Steering Wheel Vibration while braking
 

Hey All,

As of late my 370Z steering wheel has began vibrating while braking. Funny thing is that the car was not previously doing this. I've had the car for several months and just passed 1500 miles this weekend.

The car is lowered on KW's and has been that way for about 1000 miles. My rims are stock but powder coated black. However, they've been that way for the last 1000 miles and this issue just started within the last two weeks.

Anyone have any ideas of what the issue may be?

Thanks!

Sounds like warped rotors to me.

This.

I had the same problem.

Definitely.

How does this happen? The car has not been tracked. I've done minimal spirited driving on the streets? Any ideas? Is this a problem for the 370Z?

Does it get better or worse the harder you brake? If it gets better the harder you brake then you may have an air pocket in one of the front calipers. Try bleeding the brakes front and rear and see if it improves. This relates to Sport and Nismo only (fixed calipers).

^^ That is actually my issue, I'll get a little wiggle but then it will go away the more pressure I apply, at higher speeds there's no vibration at all. Can it be as simple as a bubble in the brake fluid?

Yes, has happened to me. It is the downside of a fixed caliper, if one of the pistons on one side is not applying even pressure equal to the opposite side then it is pushing the rotor out of alignment. It happens to me at the track periodically but I just re-bleed and I'm good.

The other cause of out of round is uneven pad deposits, usually from a heavy track session with crappy pads.

Warped brake rotors are probably the single most improperly diagnosed problems on any car today.

I regularly track my car and speak with other drivers and I have never met anyone who “warped” their rotors.

I have experienced terrible vibrations both on and off the track and it has never been the result of “warped” rotors. Usually, it is improper brake in or just crappy pads. Unless you have an actual imbalance in your wheel and brake set up (entirely possible) then you have uneven pad transfer.

Read this link StopTech : Balanced Brake Upgrades .
.

Damn, I just thought of the same article

Yerp.

The problem is def warped rotors, I had the same problem, had them resurfaced by Nissan but still "rewarped". I'm lowered on KW V3's as well & recently switched to 2-piece rotors F/R. Bottom line is Nissan rotors suck

No, the pads suck and you didn't bed them in properly

Ok guy, ya I did bed them in properly, I had both the local Nissan techs & a trusted shop where I get my stuff done say that the front rotors were in fact warped.

I think the problem is that shops throw around the term “warped” as a catchall for any time a car judders under braking(that is the actual term, not “shudders, vibrates, pulses, etc…”).

I have heard well respected auto mechanics use the term “warped” when diagnosing brake judder. The upside to all of this is that, regardless of what you call it, the solution is basically the same. The rotor needs to be resurfaced.

However, if you, with your infinite knowledge gleamed from this site, understands that judder is caused by uneven pad deposits, you can save some money (gasp! That was a long sentence).

How you ask? Most rotor resurfacing will cost you from $25 to $50 per rotor. New rotors will cost you $150. 50 sheets of Garnet sandpaper will cost you $25 and allow you to resurface you and your entire families rotors (and look like a hero) for years to come.

Caveat. You cannot buy Garnet sandpaper at Lowes or Home Depot. Here is the link. 3M? Paper 110N Sheets

Store bought sand paper is aluminum oxide and could make the problem worse.

I understand that this goes against a very common belief on this forum. Trust the guys who track our cars. We go through rotors exponentially faster than anyone who drives on the street. And we don’t lathe or trash our rotors every time we get brake judder.

And we do get brake judder. I have a poorly fitting set of Porterfield R-4 full race pads if your are interested.