Warped Rotors - Help!

[TheSilkySmooth]

After the Toyota dealer did the 30K sevice and rotated my tires, I had to slow quick to get an exit on the expressway - now my rotors are warped bad. This is causing a lot of shaking in the steering. Should I pull the wheels?

[TheSilkySmooth]

can the wrong lug nut torque be the cause of this - when they rotated the tires?

[TheSilkySmooth]

I just jacked the car and retorqued the lug nuts. One nut on the DS wheel was very tight. thats all i found. Hope this helps. If not maybe the dealer will warranty them since the brake pad life was less then 1/2 worn when they inspected them last month.

[TheSilkySmooth]

retorquing helpd a LOT but not a complete cure. Tolerable now though. I love talking to myself ;)

[matanfr]

silkysmooth,
go to a dealership or a shop specialzed in tires and check the balance and braking momentum and direction using a special machine.i think the dealership screwed your car's balance and wheel alignment.

[1stToyota]

They shouldn't have messed up the alignment or balance if all they did was a rotation; probably would have to check repair order to be sure. They probably don't like wasting the extra time to grab up a torque-stick or torque wrench, so that could have been part of the problem, as you already suspected. I'd have the run-out checked if the problem is still there.

[matanfr]

1st toyota,if the dealership rotated the tires,i think they switched positions (the manual in my yaris states that a switch of the tires must be applied,i.e front right goes to lower left) and messed up the balance and alignment. applying additional torque CAN prevent additional turns of the tire around it's axis (like an "8" form if you look from the side and back) but can't prevent the additional pressure applied by a bad-aligned tire and tire-plate.

[1stToyota]

Or we can keep it simple:

-over torqued [warped hub flange/rotor]
-not torqued [uneven torque]
-rotation [shouldn't make noticeable difference in balance - unless they removed/added weight on purpose...shouldn't effect alignment - unless there's noticeable uneven tread wear]

[TheSilkySmooth]

I had NEW tires put on (snows off the OEM rims w/ TPMS) and had an alignment done. This car had NO problems until I brought it to the dealer for its "first service". I think they break things to drum up business. Seem to happen to every car Ive owned! So: overheating, bad alignment , warped rotors, missing coolant, scratched hood ..... what next? I worry since my 3/36 B.B is up in a month or so.

[etheliters]

Same dealer every time?

[1stToyota]

I had NEW tires put on (snows off the OEM rims w/ TPMS) and had an alignment done. This car had NO problems until I brought it to the dealer for its "first service". I think they break things to drum up business. Seem to happen to every car Ive owned! So: overheating, bad alignment , warped rotors, missing coolant, scratched hood ..... what next? I worry since my 3/36 B.B is up in a month or so.

If they did all that then Matanfr could be right about the dealership *screwing your car's balance and wheel alignment" ...or maybe even bent one of your rims, depending on what sort of tire machine they use. :iono:
I think I'd have one of the employees at the dealership go with you for a test drive and see what they want to do about those new problems.

[TheSilkySmooth]

Now I cant get out of work to do any of this.

[YarisSedan]

Most likely what happend is one of the wheel weights has either fallen off the back wheels or was improperly imbalanced. Once they are rotated to the front and if they are imbalanced. You will have a vibration issue at high speeds that will be clearly felt through the steering wheel. I run a automotive shop and i can say atleast once every other week i have a customer that comes back complaining of a vibration in the steering wheel at high speeds after we perform our oil change with tire rotation service.

After performing a wheel balance the issue is correct. Nothing that is done wrong on the service stations fault. If things were put back to the way they were the vibration issue would go away.

Now if you have a vibration issue when braking that is a total different story. That would indicate overtightend wheels that warped the rotors. But if you are feeling it in the steering wheel they have to be severely warped. You would have the pedal pulsating as if the ABS was coming on all the time when you brake. If not its a simple tire balance issue. Either take it back to the dealer and have them do a tire balance or the place that installed your tires for you. Most tire places put the 2 worse improperly balanced tires in the back when installed a set of new tires. So any minor vibration wont happen for awile. Apparently yours was more than jsut a little off.

[TheSilkySmooth]

Tires were not rotated. Wheel balance feels OK ( not PERFECT but livable). I'm not wild about the new pirelli p4 season on this car (they were GREAT on the rav4!) Do yaris rear drums pop right off or are they held on by the wheel bearing ? - maybe the dealer over-torqued the rear drum wheel bearing nut after a rear brake inspection. This all relate to my other thread about a "airplanne propeller" noise the car is making now at 40 -50 mph. Guessing it Must be a badwheel bearing or CV.

