Have you ever had a problem with your steering wheel moving from right to left when you went to apply the brakes of your car? The reason why, usually in most cases is the rotors in the front brakes are warped. The wheel nuts were improperly torqued when the wheels were put back on and you get uneven pressure on each lug nut.
When you apply the brakes when the rotors get hot and start to warp because of the uneven torque. Your rotors eventually start to warp and get out of round and this is the shimmy you feel on the steering wheel.
Torquing the wheel nuts of your car will make or break how long your brakes last before you need to do them again. A brand new brake job costing you hundreds of dollars without properly torqued wheel nuts will not last as long. Torquing is a simple thing to do but is over looked most of the time.
The only way to fix the shimmy is a new brake job. Try to get new rotors if you can. Machining your warped rotors will make them thinner and will heat up and warp easier. With the lower cost of cheaper imported parts going new might be something to consider. For the little extra money it is well work getting new.
If you get a brake job or get new tires put on your tires or they are rotated or any other reason you take your tires off you car you must ask to get the wheel nuts torqued. When you drop off your car at the repair center ask to get your wheel nuts torqued.
When you pick up your car, ask how much they torqued the wheel nuts too. If you have a torque wrench at home it is a good idea to check it yourself. I have had new snow tires put on and I asked it they were torqued and they said yes. When I went home and checked it, I couldn’t get the wheels off. I ended up snapping off a wheel nut. A great way to find out what the torque would be is too go to your nearest online library and looking for an online manual in the electronic section. My local library has a great online repair manual. You can find one at the Richmond Public library’s website www.yourlibrary.ca.
Making sure your wheel nuts are torqued will increase the life of your brakes but will also allow you to get your wheels off if you ever get a flat.
Use A Torque Wrench To Increase The Life Of Your Brakes