Rep Power: 0

New front rotors and pads bought from a local auto parts store were installed on a 1996 Accord LX. Immediately after this the steering wheel would shake when slowing down to a stop even on flat roads. This problem was not there prior to the installation. The new rotors were assumed to be defective and were turned. The problem did not go away. A second set of rotors bought from another store were installed but the problem still persists.

I am completely lost as to what to do next. Please advise.

Is it safe to drive the car around under the circumstances?

 
Rep Power: 0

take it back to the shop and ask em what cheap brand rotars and pads they used.....
It should be safe to drive it. But just dont go around pulling your E-Break on each turn and tryin to "drift" and dont slam on your breaks, hit the break a head of time verly slowly so its not shaking as much.

 
Rep Power: 337

rotors should be machined on brake lathe before you put them on

 
Rep Power: 329

^^^ is incorrect, the lathes they use to machine rotors is WAAAAAAY more percise of a machine than any lathe in any shop will ever be. On rare occasion one will get a bad machining from the factory. On hondas i always recommend to have the rotors either machined on the car, or make usre to use a dial indicator to check the run-out after installation. Max run-out is .003"

 
Rep Power: 337

yea well i got taught in shop that you should do one cut before putting them on. so idk.

 
Rep Power: 329

Shop teacher was wrong, i do brakes EVERY day and the number of bad ones ive seen in almost 20 years i can prolly count on one hand. Every time you machine a rotor you make it thinner, making it thinner increases the likelyhood it will warp. Less mass there to disipate the heat with.

 
Rep Power: 337

i think its preference but o well.

 
Rep Power: 329

here is what we do as a practice , install the new rotor, IF it pulsates THEN we machine it. But it is a VERY rare thing to happen. If you start by amchining ever rotor when its new on some rotors you will reduce its life by 50%

 
Rep Power: 0

because of the problem encountered with a new pair of rotors, they were turned and reinstalled. the problem did not seem as bad for a month or two and then back to the same problem - again the steering wheel started to shake upon braking.

 
Rep Power: 454

are you torquing your lugnuts when you put them on the car?

 
Rep Power: 0

^^^ Yeah, torque your lugnuts

 
Rep Power: 329

did you check the hub for run out? .003" MAX any more and you need to replace the hub. And if it wasnt machined on the car, was it indexed to the hub to achieve the lowest run out possible?

 
Rep Power: 337

start checking your other brake parts.