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2003 Ford Focus Noticable Vibration when Braking right afte

Tiny
KEVIN0787
  • MEMBER
  • 2003 FORD FOCUS
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 91,800 MILES
I just got my whole rear brake system done. New drums, brake shoes, and wheel cylinders (the old wheel cylinders were leaking). I got the car back and started driving it home, and noticed when braking that the car was now shaking! The shaking does not feel like it is coming through the steering wheel. It feels like it is the whole back end that is shaking now.

When I am applying the brake pedal now at low speeds (10mph or less), it feels like the brakes are only working half the time. I can feel that the brakes grab and release, grab, release, like they are only braking over half the braking surface.

Also, when I took the car in, the emergency/parking brake had pressure to it. I could pull it maybe a few clicks before it was tight. Now I can pull it all the way up without problem. Any ideas on what the shop did wrong that would be causing all this? I'd like to know what to kind of tell them so I don't have to go back to them several times to figure it out. Thank you!
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Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 AT 9:33 AM

7 Replies

Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
One or both of the new drums is warped, have them put on another set, and tell them to test drive the car B4 you get it back! Poor workmanship! As for the parking brake, the rear brakes aren't adjusted properly.
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Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 AT 9:50 AM
Tiny
KEVIN0787
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Is there any way for me to prove this to them? I would like to get it done right this time, and don't want them to tell me it is something else and replace the wrong thing. Thanks!
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Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 AT 10:15 AM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
A warped drum is easy to spot on a brake lathe, But ANY good mechanic would know if the vibration is felt in the seat, it's rear brakes, if felt in the steering and brake pedal, it's front. Print this and take it with you! I've done brakes for many years, maybe longer than your mechanic's been alive!
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Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 AT 10:56 AM
Tiny
KEVIN0787
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
I have brought it to the attention of the shop that did the work, and they have contacted me back. They are saying the mechanic test drove the car after the brakes were done, and that it drove fine. They also installed new tires for the car when I went to pick it up, and said that two of the rims were bent on the inside.

The shop is now trying to say that the brakes are fine, and that the problem is with bent wheels.

Does this make sense to you?
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Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 AT 2:27 PM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
Did it have the problem before the brakes were fixed? If so, then bent rims could do it, but you would probably feel something during normal driving as well as when braking.
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Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 AT 5:14 PM
Tiny
KEVIN0787
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
That is my issue with what they are saying to me. The car drove very smoothly before the work was done. Now that the work is done the drive is still smooth, except for when I am braking.
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Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 AT 5:18 PM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
Try this then, rotate the tires and see if the problem moves up front, or Jack up a rear wheel off the ground, spin it and watch, a bent rim is VERY noticeable.
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Thursday, May 13th, 2010 AT 5:33 PM

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