2003 MGM shivers when braking

[mgmgermany]

Hi,
my 2003MGM has now 45000 miles. I encountered some shivering when applying the brakes, especially when braking down fom higher speeds (80/90mph). Seems to come from the front. Changed the front rotors and pads, inspected the brake pistons carefully, everything is fine.
Brake job helped, but after 2-3 days the shivering was back.
Put her on a brake test stand and she performed absolutely smooth. No shivering on the brake stand indicator needles.

It is all fine while driving, shivering appears only when pushing the brake.

Visually the rubbers on the front axle assembly still all look good.

Any idea where to start with this issue?

Thank you !

JoJo

[DriverSideImpact98]

Good start!

BUT, a little more clarification would be good. What kind of a shivering is it? A light vibrating? Heavy vibrating? Does the pedal pulse? Is it a jerking feeling? Up and down motion? Side to side? Any noises, clunks/clanks/squeaks/etc.

Does anything else appear to be wrong? Any other symptoms?

Did you check the brake fluid? Is it low or dirty/discolored? I would flush the brake fluid... brake fluid can lose its some of it's effectiveness if it gets old and dirty.

Check the alignment. Caster, camber, and/or toe can affect more than just steering. Check the suspension components, all the steering components, sway bars/sway bar links.

[79lincolnlover]

Worn calipers?

[mgmgermany]

Sivering symptoms

Hi,
the shivering symptom is a light steering wheel vibration plus a kind of very light pulsing from the brake pedal. No up & down moves, no noises. No other symptoms.
1st visual check for the alignment is checking the treadwear of the tires: that is perfectly equal worn from the inside to the outside.

Alright, the brake fluid job is on my list for the tune-up service next week together with oil and ATF change. Brake fluid looks really dirty.

Has anyone the alignment data for me, please? They are not in the databases of German alignment stands.....

Thank you.

JoJo

[85crownHPP]

Sounds like typical front brake rotor pulsation to me... the rotors get out of round and do what you describe when you hit the brakes.
Take it to a brake shop and have them machine them flat again if they can, or replace them if they are too thin or too rusty. Replace the pads too if they are more than half worn out, it should not cost you very much more labor.

[mgmgermany]

@85 crown: done that:
Changed the front rotors and pads, inspected the brake pistons carefully, everything is fine.
Brake job helped, but after 2-3 days the shivering was back.
Put her on a brake test stand and she performed absolutely smooth. No shivering on the brake stand indicator needles.

Next I will change the rear rotors and pads and the brake fluid. Had quite the same prob with my wife`s 1990 Mercedes, there the rear brake job solved the problem.

JoJo

[mgmgermany]

Hello guys,
just wanted to report: PROBLEM SOLVED ! After changing the rear rotors and pads she is smooth like a baby when applying the brakes. So the "Mercedes recipe" helped. The rear rotors and pads were not even 50% used; especially the rotors were paralell and absolutely even worn. They had a BOSCH printing on them, so I suppose these werent the OEM`s anymore (at 35K with what I bought the car). What I stumbled upon ist that the "stainless steel rails" where the pads are sliding on had quite an amount of surface corrosion in the area where the pads are touching the rails. Maybe that caused an inapropriate movement of the pads and that caused the shivering.
All mounting of the new parts was done with PLASTILUBE hi-temp grease (in the right places of course) after polishing the stainless rail covers.

Maybe someone with similar problems may find this solution helpful.

Greets from the other side of the pond

JoJo

[85crownHPP]

d'oh, I missed that you already replaced the front in your first post...

That's odd the problem in the rear made the steering wheel shake, usually it only does that when its in the front.
Glad you got it fixed!