Why does the steering wheel shake when braking and how to fix it?

Vibration of various elements of the car inevitably occurs during operation, when the moving parts of the chassis and transmission gradually wear out. But among such malfunctions, there is one dangerous malfunction - the steering wheel wobbles when braking. The more the steering wheel jerks after pressing the brake pedal sharply, the higher the likelihood of losing control and flying off the road at a decent speed. To avoid the described emergency situation, it is worth studying the nature of the problem and how to solve it.

Why does the steering wheel vibrate when braking?

Before self-diagnosis, you should think about what preceded the appearance of the beating. Has the chassis system been repaired or brake pads replaced? It is worth starting to identify the breakdown with replaced parts. They may be made from low quality materials.

It is also important to consider the experience of the technician who performed the repair. Failure to comply with installation technology leads to increased loads. Not only the replaced part suffers, but also the system as a whole.

Did the steering wheel wobble after driving through puddles or fresh snow? Pay attention to the condition of the brake discs. Temperature changes lead to surface deformation.

Does the steering wheel exhibit a large range of motion and become difficult to hold? With a 99% probability, the problem lies in broken brake discs or improper bleeding of the system. In such a situation, urgent repairs are necessary. The wheels react differently when you press the brake pedal. The likelihood of getting into an accident increases, and driving the car becomes uncomfortable even for an experienced driver.

Reasons for vibrations in the steering wheel:

  • Wear of brake discs.
  • Technical condition of the running system.
  • Hernia or deformation of the wheels.
  • Nuts not tightened tightly.

Before detecting deformation of the steering rod or wear of the brake disc, you should pay attention to the fastening of the wheels. In most cases, the cause of wobbling is not that they are poorly secured. But if the problem is just one loose nut, then it will be unpleasant to find out after a full repair.

Improperly performed fluid change or brake bleeding

If you bleed the brakes, but the pedal still falls, this indicates a failure to comply with the procedure.
The sequence of actions differs for right- and left-hand drive cars, and each individual car model may have its own characteristics. In this case, you need to check the correctness of execution, or contact a specialized service center. Many experts prefer to use special pumping equipment for pumping. It allows you to create higher pressure in the system and make the hydraulics work as efficiently as possible. After bleeding the brakes in the usual way by pressing the pedal, the brakes often become sluggish and require repeating the procedure.

How to detect wear on brake discs?


Before repairing, it is necessary to diagnose the breakdown. Is it just the steering wheel that vibrates? The likely cause is wear of the front brake discs or the system as a whole. Has the brake pedal also changed its behavior? Pay attention to the rear braking system.

The handbrake can be used to determine the malfunction. If the vibration stops when using it, then you should look for a problem in the front brake system. Is there any beat left? Examine the technical condition of the rear brake discs and the system as a whole. The procedure allows you to determine the location of deformed parts.

Next, you should test the wheels or study the appearance of the brake discs. Raise the car on a jack and remove it from gear. If the rear axle is suspected, then the handbrake must be lowered. Spin the wheel. Is the rotation uneven and changing intensity in the same place? The problem has been identified. If the test result is negative, move on to the next wheel.

The appearance of the brake disc says a lot about its technical condition. Noticed cracks, unevenness or chips? Replacement or grooving is required, depending on the situation. The presence of a bluish tint on the surface is a sign of overheating.

When inspecting, pay attention to the brake calipers. It's unlikely, but they can also cause vibrations in the steering wheel.

Know-how

Carrying out all of the above yourself means losing a colossal amount of effort and time. Without experience in this area, you should seek help from professionals who will help you save money and quickly troubleshoot problems, after which the vibration will stop. In addition, you will have to take responsibility for possible problems due to improper self-repair.

We offer the website Uremont.com. Here users find the highest quality car repair companies. The resource constantly updates information for a more accurate understanding of the reputation of services. The aggregator will allow you to order a service directly on the website and not waste time in line.

How to determine wear of the chassis and other breakdowns?


Is the failure at the front, but the tested discs are in perfect condition? A visual inspection of the chassis system allows you to find a breakdown. Tie rods and ends are likely causes of steering wheel wobble.

It will be difficult for an inexperienced person to notice the deformation of the structure. But if you notice unnatural bends, then the reason for the vibrations becomes clear. In less severe cases, it is necessary to rely on inspection and evaluation of the system as a whole.

A herniated or deformed tire is easily detected visually even by an inexperienced driver. There shouldn't be any problems with this. If there is no visible damage, it will be useful to remove the wheel and examine the surface from the inside.

conclusions

Any breakdown of a vehicle requires urgent and high-quality repairs. It is important to understand that all parts, especially in the chassis system, are subject to very significant and constant loads. If you refuse repair work, you may face huge financial costs in the future. In addition, this may affect the safety of the vehicle. Steering wheel vibration also has a detrimental effect on the ease of driving the car.

