Interesting Conundrum: Car shudders and pulls to the right

[Wiscon_Mark]

Now this is just something I can't figure out. Driving on the highway today, all of the sudden the car started shuddering (like I was driving on the warning strip) and pulling to the right. I thought at first I'd blown a tire, but that wasn't the case, and the tires were clean of protruding rocks, etc.

Odd thing is, when I pulled back out, it had stopped, until I reached about 60 mph, then it started again...got on the offramp, slowed down to 40mph around the cloverleaf and it stopped. Pulled out onto the overpass, it starts up again almost instantly.

That's the funny thing about it, I don't see anything visually (granted, it was dark out, so I was only looking for real obvious stuff) that could cause it, it doesn't seem to correspond with turning right/left or going straight, and it doesn't seem to have a certain speed.

Could it be the brakes? I dunno, it didn't seem the like I had to give it more throttle to stay at 70mph...

Oh, and it's been like 45*F out all day, the snow definitely melted out of everything, so I'm ruling that out.

[Sarra]

I answered you on NASIOC. :-(

[Plays_with_Toys]

Bent wheel?

[Huffer]

I'm going to say it's a seized caliper. My BD had the exact same symptoms and they found that one of the front calipers had frozen up. So they replaced the pair.

6 months later, the rears froze.

I believe it has something to do with the speed of the car and the brake pad hitting the rotor. I'm not sure, but replacing the calipers fixed the problem entirely.

[Wiscon_Mark]

I'm kinda thinking it's the brakes. A bent wheel (very unlikely) wouldn't exhibit symptoms the way this does. Sometimes it's fine at 70mph, sometimes it shakes, sometimes it shakes at 30mph. Not consistency to it.

[Huffer]

I'm kinda thinking it's the brakes. A bent wheel (very unlikely) wouldn't exhibit symptoms the way this does. Sometimes it's fine at 70mph, sometimes it shakes, sometimes it shakes at 30mph. Not consistency to it.

The lack of consistency is why I'm thinking it's the same problem I had.

Good luck!

[DOOK]

I also had very similar symptoms on my old jeep cherokee and it was a seized caliper as well.

[Wiscon_Mark]

Good thing I was planning on doing the brakes soon anyways. Guess I'd better put a feeler out for GT calipers and rotors!

[Huffer]

Good thing I was planning on doing the brakes soon anyways. Guess I'd better put a feeler out for GT calipers and rotors!

Can you fit those under your 15s? They are the same as the 99 Impreza RS, if that helps.

You should just pull the pins out of the calipers and see if they need cleaning. Sometimes that's all they need.

[Wiscon_Mark]

I need new brakes anyways, and want an upgrade. And yes, they're the same as the 97-99 Outback brakes (Outbacks all had 15" rims) so they'll fit.

[)2edline]

This feels so weird. This exact thing happened to me on my drive to work today. I had a feeling it was my brakes because when i took a look under a few weeks ago. The right rear brake assembly is pretty rusted through. Hopefully I can just douse it in brake cleaner.

I've done brake caliper/rotor replacements before, but whats a good replacement source for calipers that won't break the bank :-( ?

[Huffer]

This feels so weird. This exact thing happened to me on my drive to work today. I had a feeling it was my brakes because when i took a look under a few weeks ago. The right rear brake assembly is pretty rusted through. Hopefully I can just douse it in brake cleaner.

I've done brake caliper/rotor replacements before, but whats a good replacement source for calipers that won't break the bank :-( ?

WRX or GT takeoffs.
Or reconditioned used ones from a junkyard.

[ProjectLGT97]

another thing to do to see if the caliper is indeed hanging up is to feel for excessive heat after it starts shaking. Thats usually a good sign that something is hanging up.