Intermittent Brake Shudder

Hey all!

Anyone got any ideas about intermittent brake shudder?

I know that shuddering under braking can be attributed to warped rotors, but this isn't all the time. Sometimes it'll shudder when braking, sometimes it'll brake nice and smooth.

Weird? :screwy:

The year of the truck is important here. Does the steering wheel shake when this ocurs or the pulsation is only in the brake pedal?

Hey all!

Anyone got any ideas about intermittent brake shudder?

I know that shuddering under braking can be attributed to warped rotors, but this isn't all the time. Sometimes it'll shudder when braking, sometimes it'll brake nice and smooth.

Weird? :screwy:


this usually is the caliper pin is binding or the pads are frozen or too tight .....try to shake caliper if it wont budge start there...[remove clean lube]....

The year of the truck is important here. Does the steering wheel shake when this ocurs or the pulsation is only in the brake pedal?

The steering wheel mostly, and generally the whole truck shakes somewhat - you know what I mean... general shudder, but it's felt more in the steering wheel.

It's a 2004 Silverado.

this usually is the caliper pin is binding or the pads are frozen or too tight .....try to shake caliper if it wont budge start there...[remove clean lube]....

I know I've got to do a brake job soon anyway, (pads and flush fluid) so I was looking for ideas. I'll definitely check that while I'm at it!

I had an intermittent shudder in my '99 and I ignored it for thousands of miles. It was a small shudder, a shimmy in the steering. It was much worse in rain to the point that I had to pull over and see if a wheel was falling off.
I had the rear pads replaced and the rotors resurfaced and it's been great.
I believe I ruined the pads/rotors using a tire cleaner/shine foaming spray that coated the rotors.

I had a shudder and the repair shop told me it was the front rotors which were Brembo and they couldn't turn them because they were slotted. They replaced them and it still shuddered...it was the back right so I had to replace the back also. There wasn't anything wrong with the front but the shop didn't care that they mis-diagnosed the problem. I won't be going there again.

I had an intermittent shudder in my '99 and I ignored it for thousands of miles. It was a small shudder, a shimmy in the steering. It was much worse in rain to the point that I had to pull over and see if a wheel was falling off.
I had the rear pads replaced and the rotors resurfaced and it's been great.
I believe I ruined the pads/rotors using a tire cleaner/shine foaming spray that coated the rotors.

That's interesting, because I was told that one of my rear pads had 5% remaining while the other rear pad had 40% remaining.
I thought the uneven wear thing was weird, and I kept an eye on it over the time that has passed to make sure there's no squealing or anything bad happening to the rear brakes...
I guess it's possible that the rear brakes are causing this. I'm going to seriously consider changing pads/rotors.
Are the rotors nice and easy to remove on this truck? (2004)... I've never done rotors on this before.

That's interesting, because I was told that one of my rear pads had 5% remaining while the other rear pad had 40% remaining.
I thought the uneven wear thing was weird, and I kept an eye on it over the time that has passed to make sure there's no squealing or anything bad happening to the rear brakes...
I guess it's possible that the rear brakes are causing this. I'm going to seriously consider changing pads/rotors.
Are the rotors nice and easy to remove on this truck? (2004)... I've never done rotors on this before.

this should not be difficult...but if rusted it could be....


the rear caliper may be diffficult to remove if the caliper pins are rusted...may have to replace caliper or drill out pin and replace...the pins usually rust up...

when you rotate your tires you should remove cal pins and lube them and clean pads off and make sure nothing binds..if this was never done regularly when tires are rotated or never it could be expensive...

when you rotate your tires you should remove cal pins and lube them and clean pads off and make sure nothing binds..if this was never done regularly when tires are rotated or never it could be expensive...
Well, considering I don't personally rotate my tires (does anyone? how do you do it with one jack? :) ) I don't know if it's ever been done. I guess I'll have a look and see... thanks!

Well, considering I don't personally rotate my tires (does anyone? how do you do it with one jack? :) ) I don't know if it's ever been done. I guess I'll have a look and see... thanks!

on a vehicle such as this it is important to rotate tires every 15,ooomi....why bother??? this ensures that ALL the tires will wear [and be] the same size and you will have less drive train wear/problems....


I got 92,ooomi on the OEM firestone steelex tires...so naturaly I got the same set when I replaced them 3years ago...

you can use the spare to support vehicle or buy another bottle jack.... I like having 2 bottle jacks that way when I do the brakes I can do both sides together and adjust the park park....but if you don't rotate your tires you probably don't use that park brake anyway...

The proper way to eliminate brake rotor issues, without all the guesswork, is to check rotor/hub runout with a dial indicator setup.

Just to eliminate any confusion, I do have my tired rotated regularly... free rotation/balancing came with my tires :)

Problem solved - lubed caliper slide bolts ... or whatever they're called!

Thanks everyone! :sunglasse

Just to eliminate any confusion, I do have my tired rotated regularly... free rotation/balancing came with my tires :)

Problem solved - lubed caliper slide bolts ... or whatever they're called!

Thanks everyone! :sunglasse

these caliper pins are a problem be prepared for more pin problems, it is very important that those rubber pin boots keep out corrosive elements...

remember if your brakes are not draging MPG will be better...


thanks for stating your findings