jonathanm

This link may help explain things a little.
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp...rakedisk.shtml

luckybiggs

I saw the machine that turns the rotors on the car but the dealer didn't have the hookup for the HHR. Anyway the GM brake guy says its a warped rotor.

He also seems to think my weekly trips through the laser wash is whats doing it. Cold water on hot rotors = warping?

This will be a first for me. I've been using the laser wash for years with similar cars, with similar open wheels and haven't had this issue.

So I'm giving it one last chance. I'm taking my second set to be turned and will install them myself this week. $48 vs $220. And I will stay out of the laser wash for a while. I hope this fixes it.

kornellred

By any stretch of the imagination - could these pulsation problems have anything at all to do with the ABS system?

hhrbama

GM (and obviously other on this forum) still cling to the "warped rotor" theory. If you turn the rotors OR replace the rotors and put the GM OEM pads back on them you WILL have problems again. If the car wash theory was true, how would you EVER be able to drive the car when it is raining? Does the service department think the front brakes stay dry when it rains? Get away from the hard compound factory ceramic pads, and IMHO, you will have brakes that you can depend upon. I had my rotors turned twice and had new rotors once. All done at the dealer. Each time the problems recurred. Softer semi organic metallic pads and another set of new rotors fixed the problem.

Silverfox

What brand etc. rotors and semi organic metallic pads did you find the best?

hhrbama

Hello Silver,

When I did the brakes on my HHR in March 2008 I didn't have much in the way of choices if I wanted to purchase parts locally. The only store in my city that had parts was AutoZone. They have more than one grade of pads, and I chose the P/N D1160 which are not ceramic. The rotor P/N is 41123. This combination fixed the problem. I suspect turning the rotors and installing the pads might have done the job as well, but I couldn't get the rotors turned in a timely manner. Good Luck!

Silverfox

Thanks for the reply and info bama,

How many miles have you driven on this installation. Hard to tell how they are doing till you get some serious mileage to compare fairly. I do like the ceramic pads for less dust on the wheels.
I used Raybestos ceramic "quiet pads" on my last brake job and so far have found them very good. About 10,000 miles on them now.

hhrbama

I was having problems every 3,000 to 3500 miles. The brake shudder would start on an intermittent basis and then go to every time I applied the brakes. I have about 13,000 on the brake job I did in March 2008. I appreciate your not wanting the dust. Mine had some with the factory ceramic pads, but these organic ones are dustier. I put about 1,000 miles on it over the weekend in the mountains and on the interstate and had great brakes. One whole day of this was driving in the rain, so this theory about getting the brakes hot and hitting a puddle (or going to the car wash) is nonsense.

DrLoch

They turn the rotors on the car to make sure there isn't any runout issues. The rotors may not be warped they could have a runout issue. Runout could be checked with rotor tight against the hub and using a dial indicator to check for any varance while you rotate them.

BTW, did you check the rears? I had a Caddi that I thought the fronts were warped, changed same issue. Changed the rears problem gone. That car waould warp the stock rotors in about 10K, changed to drilled and slotted rotors problem went away.

Just my 2 cents.

D.

kellytx4

I am stuck on trying to fix my 2006 HHR's brakes. I have already went through 4 sets of rotors and twice as many sets of pads all in 160,000 miles. Some of them high performance drilled and slotted. Other sites and forums now are mentioning a TSB for HHRs built in Mexico, (also the Chevy Cobalt same said) is there anyone who has used the TSB to fix brakes, brake systems, I love my Champagne colored 2L, as does my wife, well it was her choice not mine. Now it shakes and shudders like an old cement mixer when I brake,tell me someone has an answer.