Sources

  • https://autochainik.ru/bienie-rulya-pri-tormozhenii.html
  • https://www.syl.ru/article/207313/new_bet-rul-pri-tormojenii-na-bolshoy-skorosti
  • https://AutoTopik.ru/diagnostika-neispravnostei/1289-bet-rul-pri-tormozhenii.html
  • https://AvtoNov.com/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B1%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F-%D1%80%D1%83% D0%BB%D1%8F-%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B8-%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%B6%D0%B5% D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B8/
  • https://howcarworks.ru/%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%81/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B1%D1%80% D0%B0%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F-%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%B8-%D0%B1%D1%8C%D1%91%D1%82-%D1%80 %D1%83%D0%BB%D1%8C-%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B8-%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%B6 %D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B8-%D0%B2-%D1%87%D1%91%D0%BC-%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%B3%D1% 83%D1%82-%D0%B1%D1%8B%D1%82%D1%8C-%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1% 8B
  • https://mojcar.ru/ustrojstva-avtomobilya/podveska-i-rulevoe/pri-tormozhenii-bet-v-rul.html
  • https://olade.ru/tryaska-rulya-vo-vremya-tormozheniya-simptomy-i-ustranenie
  • https://DriverTip.ru/repair/pri-tormozhenii-poyavlyaetsya-bienie-rulya.html
  • https://uremont.com/publications/articles/bienie-rulya-pri-tormozhenii
  • https://auto-gl.ru/4-osnovnye-prichiny-bieniya-i-vibracii-rulya-pri-tormozhenii-i-2-sposoba-ih-ustraneniya/

How to solve the problem with vibrations in the steering wheel?

When brake discs wear out, there are 2 ways to solve the problem. Grooving and replacement. By changing an element of the system, you can forget about the steering wheel beating for a long time. Grooving allows you to get rid of vibrations and keep your budget safe. But the working life of the disk will decrease and a repeat procedure may soon be required.

It is recommended to replace on both sides at the same time. This way you will achieve the best effect and eliminate steering wheel beating.

Deformation of the steering rod, ends, brake calipers - replacement of the part that has become unusable is mandatory. Actions to give the spare part its original technical characteristics are doomed to failure. The effectiveness of such measures is extremely low.

In situations with tire damage, everything depends on the degree of wear and experience of the technician. Often the problem is resolved quickly and without undue burden on the budget.

Where does steering wheel wobble come from?

Steering wheel beating at the moment of braking means spontaneous jerking of the steering wheel in different directions.
In especially advanced cases, the vibration is so strong that the driver has to literally catch the car on the road. At speeds above 50 km/h, the phenomenon creates a real danger for vehicle passengers. Since the steering wheel is rigidly connected to the front wheel hubs through a rack and ball ends, the source of the problem must be sought in the chassis and braking system of the car. The main causes of strong vibration lie in various defects of the brake disc:

  • the working part of the product is deformed and has a wavy surface;
  • due to the impact, the disk was damaged and cracked;
  • The spare part was originally defective or installed incorrectly.

It is no coincidence that the front brake discs are named as the culprits. As soon as the working surface of the part changes its shape a little or gets a defect, after the pads are activated, the front wheels will begin to wobble, repeating the rotation of the uneven element. The steering wheel hits even harder when braking at high speed, as the speed of the front wheels increases.

How a wave-like deformation appears on a disk:

  1. As the car moves, the elements are repeatedly captured by the pads and can become very hot.
  2. The temperature is distributed unevenly over the surface; accordingly, the metal in different parts of the part expands more or less.
  3. If, at the moment of maximum heating, the wheel falls into a puddle or snow, the metal cools sharply and retains its concave shape.
  4. The brake pads grip the disc and force the wheel to follow the path of rotation of the deformed surface. This is why the steering wheel shakes when braking.


Steering wheel runout also appears after the element is incorrectly fastened or in the presence of a manufacturing defect, when the surface of the spare part is initially curved.

Why are vibrations in the steering wheel when braking dangerous?

In most cases, the breakdown does not require immediate repair. By eliminating emergency braking, the car can be used even for several years. But there is an increased load on the chassis system, it is important to realize this.

By refusing to make repairs, you may end up having to spend a lot of money in the future. An important aspect is the pleasure derived from driving a car. The vibration of the steering wheel does not allow you to fully enjoy the trip.

The optimal solution in this situation is to carry out repairs if funds are available. The problem does not require urgent replacement of parts. But by constantly postponing repairs, you reduce your comfort and increase its cost.

Should you pay attention to the runout if it does not interfere with your ride?

In the event of steering vibration or its transmission throughout the entire body of the car, it would be safer not to bring the situation to a critical level, but to contact a specialist. As a rule, the problem does not require a solution as quickly as possible - you can drive with it for months (and sometimes years). On the other hand, it should be remembered that if the nuts are not tightened properly, the behavior of the brake disc may be unpredictable, which affects driving safety. At the same time, the beating also loads the parts of the chassis system: shock absorbers, steering, parts of the hub - and in the event of a breakdown, all these elements (as well as their replacement) will not be cheap.

In addition to the above, we note that beating at high speed is very dangerous - strong vibration can lead to loss of control of the car, and, as a result, to an accident. Driving in itself is already a source of increased danger for the driver and others. In this regard, it is better not to skimp on eliminating the causes of vibration.

By the way, many motorists don’t even realize how ridiculous they look from the outside with a vibrating steering wheel; remember this when you drive your family or just give a ride to a fellow traveler - from the outside, a shaking steering wheel looks very noticeable.

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