2005 Silverado 1500 steering wheel shake after replacing brake pads

[Jared Anderson]

Hello, I have a 2005 Silverado 1500 work truck that I recently replaced the brake pads in. I replaced the rotors about a month and a half ago due to shaking when braking and this solved that issue. I noticed my pads were starting to get pretty worn so I replaced those this past weekend. Since replacing them the steering wheel shakes or wobbles while driving. This is especially noticeable between like 25 and 70 mph and seems to go away or at least dampen while braking so I do not believe it to be the rotors. The truck doesn't seem to pull one way or the other either, just a constant shake in the steering wheel. Any thoughts as to why this could happen after installing new pads?

[CamGTP]

Recheck everything to make sure it's tight. The constant shake to me says that it's a wheel/tire problem. Loose wheel, missing wheel weights or a tire that is separating.

[Jared Anderson]

When doing the brakes I torqued everything to spec so everything should be tight. I am thinking about going and have the balance checked on tires as that is all I could come up with too. Like maybe a weight came off while removing/replacing them.

[richard wysong]

sounds like the wheel didn't seat properly . checking the balance should take care of it or show the bad tire

[dna9656]

I am a former ASE brakes system certified mechanic, that was a long time ago but basics don't change much.

How experienced are at working on vehicles? Always follow a manual, Haynes, Motor, Chilton, others. Always do things EXACTLY as described, if you don't have a torque wrench get one and learn to use it.

While using old pads on new drums or rotors will work it's not recommended because they impart any flaws, grooves etc. they have to your new rotors. Technically you should get your new rotors turned (re-machined( because you re-used your old rotors) before installing the new pads because turning the rotors makes them thinner, shortening their service life and why would you want to start new brakes with less than perfect parts? It's the brakes, it's what stops the vehicle. That's important.

You could have worn tie rod ends, worn rack and pinion unit, a worn out wheel hub, a de-laminating tire, the tire could be out of balance but I doubt it so long as you haven't lost a balance weight. Are you sure the wheels are installed correctly? Parts like the caliper, the caliper bracket could be loose.

[swathdiver]

11 hours ago, Jared Anderson said:

Hello, I have a 2005 Silverado 1500 work truck that I recently replaced the brake pads in. I replaced the rotors about a month and a half ago due to shaking when braking and this solved that issue. I noticed my pads were starting to get pretty worn so I replaced those this past weekend. Since replacing them the steering wheel shakes or wobbles while driving. This is especially noticeable between like 25 and 70 mph and seems to go away or at least dampen while braking so I do not believe it to be the rotors. The truck doesn't seem to pull one way or the other either, just a constant shake in the steering wheel. Any thoughts as to why this could happen after installing new pads?

Clean and grease the slides and pins?  Did you use the screw that secures the rotor to the hub or was it missing?  Next thing to do is check the runout of the rotor on the car with a dial indicator.  Sign up for a subscription to the shop manual at  AllDataDIY.

[newdude]

13 hours ago, Jared Anderson said:

Since replacing them the steering wheel shakes or wobbles while driving. This is especially noticeable between like 25 and 70 mph and seems to go away or at least dampen while braking so I do not believe it to be the rotors. The truck doesn't seem to pull one way or the other either, just a constant shake in the steering wheel. Any thoughts as to why this could happen after installing new pads?

 

 

I'd pull the wheels and check everything for tightness and correct install.  If you apply the brakes and it settles or stops the shake, that leads be to believe something possibly might not be tight.  

 

Did the pistons retract freely in the calipers?  

Edited November 1, 2021 by newdude

[Jared Anderson]

Update:

So after talking both sides apart and re-torquing the shake was still there. I took my truck to the local Firestone complete auto-care center to have it inspected and tires rotated. The only thing they could come up with was a small amount of play in my lower control arm bushings... I left stumped as I did not believe that this would cause my issue. I had new tires put on the truck about a week later and the shake was gone when I drove home. When I was taking my old tires out of the truck I noticed one didn't roll evenly. Turns out I had a broken belt in one of the tires and both myself and the folks at Firestone didn't notice it. With the new tires the truck drives great and the shake is gone. It must've just been a coincidence that the belt broke right about the time I did the new brakes. 

[swathdiver]

14 hours ago, Jared Anderson said:

Update:

So after talking both sides apart and re-torquing the shake was still there. I took my truck to the local Firestone complete auto-care center to have it inspected and tires rotated. The only thing they could come up with was a small amount of play in my lower control arm bushings... I left stumped as I did not believe that this would cause my issue. I had new tires put on the truck about a week later and the shake was gone when I drove home. When I was taking my old tires out of the truck I noticed one didn't roll evenly. Turns out I had a broken belt in one of the tires and both myself and the folks at Firestone didn't notice it. With the new tires the truck drives great and the shake is gone. It must've just been a coincidence that the belt broke right about the time I did the new brakes. 

Happens more often than you think!

[Supreme Pizza]

Rotate your front tires to the back. The, drive the truck in a strait line and recreate the shaking. Then turn the truck 45 degrees  (take a street to the left or right) and recreate the shaking. Then make another turn in the same direction and recreate the shake. The purpose is to re-orient the rotors in relationship to each other. If making turns changes the wobble, then at least 2 rotors are warped. If it makes no difference at all, then you either have (1) or possibly (0) rotors that are warped. Two warped rotors can work together to eliminate the shake, or they can work against each other to make the shake much worse. Turning corners changes the orientation of the rotors in relation to each other. This is not a way to 100% identify the problem. Its just one test that can be combined with logical deduction and other tests to work toward finding the solution. You can also raise a wheel off the ground and spin it real fast while watching the brake pads with a flashlight. Does the rotor move the pads around at all? Any gap between the rotor and pads after spinning?