PeterUbers

iTrader: (1)

I had my TL-S rotors resurfaced 4 times under warranty for similar issues: steering wheel shimmy on the highway when applying moderate to heavy braking around 70mph.

Already have an appt. to have them resurfaced, I thought they really changed their rotors for this year b/c of all the previous problems.

I do NOT do any unusually heavy braking, for the record. I think that if this is going to be a trend, I'll consider switching to aftermarket rotors to prevent this.

GaleForce

I think you're the first to have this problem, which leads me to believe that it isn't going to be a universal problem. Plenty of people have many more miles.

/shrug

Good luck!

Bitium

Buy a KIA...

DMZ

This is a common problem on Hondas and Acuras caused by overtightening of the lug nuts from allowing the air gun to go until 'it' decides to stop.

To prevent this from happening again, make sure whoever puts the wheels back on tightens the lug nuts to 80 ft-lbs or you can expect the problem to repeat itself.

abqhudson

I am also experiencing a shudder when moderately braking from 60-70 mph. Strange problem to have on a modern car.

Jim

evercn1

I just changed my rotors b/c the originals were warped all to hell. As I drive I can hear a faint rubbing coming from the rotors. And I think in time that they're gonna warp again.
So I think the next I'll change is the calipers.

GaleForce

I take back what I said then...

Well, kinda. I guess tigtening is the problem and not a build problem. (just trying rationalize my first post :P)

Bitium

NOT TRUE at all. The only thing overtightening could do is crack the rotor and is there is a very small change of that happening.

Warped rortors are caused by heat build-up. Driving habits does magnified the probablility.

New on the 2004 TL are cooling passages to prevent this, it seems like it has improved in comparison with 2nd gen TL.

An uneven pad could also caused warping, one way to prevent this is slotted rotors.

6mtV6

DMZ is right. Overtightening of the lug nuts can cause rotors to warp.

rets

Bitium,

How're you gonna maintain your TL in Ramstein? For example, if you have warped rotors, what would you do since this issue is common to all 2G TL.?




6mtV6, Bitium was saying there may be other factors would cause this problem... I'm sure you know this...

My 94 Legend never has this problem in the past 10 years...

Hybrid

Yes, that's "common knowledge" but I don't believe it. Please explain HOW this could happen.

Take two slabs of metal, and drill 4 holes through both of them, and tap the back piece for bolt threads. Then put in 4 bolts, tightening them to 200, 400, 20, and 100 ft. lbs in whatever order you want. Just where is the force that's going to cause the metal to bend? If both pieces are flat, nothing is going to bend or warp. Same with rotors. Of course, there are other reasons not to overtighten the bolts, or undertighten them.

nick04tl

i work at an acura dealer and everyone has a torque stick so all the wheels get tightened evenly and with the proper torque. the problem of warped rotors can be caused by unevenly torqued wheels both the majority of the problem stems from driving habits such as hard braking or constant high speed braking. also vehicles that sit for a while have a tendency to wasp rotors.

texas_acura

This may sound crazy, but tires that are out of balance can mimick warped rotors when the brakes are applied. Here's how to distinguish...if you apply the brakes and at ANY speed and you get some "shimmy" in the wheel, you have warped rotors. If you apply the brakes and only get the "shimmy" at CERTAIN speeds, then your front wheels MAY need a balance.

I once was having this problem, but only around 40-50 mph. When I took it to my mechanic, he said that since it was only at certain speeds, try balancing the front tires. I had them balanced and they were as good as new without any "shimmy."

I would give that a whirl first and see if it gets you anywhere. Its a cheap fix anyways if that is the problem.

texas_acura

It's a fact!!! If you don't believe that over-tightening of the lug nuts can cause warping then find and engineer, sit down with him/her and get them to explain it. IT CAN HAPPEN! I am not saying that over-tightened lugs are always the culprit, but it can happen. If you crank down harder (hard enough) on one bolt, then it will literally try to pull that bolt through the back piece of metal that it is attached to...thus causing an uneven surface (warp).

acura_driver

Proper torquing of the the lug nuts helps avoid warp rotors. I've not had warped rotors on any of my cars, including an "86 Legend, '01 CL-S, or my '04 TL.

