Many people complain that their trucks shake when they apply brakes. Brakes are used to slow down and stop the truck.
Why does my truck shake when I brake? In general, your truck can shake when you apply brakes due to insufficient pressure in the tire and bent rim. Hold the steering wheel and stop the truck if you feel any vibration. In addition, you should check the rotor, brake pads, and timing belt with time to prevent any accident.
The sticking of brake calipers while accelerating also vibrates the truck. You should also check the engine, its spark plugs, and also its filter. The vibration in the brake shudder feels in the steering wheel when brakes are applied.
Why Does My Truck Shake When I Brake?
I have explained 14 reasons due to which the truck shakes when you push the brake. Do not use bad quality parts; otherwise, it creates problems in the vehicle.
Broken Rotors
The rotors are used in the brake system to stop the vehicle. These are circular discs that enable the pickup to slow down and stop it. When the rotor stops, the truck produces heat because kinetic energy converts into potential energy.
Friction produces in the rotor that use to stop the movement of the wheel. There are 4 rotors in the truck that attach to the wheel.
The new rotor has a smooth shape that helps in the smooth performance of the truck. However, if you do not check the rotor after regular intervals, it has rough performance that also affects its braking system.
Always use a high-quality rotor that is coated and has designs to increase the efficiency of your vehicle. The cost of the rotor is around 40$ to 85$, and its labor cost is about 90$ to 100$.
Do not use long pads on the rotor because grooves form when brakes are applied, and metal comes in contact with metal.
Change the rotors after 60,000 to 75,000 miles; otherwise, it can cause this issue. Also, thin rotors produce more heat on the heavy vehicle that can cause rotors to crack.
Prevent rotors from rusting because it weakens them and noise produce when brakes are applied. Do not park your vehicle in the rain for a long time; otherwise, its rotors can rust.
Damage wheel rims
It is the outer part of the wheel that holds the tier. It is a metal part of the wheel, and its central part is called a hub.
The damaged rim does not make smooth contact with the surface. As a result, the bent wheel is dangerous, and it can pinch the tire that can lead to an accident.
During driving, check your wheel rim if you feel shakiness. Remove the hubcaps of your pickup and check the rim wheel if there is any damage.
The steel rim does not bend more quickly than the aluminum rim. However, you feel a vibration in the steering wheel when the front wheel rim is bend.
Insufficient pressure in tiers
The unbalanced tier causes vibration, and when you increase the speed, its vibration also increases.
It can go out of control at high speed when moving with a low-pressure tire. When you drive the vehicle in rough areas, it also causes the unbalancing of the wheel.
When the tier is under pressure or overpressure, it affects the steering wheel’s handling and loses stability.
High pressure in the tier also deforms its shape and leading to a severe accident. Finally, when you use low-quality of tires, it can lead to the poor balance of wheels.
However, in few situations, the wheel pressure is low due to insufficient maintenance of the wheel.
The worst condition of rods leads to the formation of tiny holes in the tiers. All of it combines, and as a result, the air moves out of them.
When the driver stops, there is a visible shaking in the whole procedure. This is because one or two wheels get unbalanced due to unequal pressure in them.
Identify those wheels which have low air pressure and fill them with sufficient air. Weekly maintenance of its tiers helps the driver to resolve these unbalancing issues while braking.
Damaged truck axle
An axle is a rod that connects the wheels and holds their weight. If you drive a vehicle with a damaged axle, it starts vibrating.
When you drive at high speed, it bends axles and causes the shaking of the vehicle. Check the axle when your vehicle hits the bump on the road because it damages its axle.
You can hear the knocking sound when you drive the truck with bad axles.
The small rocks damage your vehicle’s axle, and it starts to vibrate. The constant velocity joint breaks when the axle is damage because it attaches to the axle.
Faulty spark plug
The faulty spark plug is the cause of engine vibration that does not fire every cylinder.
If your spark plug has some problem, then repair it, and install new spark plugs. Old spark plugs consume more fuel and produce uneven sound.
Damage spark plugs vibrate even when it moves at a low speed and shakes them. When you feel difficulty starting the vehicle, this means that the spark plug is not properly working.
