Warped discs?

[cam7777]

Hi All

I am having problems with my brakes and wonder if anyone has had similar issues.

I have a 2003 1.9TDi hatchback, 77K miles with FSH.

I had some OEM discs fitted but these soon showed the symptoms of being warped (the car feels jerky under light braking and shakes when braking from 70 MPH.

I changed all 4 discs and pads (brembo) and all was fine for about 4K miles then the problem returned so I changed the front discs again, this time I bought unipart items, 4-5K later and problem returns.

I dont drive hard, I am very light on the brakes as most of my driving is motorway. The brakes are not binding in any way so I am now out of ideas so my question is this:

Is there anything else that I have overlooked? I have no knocking from the front end and everything feels tight, I have even tried booking the car in for diagnoses but (as expected) they found nothing wrong....Any ideas?

[vindaloo]

After a quiet drive, feel the alloys near the wheel bolts. As a rule. The front ones are warmer than the back ones. They should be around the same temperature as their partner. i.e. Both fronts or both rears. Don't do this is there's glowing hissing or crackling though - LOL. If there's a mismatch, it's likely you've got a caliper sticking.

DO NOT FEEL THE BRAKE DISKS!!! They could be a tad HOT!

It could just be uneven deposits on the brake disks. If so, you can try braking more aggressively to heat the system up more in an attempt to clean the disks. Do it smoothly whilst no-one else is around.

Also, the rear brakes get little use anyway and the handbrake uses the brake pads. It could be deposits on the rear brakes giving the uneveness. Try pulling up the handbrake at speed and see if you can re-produce the problem.

J.

[ap0gee1978]

I'm inclined to believe this article, which states that warping discs through normal road use is impossible. I had some issues with mine rubbing and not feeling 'right', so went out and bedded them in - I loved the results so much, I was sad enough to film it!

In my case, it was nothing to do with deposits on the discs though, and although I never really got to the bottom of it, I mentioned it to the dealer when it was in for service and they carried out the 'mooing rear calipers' warranty mod which fixed it whatever it actually was!

[vRS Dovit]

lol top vid! lol lol

My brakes are making an almost grinding nose, very occasionally. All the pads are fine as are the disks. I'm puttin it down to dirt or grit.

[Chrispy]

My 320i used to do it...a lot. Went through several sets of discs in a short space of time.

Apparently it was down to 2 things:

1. The hub surface not being perfectly smooth before the new discs were mounted on them, meaning they were ever so slightly wonky.

2. Poor ventilation from my alloys after hard braking.

Not so sure I believed the second point but after then owning a second almost identical car with nice fat 5 spokes i never had the same problem.

Wierd, but hey, I've seen freakier things. Like a man eating his own head....

[cam7777]

Thanks for the replys, I removed the discs and they are squeaky clean, absolutely no sticking whatsoever but still get the problem.

Its ruining a good car so may consider selling on.

thanks guys

[Sammycarp]

Also, the rear brakes get little use anyway and the handbrake uses the brake pads. It could be deposits on the rear brakes giving the uneveness. Try pulling up the handbrake at speed and see if you can re-produce the problem.

:eek:

GENTLY!!!

[jasc1988]

You cant get warped discs, lol

[Grant]

Often when people brake, say at the end of a slip road and hold the car on the brakes the heat of the pad hardens the part of the disc that is touching the pad.

This causes the disc to wear unevenly as parts are harder than others.

[cam7777]

Often when people brake, say at the end of a slip road and hold the car on the brakes the heat of the pad hardens the part of the disc that is touching the pad.

This causes the disc to wear unevenly as parts are harder than others.

Nope, don't do that either im afraid:(

[Timo]

Had this on my car after recent discs etc MOT place said it was steering rack, my trusted garage said they were talking crap, it was bushes on track rods and wishbones that had perished to a point where they were making the steering wobble on braking.

[Rustle]

Have you thought about the ABS system? Might be worth getting it checked, but please dont take my word for it as I'm not a trained mechanic, just seems odd that after going through a few sets you still have the same problem.

[AwesomeSarah]

To tell you the truth , the first post is the exact same problem I had with mine

Brembo discs and OEM pads , warped within a couple of months

Returned the discs and got another set , same happened again

Same car , more mileage though

So I dont brake alot , I hate people sitting with their foot on the footbrake at traffic lights etc , so I know I dont do that

So was well miffed

I ended up going a megga megga harsh brake as there was an accisent in front of me on the M60 , and hey presto all was good after that

Other than me shaking , there was no more on the brakes

If I am slowly coasting down hill and touch the brakes gently to scrub off a bit of speed , I can feel it a bit , but no more issues

But I will not be having Brembo , or standard discs after this set

Sarah

[ap0gee1978]

Other than me shaking , there was no more on the brakes

Wordsworth, Shakespeare and Larkin couldn't hold a candle to our Sarah's use of the English language!

[AwesomeSarah]

You bet

English at school eas not my best subject

Actually it was french and maths

Sarah

[ap0gee1978]

I thought that it was quite good, actually!

[AwesomeSarah]

So are you good t french and Maths then :lol:

Sarah

[ap0gee1978]

I'm good at most things...

...except dieting!

[ap0gee1978]

Note to self: Stop posting OT :nono:

Other note to self: I'm not red today ( :confused: ) so carry on!

[GnatG]

Were the discs fitted for you? I sell brake discs for Mercs, and a common cause of warping according to our supplier is incorrect fitting (not cleaning the hub prior to brake disc placement, over tightening one bolt).

[AwesomeSarah]

I had mine fitted here

I think it is only me that has had a problem with discs warping like that

So I dont think it is that

I do 150 miles round trip per day , and I am not heavy on brakes

But they did , but hey that heavy braking soon cured it

Sarah

[matt_theforce]

SWMBO's fabia vrs is terrible for juddering when braking and no amount of hard braking cures the problem. We just put up with it now and don't use the car that much.

[Ess_Three]

My SE just had it's first service...and had the front brake discs replaced under warranty.

Used as a 'normal' run-about car...not driven hard or brake tested...and under 7000 miles.

At least they were replaced under warranty.

[ap0gee1978]

My SE just had it's first service...and had the front brake discs replaced under warranty.

Used as a 'normal' run-about car...not driven hard or brake tested...and under 7000 miles.

At least they were replaced under warranty.

It's underuse that's causes the problem, though. The discs are made of cast iron and are therefore extremely vulnerable to corrosion. If you don't use them regularly and clear away surface rust, it starts to eat into the disc itself and that wrecks the braking surface. It's particularly bad on rears on the vRS, but I guess the same could apply to the fronts if grannied...

[Ess_Three]

It's underuse that's causes the problem, though. The discs are made of cast iron and are therefore extremely vulnerable to corrosion. If you don't use them regularly and clear away surface rust, it starts to eat into the disc itself and that wrecks the braking surface. It's particularly bad on rears on the vRS, but I guess the same could apply to the fronts if grannied...

I can assure you, it's wasn't rust.

I use the car...and use the brakes fairly hard...but it's a road car so doesn't see trackdays etc.

The disc surfaces were perfect...front and rear.

There was run-out on the front discs.

I know what you mean about rear disc corrosion especially on the inside faces, and it's not just vRSs that suffer......both my Golf GTI and 911 suffer in the same way if you put them away wet after washing without taking it round the block to dry the brakes.