My Steering Wheel Shake Vibration findings

Bout damn time it got nice enough outside in Nebraska to work on my car. I have been chomping at the bit to solve my steering wheel shake problem when i apply the brakes any time over 70mph.

So here was the problem...at any speed over 70, if I would hit the brakes somewhat hard....the steering wheel would shake pretty aggressively. Well at 110 and stepping on the brakes hard....it felt like my car was going to fly apart. it was quite a dramatic vibration....so bad, I had to let off the brakes.

Well, I wanted to try everything before I bought new rotors.

Upon very close inspection, I found a fairly thick layer of rust on the front wheel hub flat surface, the inside of the brake rotor, the outside of the brake rotor, and even the inside of my aluminum wheels where it touches the brake rotor. My car came from north dakota, so I think it had a couple hard winters with salt.

Well I spent about 2 hours cleaning all those surfaces with Navel Jelly rust remover, and a sharp metal scraper...like a wood chisel. With all the surfaces nice, bright and shiny like new, I put things back together.

I made sure to index the rotors..(watch a youtube video) if you don't know what this is. It does make a difference. You will need a dial guage.

But once I cleaned ALL the rust down to bare clean metal on ALL the mating surfaces and indexed the rotors.....at 110 with the brakes applied hard...there is only the slightest hint of vibration! Wahoo! That vibration was pissing me off. Glad to have it fixed. Fuggin rust!