Xantia brake judder

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ebygum
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Joined: 19 Feb 2003, 11:59
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Xantia brake judder

Post by ebygum »

I have a "M" reg 1.9TD Xantia which is bugging me severly.
From cold the brakes are fine.
After a mile or so when I depress the pedal I get brake judder through the steering wheel.
When I purchased the car Oct 2002 with 105,000 there was a history of brake judder. Service history sheets (not Citroen garage) showed front discs and pads changed about 10,000 miles previous.
After a few weeks of putting up with the judder - at times very severe - I had the front disks changed to genuine Citroen. The "old" ones I was told were warped - the nearside at least was.
Initially ok but after couple hundred miles judder started to come back but not as severe and only after a mile or so.
It appears to be a front brake problem I feel because it happens also when I am moving and put on the handbrake it judders.
Also noticed when travelling very slowly (as in traffic queue) there is not much free whell roll of the car.
Its as if heat is the problem.
The handbrakes cables have free play.
Could it be a sticking piston in the brake caliper thats not allowing piston to free off and therefore rubbing, generating heat and so disc warping but cools of again when stationary?
If it is a sticking disc, is a caliper kit available and is it an easy job? What pitfalls?
Joe
higgy
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Joined: 21 Apr 2002, 03:19
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Post by higgy »

I have had a similar problem on my xantia for some time but have just put up with it. After changing the front and rear spheres at the weekend the brakes no longer judder at all and generaly feel alot more positive,don't ask me why because I haven't got a clue. Maybe something to try<img src=icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle>
reffro
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Post by reffro »

I would probably discount a binding caliper, as that's easy to spot. Go for a drive over 5 miles at reasonable speed. Try and avoid braking during the journey, pull a stop normally, and then go inspect the wheels. Smell the discs through the wheel, if its a binding caliper you'll get that lovely smoking brake smell, and touch the wheel, NOT the disc, at the centre of the wheel, if one is warmer to the touch than the other its probably going to be a sticking caliper.
The reason why I would discount this is, I would have thought you would probably notice the smell of a hot disc and pad when you get out of the car after most journeys. My thought is that you only have one disc braking in normal use, over stressing the one working disc, causing it to warp, and hence the vibration. Have a look at the surface of the each disc, a warped disc is easy to spot, it will have dark coloured ridges on its disc surface, which you should be able to feel these by running your fingers across the surface of them when they are cold, a good disc will be uniform shine and smooth surface all round. Plus you should feel the car veering to one side consistently when braking hard. Or if both are warped at the front, have a look at your rear brakes, they could be weak or inoperative again over stressing the front discs. If you can, pop to your nearest MOT station and put the car on the rollers that will give a definitive answer.
That's my thought on your problem, hopefully I'm not giving you a bum steer her.
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