Brake pedal pulsing after brake job

[Mighty.Mighty_XJ]

I need some quick answers please, if anyone's paying attention ...

I got new rear brake pads installed this morning and then I checked/tightened the lug nuts on the front wheels. Wheels are aluminum. Front brakes were not touched. On the way home the brake pedal pulsed when I applied the brakes. Can anyone suggest a reason for this? I don't have ABS and this didn't happen before the brake job. There was no time to return to the shop (I went to work & I'm still there). What can I do to correct this? XJ's loaded on the trailer; I'll do what needs to be done when I get to my destination.

Thx

 

[winterbeater]

Were the rear drums turned or replaced? They are now out of round, not concentric to the center, or mis-torqued (making them not true to the center. Pull on your e-brake and see if it has the same effect.

 

[old_man]

So you have disc brakes on the rear?

 

[Talyn]

x2... do you have rear discs... because you said pads... drums have shoes, discs have pads.

If discs... did you thoroughly wash the rotor? i.e. using dish detergent and water, not just brake cleaner?

Did you do a proper bed in procedure?

What did you torque the lugnuts to?

 

[Mighty.Mighty_XJ]

Sorry for the poor terminology. I have drums in the rear.

I did not do the job myself, so I can't answer the questions about procedure.

Were the rear drums turned or replaced? They are now out of round, not concentric to the center, or mis-torqued (making them not true to the center. Pull on your e-brake and see if it has the same effect.

And if it does, what's my next move?
I can certainly retorque the lugs myself tomorrow. If the drums are out of round, how badly will this affect stopping on rocky trails? There is no time to correct this before I leave as the Jeep is already on the trailer & because I am leaving early in the morning. (sorry for my delayed responses - I am at work).

 

[Talyn]

The pulsing.. is it coming through the steering as well, or you seat? If its the seat and NOT the wheel its your rear brakes.

If it is the rear brakes, and you paid for the work take it back and tell them to make it right.

 

[Mighty.Mighty_XJ]

The pulsing.. is it coming through the steering as well, or you seat? If its the seat and NOT the wheel its your rear brakes.

If it is the rear brakes, and you paid for the work take it back and tell them to make it right.

Only the brake pedal pulses, not the seat, not the steering. Please read my posts - I cannot take it back. I discovered the problem leaving from the shop and on my way to work. I am still at work. I am packed & loaded for a trip, the XJ is on the trailer & I leave in the morning. I will have to make adjustments myself if possible. Hence this thread. Thanks for the responses so far.

 

[Talyn]

Since you are pressed for time you can replace the drums your self, if that is your problem, which I think it is judging from your description. If you aren't up for that drive it as it is. Call the shop, explain your problem and situation and have they fix their error when you get back. While it is not idea you know the problem is there and can be prepared for it, and it shouldn't cause a problem.

As far as the shop's work, if they don't want to fix it on your schedule, and you paid for it with a card you and always deny the charge and at least get your money back.

 

[Banditt007]

If it is from the back, check that the installers didn't learn from the last jack ass that owned my jeep.... installing both large shoes on one side and both smaller shoes on the other :doh: THis resulted in touchy lock up in damp conditions, of the side w/ the two large shoes, as well as shaking/warped feeling so bad as to move the steering wheel.....even though it was all from the back!!!! E-brake test will tell you if its def from the back.

Big shoe goes in the back, small one in the rear!!!

 

[Mighty.Mighty_XJ]

Thanks guys.:wave1:
I'm leaving work now, and since my home 'puter crashed :bawl:, I won't have any internet access for a couple of days.

 

[keep0njeepin0n]

I'd be willing to bet he just got the shoes replaced! I see this all the time at my shop, I give people an estimate to have it done right, and they say, "I ain't paying that, just hang pads (shoes), and get me outta here." I ALWAYS inform them that if they do if half-a**ed, then there is no warranty. About 50% of the time, they'll call back and complain about a squeak or shimmy....ok, come back and we can turn those rotors for ya for the price I quoted you earlier....well isn't this under warranty???

