Bad vibration after brake job

[dylanborns]

I was able to grease the pins today. They weren't dry, but there wasn't much grease on them. They seemed to slide pretty easy even before I put the grease on so I'm doubting thats the problem. New calipers will be the next step.

[Joe W]

It is very possible that a bearing issue won't manifest itself until the brakes are applied. I ran into this on my 97 Avalon and it wasnt until the bearing got worse that I was able to find the problem.

[dylanborns]

Ok, I'll tear into the front again tomorrow and take a look at the bearings. I'll post back with what I find.
Thanks!

[dylanborns]

Looking at my Chiltons manual, these bearings are a sealed unit and have to be replaced with the hub. Any suggestions on how I can tell if its the bearings are bad? I googled the problem and actually found step by step directions, and just getting these things off isn't easy at all. Add to that that the fronts are almost $100/ piece! I'd hate to put $400 into new bearings only to find that it wasn't the issue.
So if I go through the process of getting a front off, will I be able to see if the bearing is bad?
Thanks!

[DeltaP]

How do the bearings feel when you turn them? You'll have to remove the calipers and rotors. Check them for radial and axial play as well as runout.

[dylanborns]

I didn't check the bearings when I did the brake job, but I've done it on other vehicles before so I'll give it a try. I just need to remove the wheel and rock the axle and check for alot of play correct? When I say rock, I mean hands at 12 and 6 and rock it, and then at 3 and 9.

So in the other forum I found that has the instructions on how to replace the bearings, the guy was saying that he would get alot of shaking at the dash and through the steering wheel that worsened while braking. Thats very close to what I have except that I don't feel it much while driving. What I have had going on for about the past year is when sitting at a stop light, the thing shakes BAD; and I mean the dash is shaking and the steering wheel. I thought it was the transmission, so I did a flush and replaced the filter, but that didn't help. What does help is when sitting at a stop light, I put it in neutral, and that stops the shaking.
Am I grasping at straws here or would putting the trans. in neutral have anything to do with this issue?

[Mike Gerber]

"What I have had going on for about the past year is when sitting at a stop light, the thing shakes BAD; and I mean the dash is shaking and the steering wheel. I thought it was the transmission, so I did a flush and replaced the filter, but that didn't help. What does help is when sitting at a stop light, I put it in neutral, and that stops the shaking."

Some vibration is normal for the generation 3 (1992-1996) 4 cylinder 5SFE engine. I have owned my 94 since new and it has always done this. Other identical cars I drove at the dealer when my car was new did the exact same thing. I would live with the vibration rather than shifting in and out of neutral at stoplights. You are just creating additional wear on the transmission. Some people will say this is minimal wear, but I personally feel it is a bit of unnecessary wear.

Mike

[dylanborns]

Mike- I'll remember that and quite shifting it into neutral. Thanks for the tip.

So I tried to work on the bearings today and started with the drivers side. First off, I tried to get a 30mm socket on the axle nut and the shaft of the axle was to long and I had to grind off a little bit to get the socket to reach the nut. No big deal, I still had alot of thread left and I wasn't close to the hole that the cotter pin goes through. I then tried to get that nut off with a breaker bar and it didn't budge. The socket ended up slipping off the bolt enough that it rounded the corners. So that one isn't coming off with anything I have.

The one thing I did notice before all this was when I removed the caliper and disc, I rocked the axle flange left/ right, and up/ down, and had NO play whatsoever. If the axle was bad, would I have any play in that?

I may try the passenger side tomorrow.

[dylanborns]

Update- I worked on the pass. side and ran into the same thing. I couldn't get the axle nut to budge. But, after taking the caliper and disc off, I didn't have any play at all when I moved the axle around.
Wouldn't I need that axle nut off to check for play in the bearings? If that nut is on there so tight, even if the bearings are shot, I'm thinking they aren't going to show any movement anyway.

Any other suggestions before I take it to a mechanic?