Replaced front brake rotors and pads, still have "shimmy"?

[shaker281]

I just replaced my 2010 non-PP front brakes with EBC premium rotors and new redstuff pads.
I performed the proper break-in and no "panic" stops since then.
At speeds mostly above 40, I have still got a rather pronounced shimmy under light to moderate braking.
Not really noticeable under firm to hard brake pressure!

The car tracks straight and tire wear is even. So, WTF?

Could it be because these pads have no spring clips?
Rear brakes?
Bearings?
Something else?

It feels like front brakes, but I have had something similar with OEM and these new EBC premiums.
The lower control arm rear hydro bushing has lost it's fluid, but seems still firm.

Where to start?

 

[SHOdded]

Good question. Do the spring clips transfer over from OEM? Calipers & slide pins checked/serviced? When was brake fluid last flushed?

No shimmy though without braking at higher speeds? If there is, that could be an out of balance wheel/tire combo. Does rotating the tires make any difference?

 

[SHOrod]

Do you feel the shimmy mostly in the brake pedal, or also in the steering wheel? If in the steering wheel, that points to something on the front of the car. If mostly in the brake pedal, there's a very good chance the rotor issue is with the rear.

-Rod

 

[glockcoma]

How did the surface face of the wheel hub look?

 

[itwonder]

Might try rotating rear wheels to the front and see if it changes. Get a dial gauge kit from Harbor Freight and check rotor run out on the car. Brake rotor related shimmy is different from rotor related pulsing. Pulsing is caused by uneven friction across sections of the rotors; most common cause is getting the brakes hot, and then holding them on without moving.

 

[shaker281]

Good thoughts everyone. I did rotate the tires front to rear and forgot about that.

Brake fluid was flushed about 30K miles ago. 90,500 total miles on car.

It seems to have gotten much worse very quickly, so I am now suspecting something is loose.
I'll swap the tires back and check for missing weights and check the caliper and mounting brackets for loose bolts.

I appreciate all the responses and will post up results. Only about 500 miles since replacing pads and rotors and I do have access to a dial indicator, so will look into that too, as well as the hub surface.

 

[shaker281]

I found that the lower caliper mounting bolt on the passenger side was not seated fully due to the caliper slide mechanism being twisted out of correct orientation during installation. Good news/bad news is that while I had the front tires off I found a steel wire in one of the sidewalls. Doh!

Waiting on tire to be replaced for proper test drive, but 99% certain the caliper was not properly secured.

Thanks for all the ideas!

 

[SHOdded]

Gotta love combination issues!

 

[Sgtmeatsauce1]

Never a simple change....