Anyway, to the OP, when you DO get back on, just call the shop and see if they'll look at it when you get back. A good shop will have a warranty unless you declined the work to be done the proper way, and wanted to cheap out!

 

[stroked88]

If it is from the back, check that the installers didn't learn from the last jack ass that owned my jeep.... installing both large shoes on one side and both smaller shoes on the other :doh: THis resulted in touchy lock up in damp conditions, of the side w/ the two large shoes, as well as shaking/warped feeling so bad as to move the steering wheel.....even though it was all from the back!!!! E-brake test will tell you if its def from the back.

Big shoe goes in the back, small one in the rear!!!

umm? what?:huh:

 

[keep0njeepin0n]

umm? what?:huh:

what's the question?? There are 2 different size shoes one is called the primary (big) the other is the secondary (small)

 

[stroked88]

read the bold and think about it haha

 

[keep0njeepin0n]

Hahahahahaha totally missed that!!!

That's like in a coin toss saying heads I win, tails you lose!

 

[stroked88]

haha thats exactly what i was thinking bout when i read that

 

[joe_peters]

I have 13 EEEE, when I stick my foot up someone's A** it is always the big shoe in the rear! LOL!

If he is just feeling it in the pedal, and the job was shoes only, then it is "normal" for the job that was done. The absolute best rear brakes are when the drums are turned and the shoes arced. Arcing brake shoes is becoming a lost art since the advent of front disc brake systems.

 

[keep0njeepin0n]

I have 13 EEEE, when I stick my foot up someone's A** it is always the big shoe in the rear! LOL!

If he is just feeling it in the pedal, and the job was shoes only, then it is "normal" for the job that was done. The absolute best rear brakes are when the drums are turned and the shoes arced. Arcing brake shoes is becoming a lost art since the advent of front disc brake systems.

X200

Like I said I see this all the time at my shop...people wanna cheap out and not do it right then complain about the work even after they were warned that by doing it half assed could cause other issues!

 

[Banditt007]

My bad late night, yeah big shoe in the rear smaller one in the.....FRONT. haha

 

[Mighty.Mighty_XJ]

I'd be willing to bet he just got the shoes replaced! I see this all the time at my shop, I give people an estimate to have it done right, and they say, "I ain't paying that, just hang pads (shoes), and get me outta here." I ALWAYS inform them that if they do if half-a**ed, then there is no warranty. About 50% of the time, they'll call back and complain about a squeak or shimmy....ok, come back and we can turn those rotors for ya for the price I quoted you earlier....well isn't this under warranty???

Anyway, to the OP, when you DO get back on, just call the shop and see if they'll look at it when you get back. A good shop will have a warranty unless you declined the work to be done the proper way, and wanted to cheap out!

It's always nice when people make assumptions - in this case, that I "cheaped out" on something and/or ignored the mecanic's advice. Thanks for that.

I'm back from NAC Fest, so I can now continue this. Here's the deal. I was swapping the Swampers onto the XJ getting ready to go. I noticed that the shoes were worn down quite a bit so I called my guy and asked him to change them for me ( don't know much about brakes). Bought my shoes and took to the shop, and he swapped them. No discussion about rotors (not on drum brakes!) or about the drums. I do not have any complaints about the shop's work or their practices. Mind you, this was on short notice, last minute with limited time, getting ready for a trip. My fault. He did what I asked and I was outta there. keep0njeepin0n, let me make something clear: whatever the problem was, he would have fixed it if there was time to do so. I called him about the pulsing, he told me to bring it back, but like I said, wasn't possible then. Now that I'm back, that will be taken care of. I have dealt with this man for years and I trust him. All I was asking here was what could I do before wheeling on Friday, to ensure that my brakes didn't fail on the rocks.

FYI all, the XJ did great on the trails, just pulsed some at highway speeds while braking. At this point my mechanic will take it from here. joe_peters, I hear ya. Thanks to all for the ideas. And for tech/search reasons I'll update the thread with the solution after it has been discovered.