Steering wheel shakes - Braking at Hwy Speeds
 

I recently got H&R spacers installed. 20mm in the front and 25mm in the back. I just noticed that my steering wheel shakes when braking at highway speeds. I have a feeling its my brake rotors being warped or something to do with my brake pads. But i can't dismiss the fact that it happened shortly after the spacers installation. Could it just be coincidence? my steering wheel does not shake at all when going at high speeds so I feel like it shouldn't be the spacers. I have a 2010 7AT 370z. 14000kms roughly 8700 miles. I have never changed rotors or anything of that sort. Any ideas? :ughdance: Thanks guys

If the vibration only occurs under braking, I'm guessing it's the rotors.

to insure it's not the spacers? remove them and see if it goes away

99% sure that the problem you are describing is a little bit of a warped rotor problem... the spacers just might be helping magnifying the problem a little more.

Agree... if they are direct mount it will only take you a few minutes to remove... better safe than sorry.

I just installed some 15/20 mm stud replacement ones and I get no vibration... only change was the steering being a bit more sensitive to road variations.

this makes me very curious. I noticed vibration after installing H&R spacers as well, thought it might be the spacers but dismissed it to being brake build up or slightly warped rotors. I have a feeling spacers have something to do with this. I don't think mine are direct bolt-ons either and since the vibration isn't that bad and I don't have any vibration at high speed I'm living with it right now.

Does it shake under normal driving conditions? If so it's probably spacers o.o

only vibrates during braking and nothing else but it started immediately after the spacers install

Guess we're on the same boat. I'm at the dealership right now waiting for the Z. Il let you know if they find the problem. :)

I would check to make sure the lugs are torqued correctly. It sounds a lot like the rotors, but I would stilll check to make sure there isn't any "play" at the wheels.

it was just the rotors being warped... as expected.. they just machined it for free and there's no more vibrations.

:tup: thanks for letting us know :)...they didn't give you any crap for having spacers...?

nop :D no mention at all. Everything was covered by warranty. Only problem was washing my car after i specifically said "please don't wash it, vacuum it... but don't wash" LOL. (hopefully no damage!)

I had a nasty steering wobble under heavy braking after numerous track days. Rather than waste time getting the rotors turned, I swapped in new OEM rotors in the front for $90 each. Takes less than an hour and the wobble is history.

Warped rotors are covered under warranty? Im getting some shake braking at highway speeds

For those who still experience this problem...

I have Ichiba "v2" 20mm all around. From day 1 I've been having vibration issues when going 60mph+. Slight vibration from braking.

Re installed all 4 spacers with power tools and properly aligned/balanced in shop, no driving vibration this time but more noticeable vibration occurs when braking.

It seems like the problem alternates after each install, you either get driving vibration, or braking vibration.

Then I removed only front spacers just for testing, no vibration at all speeds, neither when braking.

I think I'll try another brand with zero reported vibration issues... this problem is driving me mad but I cannot drive my Z without them, it looks weird because I have a front lip.

Spacers will create a longer lever if you will for the wheel. So any vibration you feel is going to be exaggerated depending on how big your spacers are. Also, they can have imperfect runout, which will also cause you some vibrations.

check for wheel stud clearance from wheel spacers to wheels i had the same proble and i had to grind down some inside of the wheel bolt in the back side to give more clearance from the wheel studs and the problem went away and found the problem but thats on my 19s sports package wheels

Well what was the problem !!

:ugh2:

yep, stock wheel studs extend slightly beyond the 20mm spacer, like 21mm or so and interfere with a good mating surface.

I have this same issue (only when braking) without running spacers. My car has 36,xxx miles and I'm wondering if I should try and get the rotors machined or just replace them with new OEM's or just get a good pair of aftermarket depending on what the best option per dollar would be? Im thinking they must be a tad warped because when driving slow I can hear a slight squeak with every rotation of the wheel.