Problems in the steering wheel
The steering wheel vibrates when you do not drive the vehicle in one motion. For example, when the truck shakes up and down during driving, you feel the vibration through seats and the steering wheel.
If your control on the steering wheel is low, then the power of the steering pump is down. Therefore, the steering wheel does not shake when you drive the vehicle in one position.
Do not use dirty brake pads because they cause the vibration of the steering wheel. Instead, drive carefully; otherwise, the steering wheel starts to vibrate.
A rubber tripod is another cause of steering wheel shaking in which rubber pads heats up.
Poor Brake calipers
The caliper in the braking system works against the rotor and reduces the speed of the pickup. The caliper works due to the fluid pumping system in the lines when we push the brake.
The hydraulic pressure produces due to fluid in the lines that push the caliper.
When the calipers fail to press the brake then, your steering wheel start to vibrates. When your truck wheel is over-heating, then calipers do not work well.
Leakage in the braking system is due to the pipes that contain fluid which produces hydraulic pressure. As a result, it stops the working of calipers and ceases the braking system.
The vehicle moves left or right when you push the brake because the caliper is out of order. Check the calipers that they are moving, and service them properly.
You need to check the calipers after one year and repair them or reinstall the new caliper. Rusting of calipers damages its efficiency that causes vibration.
Faulty Guide pins
Guide pins guide the machinery parts in a truck that attaches one component to the other.
For example, guide pins are responsible for the brake caliper that pushes the brake pads. Therefore, you should clean and lubricate these pins to prevent friction.
These dry pins affect the brake pads on the rotor that damage it. The vehicle moves toward one side during braking if these pins have some problem.
Dirty Brake pads
The brake pads that are full of dirt and other substances also cause this issue.
When you apply the brake at high speed, your brake pads are not fully functioning, producing vibration.
It does not work and cause shaking of the wheel during the drive properly.
Leak hoses
The coolant system breaks down faster if the temperature of the engine increases. After this, the rusting process starts that blocks the pipes and increases the pressure in the pipes.
The average life of the hose is about 8 to 9 years, but you should check these pipes after 6 to 8 months. The labor cost for the replacement of these hoses is about 80$ to 100$.
Do not drive the pickup with leak hoses; otherwise, it can overheat the engine.
When your engine produces heat, then turn OFF your engine and cool it.
Dents in the Brake discs
It is present on the axle that uses to stop the wheel when you apply the brake. When you hear a harsh metallic noise, then this means that brake discs do not perform the function correctly.
Its thickness is about 3mm to 3.5 mm, and if it is below 3 mm, you need to replace it. Do not drive with the thin brake discs because they break and hit the truck. These discs last for about 90,000 miles to 115,000 miles.
You should check these discs that it is free from dent and grooves to fix this problem.
Timing belt breaks
It is a rubber belt that allows the crankshaft to run the camshaft. The engine does not work correctly if the timing belt breaks.
The timing belt should be replaced after 80,000 miles to 90,000 miles. When you see cuts and cracks on the belt, then replace it with the new timing belt.
The replacement cost of the timing belt is around 400$ to 850$. When you adjust the new timing belt, adjust it with the marks present with a crankshaft.
The timing belt needs proper attention so that it works properly. When you replace the timing belt, set them correctly; otherwise, the engine starts to vibrate.
Air trapped in the truck brakes
When you push the brake and feel smooth, this is due to trapped air in the braking system. This is because it contains hydraulic pressure that is affected by air.
Air makes the brakes less efficient by reducing its pressure, and brakes go too much down.
Attach bleeder to the back of the brakes, and fix the plastic tube to the bleeder. Next, take a bottle and fix this pipe into the bottle, and wrap them tightly.
Bad fuel system
The failure of the fuel system is one of the most significant issues that are due to low-quality fuel.
The electrical faults also affect the fuel pump that lowers the efficiency of the fuel system. When you keep its lines free of air, then it helps keep your pickup running smoothly. A bad fuel fails the filter pump because of undue pressure on the fuel pump motor.
The engine does not start when the fuel system fails, and the fuel pump performance affects the engine power. In addition, the insufficient supply of fuel to the engine may cause misfires.
Replace the fuel filter in the fuel system is the simplest way to repair it. If the fuel pump is not working well, you need to replace the fuel system.
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