I had a vibration when breaking my GS so I thought warped rotors. I got them cut and installed new pads. Now when you drive the car between 60-80mph the steering wheel vibrates. After I read some of the posts I searched people mentioned that you shouldn't turn the GS rotors. Other mentioned that the pretensioner on the steering could be loose. I didn't have the problem prior to the brake job. Should I order new rotors? I have 36K miles on the car. Getting ready to install my new suspension and rims. Can someone please shed some light on this. Thanks in advance!

 

theres two possibilities...
1- the rotors were turned bad
2- u installed the wheel incorrectly.

when installing the wheel make sure the wheel hub is touching the rotor hat... keep it touching by holding it inplace with ur other hand, and then screw the lugs with ur other hand.

 

I guess I can check if the wheels are installed the right way, but how can you check if the rotors are turned right?

 

i don't think you can tell if teh rotors are done right

but if you have vibration without braking, i kinda doubt it's the brakes. check to make sure the wheels are put on correctly, the lug nuts are tightened up in the right order and right tq values

 

L check your pm.

 

I have the same problem on my stock 01 GS430. The steering wheel vibrates between 60 and 65. The car doesn't vibrate when I use the brake.

 

i've always had the vibration on the steering wheel between 60 and 65. When I get an alignment done, the vibration goes away for awhile but it comes back. I guess it doesn't help that my car is lowered...

i've always thought that this vibration was normal... from all the other GS owners who've complained about the vibration... like the condensation headlights.

 

I would make sure the wheels are balanced correctly, just make sure the shop uses the glue on wheel weights that are glued on the inside of the wheel and not the steel weights -it's an inexpensive way that might solve your problem.

 

dont forgot to screw the lugs in a "star" pattern when putting the rim back on.

 

Just like mine before. The car would shake and vibrate at 65 mph. Got the balance and rotation and that fixed the problem
Also, make sure that you're wheels aren't bent just to filter out the possibilities.

Edit: You have vibrations when braking, same thing here, my mechanic machined the rotors, so that fixed the problems when braking also.

 

I'm going to install my new rims and than I'll see what happens. Hopefully it'll go away.

 

I have the same problem being dealt with under warranty so we'll see what they come up with. Of course the first time around they tried to just balance the tires (after I told them it had already been done) that didn't fix it as I already knew it wouldn't. An out of balance tire, warped rotor, bent rim etc. would always have the vibration, at every speed, with a change in frequency proportional to speed. I'm betting on a tie rod end or some other bushing gone bad or the pre tensioner (although I have no clue what its function it : ) It'll be going back to the dealer in a couple weeks.

Kevin

 

I can tell you for sure that number two is definilty a possibility.

I just had my pads adjusted because they were making a clucking sound when cold and now I have a vibration from 50-65MPH that was not there prior to adjustment.

The only thing they did was take off and mount the wheels again.
No balance, no alignment, no rotor turning.

I can bet you 100% that he did not torque the bolts correctly, like in a star pattern as mentioned above.

i'm going in for a full balance and alignment plus putting on hub centering rings. So i guess I will live with it for a few weeks.

 

Lexus specs the washered lug nuts that are equipped on standard wheels to 76 Foot Pounds. Too tight may warp a rotor, tightened in any pattern.

 

My previous set of tires exhibited strange behavior ... they used to change their weight distribution after they warmed up.

When I had them balanced cold they would be fine till the tire warmed up and then they would shake the stearing. One smart mechanic balanced them when they were warmed up and the shake would go away after the tires warmed up.


With the rotor work done, the balance weight may have fallen off or a previously unbalanced tire may have ended up in the front. In any case speed dependant shakes are invariably due to lack of dynamic balancing of the rotating wheel. Wear or loose bushing or tie-rod ends usually give eratic stearing ... need constant pointing.

Salim