely to get rid of the subtle shudder.
Are bad driving habits a cause of brake shudder?
Although it doesn’t always happen, bad driving habits can make brake shaking happen or get worse in some cases.
This is especially true when drivers frequently stop quickly or rely heavily on their brakes. Heavy use of the brakes can easily cause key brake parts to get too hot, which can damage the wheels.
This then starts a kind of vicious loop in which continuing to brake too hard only damages a vehicle’s already damaged rotors even more. This makes the brake shudder get much worse very quickly, making it much more obvious than it would be otherwise.
