Is it a common problem to have brake rotors warp around every 30k?

 

Its an issue with a root cause that's pretty well documented. Your rear brakes are out of adjustment. The self adjusters on the rear brakes just don't self adjust properly enough to keep the rear brakes doing their proper share of the work.

The brakes should be adjusted every 5,000 miles or at every oil change. Those of us who do that have banished the dreaded "HHR Brake Judder" to the dustbin of bad memories.

Now you'll probably get thirty different answers on which brand is best when it comes to replacing your rotors, my advice is get the best ones your budget will allow and use ceramic brake pads.

Here's a thread on rear brake adjustment with an imbedded video tutorial along with lots of good tips....

https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/brakes-%7C-suspension-%7C-shocks-%7C-struts-24/proper-rear-drum-brake-adjustment-procedure-36754/

 

Only 30 "best brands"?

I have recently wondered if the "shuddering" attributed to warped rotors might actually be A)bad hub, either front or rear or B)bad rack and pinion or C)bad tie rod ends. Except for the hubs (and one of my rear replacements is defective, waiting on new replacement) I have replaced everything, get a shudder, but no pedal pulse. Do you think "warped rotor" may be something else entirely?

 

Its entirely possible that a "warped rotor" might be something else in the suspension, its important to really check over everything or have it checked by a trusted mechanic.

When it came to designing the components on the Delta platform's front suspension, GM did drop the ball when it comes to the strength and longevity of the OEM bits and pieces.

 

I got to observe the judder on a 2006 LS and a 2006 2LT. On the one that was mine I noticed that since I had an automatic, I found myself on the brakes more in hilly or curvy driving. When I started getting a little judder quick check of the rotors told me they were very, very hot. That make me lean towards the misadjusted rear brakes. This did start at around 30K. I had planned to get the rears tightened and switch to slotted rotors in the front but I ended replacing the whole car with an HHR SS. :) My co-workers manual LS juddered almost from the beginning. I'm not sure how much she was on the brakes, but it shouldn't have been as much as me. If you run with the rotors getting that hot all the time, you may need them turned or replaced as well as the rear brake adjustment.

 

Here is a new "warped rotor" data point. I just replaced my bad replaced bad REAR hubs (no I did not stutter); now have all 4 new and GOOD hubs. All but the intermediate shaft "wobble" is gone after 200 miles. If the brake pedal does not pulse, but your brain says "warped rotor" check your rear hubs, most of us don't even think about them.

 

Good stuff here, i will check it out, got the shaky brakies on second set of rotors at 72 thousand, did the stabilizer bar route, thats good now, still a slight thump in right front, thinking control arm bushings or strut?
Also, after market sway bar links were much beefier and have grease fittings. Thanks, Gary

 

Explain "thump". If you mean while hard braking, look at the control arm bushings (if one side is bad, the other ain't far). If you mean while turning look at CVs and/or bearings. Shaking brakes with no pedal pulsing is NOT warped rotors, at 72K could be struts or hubs. Also check your installation of the stabilizer links, I swear that I did mine right, I just can't explain how the nuts got that loose. Must have been someone sneaking into my garage after midnight.

 

A good habit to get into is to set the parking brake when you park Also every so often while backing up pull the brake up a few times this will adjust your rear drum brakes.
Hope this helps,

 

From other posts and threads on this forum,that doesn't always work. Seems to be some sort of design flaw with the rear drum brake adjusters.