One time I bought new tires a bozo used an air wrench to way over-tighten the lug nuts, then proceed to use a torque wrench to "check" his work. (Cross threading one at the same time!) Duh! Now I specify that no power tools be used on the lug nuts when reinstalling the wheels when I buy new tires.

-r

rets

Where could we find the "torque wrench"?

What's the right torque? 80?

Thanks...

nick04tl

you should be able to get a torque wrench at sears. if not mac, snap on and matco all have them and they can be purchased online.

PeterUbers

iTrader: (1)

texas .. thanks for the suggestion! I'll ask the dealer to check the balance first before resurfacing the rotors.

PeterUbers

iTrader: (1)

Very intelligent comment, glad you posted in this thread.

PeterUbers

iTrader: (1)

Just posting my story buddy, that's all. If no one ever posts this sh-t, you can't go back and search to determine the prevalence of a problem.

6mtV6

Rotors warping is not just a comon problem on Hondas and Acuras. If you do a search on google you will see that other manufacturers have this problem.
When I still had my 2k1 Maxima I rotated the tires myself once and I didn't torque the lug nuts to the right torque. After a day my rotors warped. Nissan had a TSB on the warped rotors. On the TSB it even stated that the warped rotors can happen if the lug nuts are not tighten to the correct torque.
A lot of mechanics still do not use a torque wrench to tighten the lug nuts.

6mtV6

PeterUbers: I see that you have the 18" A-spec rims. Did your dealer put those on for you? Ask them if they use a torque wrench to tighten the lug nuts.

acura_driver

Tire Rack Wheel Lug Nug Torquing

-r

rets

Thanks for the info...

wonder

Wasn't there a thread recently that pointed to a technical paper that stated that rotors almost never 'warp'. The problem comes from pad material unevenly deposited on the rotor because of heat. Pad and rotor material/metallurgy play a part also. Hard braking/repeated braking most often cause the problem. You can tell if you have the problem by looking at the rotors and seeing if the pad induced discoloration is evenly distributed. If not you can get vibration/rubbing. I'm not sure a visual inspection was the best way to check. I wish I could remember the link - it was very informative.

PeterUbers

iTrader: (1)

My dealer did in fact install these for me. I trusted that they installed it according to recommended specifications...

I'll ask them about the torque issues when i'm there next week.

Pot80h

I've been having warped rotor issues on a 02 Infiniti QX4 for 2 years. Recently, after picking it up post-service, the rotors were horrific (violent shuddering at 65mph). After taking the brake tech out and demonstrating (he had a brown-trousers moment), he came to the conclusion that the truck had been washed by the lot guy immediately after it had been for it's test drive - hot rotors + cold water = warping. They re-worked the rotors and didn't wash it after the test and they're fine - for the first time ever. The dealer now lets the cars sit for at least 20 mins between the road test and washing them.

PeterUbers

iTrader: (1)

Interesting...

rets

Yah, I concur, interesting... if this theory stands as the truth, all car wash shops will be over... Wish it's only because of the material itself...

Bitium

I have to do everything by myself. I normally called a dealer in the states and he sends me the parts. We have an auto skils shop on every base were i get every tool a mechanic could get including lift. Some you could even balance and do aligment by yourself.

I'm on my 4 set of rotors. I had the stocks, then C/S, then another set of C/S, now i just have slotted. i have resurfaced all at least once except the last ones, because I just put them on.

I also had a bad caliper, one of the pistons was getting stuck. I have always used a torque bar and torque them to 80 ft/lbs. They will warp anyhow. I just recently added cooling passages to my TL, similar to the 04. It seems like it will help. Driving in germany does make drive over 100mph almost everyday.

The overtighning of the lugs nuts is just plain stupid. It will not prevent warping unless you really overtighning like say over 300-400 ft/lbs, which would probably crack the plate of the rotor. i think the order in which you put the lugs nuts is more important than overtighning.

Bitium

No don't trust them, is really up to the mechanic.

