LoneSStar

02 camaro ss, i just replaced my front rotors and pads because i had bad vibration in the steering wheel under braking conditions,and yesterday i was playing around with a new 5.0 on the freeway and we got up to about 110mph and a truck way up ahead moved into my lane so i got on the brakes and my car started swerving back and forth really hard!! scared the S**T outta me! i serioulsy thought i was about to hit the wall !!!!!even the guy in the mustang was like WTF!!! that was my first hard brake since the new rotors and pads,, i admit they are cheap *** pads from the local parts store but i didnt think they would almost cause me to wreck my f-ing car!! no abs lights came on when it happend..and i bled the brakes and changed the fluid when i did the rotors(even used tech 2 to make sure no air was in system)..brakes always felt much better after i changed rotors and still do even after the incident on the freeway! it was just that one high speed hard brake??? help me out guys.. ill just dive it like a cadillac till i figure it out!LOL.. i really would hate to spend thousands on baer brakes and rotors just to end this issue! sorry for the long post ...
thanx for your time!!!!!

JimMueller

iTrader: (9)

I don't think there is an ABS light, but there is a Low Trac light which comes on when the ABS activates. How did the pedal feel, was it firm? Did it go to the floor? Did the tires lock up and skid, or did they not lock up and the car just horribly slow to decelerate? Did you feel any pulsing in the pedal? Can you confirm the ABS sensors on your front hubs are properly connected? Fluid level in the resevoir appropriate and/or no leaks? Did you clean any cosmolene off the rotors before installation and bedding? How did you bed in the pads?

You don't need a fancy BBK unless your rotors can't dissipate the heat fast enough due to recurring high speed stops (like at a road course). Good tires & good pads are all you should need along with a properly maintained system.

LoneSStar

the pedal was firm,no pulsating.. car slowed decent ..hard to remember cuz i was S**ting my pants!!,proper fluid level.. no low track light., tires did not lock up, or skid,abs sensors are install properly and functioning,.no leaks.,clean rotors with brake clean before install.. as far as bedding i just did some normal stop and go around the parking lot... .. i forgot to mention the rotors are some cheap off brand, i researched on here before i bought them and some members said not to cheap out on rotors because of the notorious brake fade! ,, everything felt normal but i did need to slow down fast and as i buried my foot into the pedal the car started swerving very hard ! and stoped once i slowed down enough to let off the pedal????really dont wanna go thru that again

JimMueller

iTrader: (9)

I tend to believe rotors are disposable... just get cheap normal rotors, not drilled or slotted. What brand/model of pads did you install?

So it was pulling from side to side? If it was just pulling to one side then it would seem like an uneven application of braking force at the caliper... like a seized caliper guide pin or stuck caliper piston. How much testing time did you put on the new brakes before the high speed stop? With the front end jacked up, do both wheels spin freely? After driving around normally, do you find that one wheel is significantly hotter to the touch than the other?

It could be a combination of suspension, steering or brakes honestly. It might be most effective to take it to a local shop.

LoneSStar

yeah pulling hard from side to side .. just regular oreilley brake pads ... and honestly not really much time braking in the rotors, thanx for the help by the way

SteveC

I believe what you experienced is called "brake fade", where one side of the brakes grabs more than the other.

Only idiots drive their vehicles on public roads @ that speed, maybe GOD was trying to tell you something.