When I had my tires changed last week, the serviceman said that my calipers weren't retracting all the way. I never felt a problem until after the tires were changed, but now when I press the brakes, the brake pedal vibrates under my foot... just when I was about to upgrade to big rotors! I suppose I'll have to buy calipers instead. That vibration on the pedal- I suppose it's coming from the brakes dragging on the rotors? Is there any way to fix a caliper?

 

no no no no no.... Calipers are fine.... try this next time you drive, find an open road with noone on it take the car to about 40 and let go of the steering wheel. I am serious. Check if the wheel vibrates if it doesn't that means your rear rotors are warped. Remember this. If your ever feel a vibration while you brake in ANY car. 98% of the time it is a rear rotor problem. Also, don't be too concerned about the caliper, as long as the brakes feel fine you will be fine. The rear brakes do 30% of your actual stopping power the front is what is important. All that might happen with the calipers is that when u replace your pads IF they fit, u will get a drag until your pads wear down a bit then u will be fine.

 

Vibration/pulsating in the brake pedal while braking would mean that you have a warped rotor(s), front or rear. If the caliper isn't retracting the rotors will overheat and warp real quick. Your abs might also be activating when it shouldn't which would cause a pulsing in the pedal while braking, but if that were the case you'd have an ABS/BRAKE light on.

 

No ABS light- yet. I'm gonna look into your leads. Thanks for the info guys, you're really helping me a lot- can't stress that enough. Thanks.

 

if the rears only provide 30% of braking than wouldnt the fronts have a higher risk of warping?

unless the rears rotors are thinner in comparison with fronts?

 

well the rear rotors are smaller in diameter as well, but mine have this weird slot pattern on them, not like standard slotted rotors, but they look like they were drawn on there with a spirograph if anyone remembers what the hell one of those is lol. point is i would think they wouldn't warp unless you washed your car right after you drove it or something, i've done that before =/

 

CCA4, me too... '97 A4 2.8QM 12v. How's your car holding up? So far so good for me, just little things falling apart like engine mount, brakes... nothing too serious though.

 

Before doing anything, unbolt the wheels. Clean the hubs of the rotors and the mating surface of the wheel. Tighten the wheels on the car in the air and torque them to 85 ft-lbs.

I have seen shops over tighten wheels or torque them slightly cocked and cause vibrations. Eliminate this as a possibility before going crazy with the brakes.

 

^^^ what he said, absolutely. Chances are they air-gunned the wheels on. Retorque them to spec and see what happens before doing anything else.

 

Guess what. It took three guys: me and two of my bulky weight-lifter friends to get those lugs off. Combined we struggled. Finally the lugs came off one by one with a freakishly loud shriek. That had to be more than 300-400lbs the three of us put into that tire iron.

So I put the tires back on to spec. ft-lbs, and the vibration on the brake pedal lessened significantly (maybe 70% less vibration). Now the left side sounds normal, but the right side still squeaks loud. I'm guessing now all the vibration on the brake pedal is coming from the right caliper.

Like I said, I never had even the hint of squeaking or vibration on the pedal BEFORE getting my tires changed. Is it possible that those tire guys could have damaged the right caliper by tightening the lugs that hard. I'm not kidding, those things were on so tight that when the lugs finally did come off, it was EXPLOSIVE... all that energy the three of us put into that tire iron CATAPULTED the tire iron off the lug every time.

Is there some common solution to fixing this that anyone knows about? By the way, thanks guys, I wouldn't have even thought of loosening the lugs. When I paid for their service, I assumed they did it right- last time I do that.