I've been thinking about picking up a set of most likely 10mm spacers but this thread is making me rethink until I get this resolved. Any advice is appreciated

2012, 10K miles and the same problem here. I'm thinking of taking it by the dealer and seeing what they will do about it. Probably offer to turn them for me being as it has such low miles and is new. I think even the clutch and tires are warrantied against "excessive" wear for 12K miles on new cars.

Had the same problem on the G37 and took it in. Sure enough, it was warped rotors. Infiniti resurfaced them under warranty. However, after a few months, the issue came back. Haven't bothered to take it in yet since it's not my car and my parents don't drive it hard enough to notice.

The issue has started on my Z a few months ago, on and off, and I'm wondering if I should just replace the rotors with aftermarket. Would those warp after heavy use?

It's the pads and your driving style, not the rotors. I have never had a car do this to me before. It must be Nissan's pads coupled with the fact that I am guessing you use your brakes in the twisties a bit and then stop at a red-light and that's where the harm is done.

Un-even pad material transfer caused by a)poor bedding (I followed Akebono's advice and just drove easy for 500 miles...not the way I plan on doing it this time around. I will follow a more conventional brake-bedding process) and b) driving the car "easy" after getting the rotors hot, and sitting at a redlight letting the pad material burn onto the rotor face.

Check your power steering liquid just in case.

Took it to the dealer for a brake inspection and sure enough they're warped past the point of resurfacing (fronts only, rears are fine, pads are good). Going with OEM sport replacements although I wish I would have taken some time and found out that there are many good aftermarket slotted rotors all around for the price I paid for 2 fronts. I'm hoping this resolves many issues for me including the shaking of the steering wheel when braking at high speeds, the squeaking when braking at slow speeds which I never hear from other owners sport brakes, as well as the squeak I hear when going only a few mph with every wheel rotation.

I'll let everyone know how it goes after they're broken in a little, fluid was also checked and still looks good

how much are they charging for OEM sport replacements? :) once mine are done in for I'm going for drilled slotted or just drilled rotors.

Gotta look at the receipt again cause I had a bunch of stuff done but it was between $525-560 I think for the 2 fronts. Then I see the entire Rotor, Pad, SS line, and fluid pkg from Z1 for the sport model and all together it's $600!!!!
I was pissed but already paid for the rotors in advance cause they had to get them shipped in. They give you the option from Z1 to get either drilled/slotted, or just slotted and I would have went with just the plain slotted.

First impressions are good though and the shaking hasn't happened at all but I only drove it at highway speeds for a short time today so I'll update this a little later after more driving. The squeaking when braking at slow speeds is gone so far and the pedal even feels smoother than usual. I'll do the Z1 next time, my rear rotors are fine, pads have good life, don't necessarily need SS lines although they couldn't hurt, and my fluids good so no worries

*Thread necro*

Just also installed 25mm bolt-on spacers in the front and am experiencing slight wheel shake at 60mph. The shake is not extreme but a definite vibration is felt compared to how the car drove before the spacers. At lower MPH, there are some noises which sound like the hubcentric ring clanking around. Also hear light squealing from time to time.

I am going to re-do and check everything again tonight but the common denominator I gather from this thread is that the shaky experience is AFTER the spacer install. Is there something along the install process that maybe warps the pads? Just wondering so I can avoid this as I install the rear spacers.

Thanks!

if they are quality spacers it shouldn't shake. remove the wheel, recheck the spacer lug torque in a star formation (loosen, then re-torque to 80-85ft/lbs) and also your wheel lugs in star formation 85lbs.

be sure you are using hubcentric type spacer if you are using stock wheels.

Thanks kenchan! I have Kday in the front and going to be installing Ichiba's in the rear. One thing I experienced during torqueing was that the entire disc would rotate so maybe I did not torque completely.

I reassembled and retorqued everything properly. Noises are gone but there is still short and rapid steering wheel vibrations while traveling hwy speeds. Don't get the brake shakes like OP. Is it just because of the types of spacers up front?

**i have not installed the spacers in the rear as i was hoping to pinpoint the issue. Could that be the cause of shakes?