[cali yaris]

the rear drums come right off unless road debris/rust has got them stuck. There are two threaded holes you can use bolts in there to force them off.

[MUSKOKA800]

The Yaris wheel lug torque rating is only 75 lb/ft which is lower than other vehicles I've owned.
The lugs should be torqued in steps using a criss-cross pattern to max. 75 lb/ft. I've never seen a shop torque in steps. A grease monkey with an impact gun may have over torqued your wheels and distorted your once fine rotors. Ford Windstars were famous for this occuring. I'd be pissed!
This is why is save money, time and hassle by doing most repairs and all maintenance myself in the driveway. Oh, I so miss having a garage.

[dingbat]

After the Toyota dealer did the 30K sevice and rotated my tires, I had to slow quick to get an exit on the expressway - now my rotors are warped bad. This is causing a lot of shaking in the steering. Should I pull the wheels?

Did the shaking start after the hard breaking? Hard breaking while turning can warp a rotor, especially if it's over/improperly torqued. Don't ask me why it happens, but I've done it myself on a couple of different vehichles.

Improper torquing can cause a warped rotor. Some older Subarus were especialy prone to this. Had a spec. of 65 ft/lbs. Barely past hand tight. Scary.:eek:

You said you have Pirellis? Check your tires very carefully for distortions in the sidewall and tread that could indicate a seperated belt. Of course, this would most likely cause symtoms all the time not just while breaking.

[TheSilkySmooth]

the rear drums come right off unless road debris/rust has got them stuck. There are two threaded holes you can use bolts in there to force them off. Thanks for this:w00t: At least now I know now that the dealer didnt torque the rear wheel bearing too much during the safety brake check (they measure remaining lining thickness).

[PhillyG]

T
The lugs should be torqued in steps using a criss-cross pattern to max. 75 lb/ft. I've never seen a shop torque in steps. A grease monkey with an impact gun may have over torqued your wheels and distorted your once fine rotors. Ford Windstars were famous for this occuring. I'd be pissed!
This is why is save money, time and hassle by doing most repairs and all maintenance myself in the driveway. Oh, I so miss having a garage.

im a grease monkey... i torque in steps....but you are correct.. a LOT of shops dont.. i just prefer to take that extra 8 seconds per car and do it right. 2 secs per wheel isnt too much. techs probably get tired of having someone stare at them while they work. doesnt bother me

[1stToyota]

Same here. Regular steel lug nuts always get torque-sticked. Aluminum wheels always get torque-wrenched w/ special mag sockets. Sleeved nuts get torque-wrenched.

While I'm at it, always check the balance [no extra charge] when doing rotations; takes less than 5 minutes but well worth my time to avoid the hated come-backs.

[TheSilkySmooth]

This was NEW tires and NO rotation. Balance is OK - could be better, but Im not liking these tires on this car (pirelli P4 seasons). So far my Firestone SNOWS (winterforce) have been best by far !!?

[PhillyG]

This was NEW tires and NO rotation. Balance is OK - could be better, but Im not liking these tires on this car (pirelli P4 seasons). So far my Firestone SNOWS (winterforce) have been best by far !!?

ya gotta start small with things like these... take each tire off individually.. check for rust around the pilot bore..(if there is some.. wire brush it off) remount the tires and torque appropriately in steps.. it really could be that simple. if that is not it.. then you really might have warped rotors. got a dial indicator? if so.. check the rotors when you have the wheel off.. if not.. take it to a tire shop you trust..(i know thats not sayin much but...) usually the problem can be found with the process of elimination.

[PhillyG]

ps.. if the problem only occurs when you brake then it is in the braking system.. if it occurs at any given time (even when not on the brakes) then it is usually in the tire/wheel combo.

[fe550]

PhillyG is right. the big question is ...does this shaking occur when braking only? I'm a mechanic and the 1st I do after some yahoo at the dealership or alignment shop touches my vehicals - is get home and re-torque all the lugs. Because, yes, unevenly torqued lug nuts will warp rotors after heating and cooling cycles. After working in shops for the past 15 years i wouldn't take my car to the dealership if oil changes were free!