Teh Jatt

I had this problem a month ago i think and i took it back to dealer and they fixed it but now the steering wheel shakes above 70+.... so whats the problem now?

TBone2004

so is 80 - 90 ftlbs the appropriate setting? I think my stick is set at 90.

Do they sell attachments like a phillips head that I can use to loosen the silver strikeplate to adjust my door? Posted this question on another thread, but maybe you have experience with this.
I cannot get these loose with regualr hand held screwdriver - what do you guys use?

jjsC5

Yes, this is likely the case - good information.

Let me add some things. I don't for a minute believe that the problem is caused by improperly torqueing the bolts. Maybe if two were tightened to 150 lbs, and the other three were only tightened to 40 lbs - then MAYBE. But look at a rotor. The bolts are much closer to the center, and on a relatively thin part of the rotor. The actual rotor surface is much farther out from the bolts, and becomes essentially two rotors sandwiching the slotted part that ventilates the rotors. I too don't believe this causes warping.

Now - to the quote above. I recently bought a set of aftermarket drilled rotors from a friend of mine. They are Bear Eradispeeds (for my Corvette). He went to war with Bear because they "warped" and Bear would not fix them under warranty, and in fact told him they were not actually warped. But I can attest to the fact they felt warped.

After letting them sit in his garage for six months, he offered to actually give them to me. I took them home and using just a block of wood and sandpaper, I sanded the surfaces on both sides. Guess what? I now have about 6,000 miles on them, and they don't pulse or vibrate a bit.

Pot80h

TO be honest, I suspect it's a problem with this Infiniti - it's not been the happiest car-owning experience. 50/50 between the build quality and the dealership.

This visit was the second in a week - they returned the car the first time with noticably worse pulsing, so I took it back after 4 days. On this second visit, they performed a brake TSB from Infiniti (that I had to tell them about!) which reworked all four brakes and replaced the pads with a new compound. It was when I picked it up on this second trip that things were worse - at 65, the steering wheel was moving left-right by 2-3 inches and the whole truck shook from side to side.

If they hadn't fixed it, I can honestly say I wouldn't be here today. Had 2 VERY close calls on the Freeways in California yesterday. My, there are some bad drivers out there! One guy tried to run us off the road because we wouldn't get out of his way. I called CHP but I don't think they could catch him. Hope he gets his!

Bitium

You are right, just like I posted before:

"NOT TRUE at all. The only thing overtightening could do is crack the rotor and is there is a very small change of that happening.

Warped rortors are caused by heat build-up. Driving habits does magnified the probablility.

An uneven pad could also caused warping, one way to prevent this is slotted rotors"

It would be more like 200+ ft/lbs......

Imagine that you have to put the lugs on from the outside first hitting the wheel. The lugs never even come in contact with the rotors, the wheel does when is push in by the tightning of the lugs. The entire center surface of the wheel evently applies pressure to the rotors. The studs that the lug nuts are screw in are not even part of the rotor, but the hub, which is were the rotor sits.

It makes no sense and it hasn't been proven in anyway that over-tighting the lug nuts can cause warping. I'm not saying to apply more than 80ft/lbs an any way either. It is a myth.

PeterUbers

iTrader: (1)

All i'm saying is that my previous TL, which probably had identical rotors and similar calipers, had warped rotors four times. The first time, I admitted that I was guilty of heavy braking, but the next two times, I was extra cautious and it continued to occur .. and it didn't occur at large intervals, it re-occurred after 4500 to 10,000 miles.

Finally, my rotors had been resurfaced so many times that they made this horrible moaning/grinding noise that was audible if the radio was off, or if the windows were down. I asked them to replace the rotors, and they gladly refused.

By that time, I had already stuck it to acura and they bought the damn car back.


Bitium, is there an aftermarket rotor you recommend (slotted/drilled?)

cM3go

your tires :o

Teh Jatt

what is wrong with tires....? freakin EL42's

vtechbrain

Brembos haven't warped yet . Previous TL-S resurfaced once. Warping usually secondary to spirited driving, slow down!