Mayday!!

**Happygilmore78** · Friday 20th November 2009, 18:56

Going away on little holiday on Monday for 5 days, so need this car.....trust it to happen now!!!

Ok guys, at approximately 5.30 on the motorway my C70 started shaking though the steering wheel, floor (it felt like) with asort of droning sound.

Pulled onto hard shoulder as i thought i'd got a pucture or something, but nothing.

Drove home, was fine, kept it at 70 on motorway, did it before about 78??. Jacked it up, checked for play in the wheels, chaffing, knocking, anything and it was fine.

Took it for another spin, bingo, happened again about same speed until i slowed down to just below 70, then rept upto 70 and was fine.

When i got home, checked discs, front were hot, but front right, was too hot - where other one had started cooling, this was hissing when i touched it with a wet finger.

Wheels spin freely whilst jacked up (just to add)

What the hell is going on, its thrown no weights, only just recently been done.

Thanks

**Happygilmore78** · Friday 20th November 2009, 19:14

Just to add, could this be tied in with my error on 'Brake sensor' i have, that sits next to brake fluid resevoir??

**splatt** · Friday 20th November 2009, 19:15

somethings out of balance. probably a wheel balance weight fell off, is the shaking through the steering column? front wheel.
If not that then probably a driveshaft.

**Happygilmore78** · Friday 20th November 2009, 19:18

Originally Posted by splatt

somethings out of balance. probably a wheel balance weight fell off, is the shaking through the steering column? front wheel.
If not that then probably a driveshaft.

It seemed different this time, more intense and through steering wheel and footwell floor, but just at set speed, and all of a sudden

**nobananas** · Friday 20th November 2009, 21:26

Sounds like a seized front caliper . The same thing happened to me on the motorway (going on holiday of all things !) had been driving for about an hour then got stuck at 50 in a contraflow. When the contraflow ended I booted it (to get away from the M3 that had been up my chuff...ahem !) when I hit about 70 the whole car started shaking, through the floor and the steering wheel but there was no pulling to one side or another. I dropped back down to 50 and the vibration eased off, pulled over and the N/S/F brake was practically on fire and I couldn't even turn the wheel. I ended up pulling down a farm track, emptying the whole boot of camping gear etc and stripping the caliper down at the roadside. It was fine whilst on holiday and once home stripped it properly, the piston was badly corroded and had to be replaced. The weird thing was that when it happened I hadn't just braked, just increased in speed which assumable increased the amount of friction generated between pads and disc, the disc heated up which expanded and then effectively 'applied' the N/S/F brake.

**Happygilmore78** · Friday 20th November 2009, 23:27

Thanks mate, sounds exactly like mine - only thing different is, i could still turn my wheel - but didnt try it when it was scolding hot though.

Cheers

**jdavis** · Saturday 21st November 2009, 18:29

from your first post i'd say more than likely somethings out of balance more than a seized caliper.

**Happygilmore78** · Sunday 22nd November 2009, 17:35

Well yesterday stripped and clean pistons on calipers, and car seems to roll more freely on slight slight hills, brakes feel different and yep, the problem has gone away. Thanks for help anyways, a lot of people including some friends said calipers, and to be honest was pulling lumps of rust out from between caliper piston and caliper.

Seems sorted now

**nobananas** · Sunday 22nd November 2009, 21:59

Result, glad you got it sorted.

**Happygilmore78** · Thursday 26th November 2009, 20:24

Well made it up here, now for the trip back tomorrow - but they were bob on! Still going to replace them at some point though, but probably wait till i can replace for big calipers as they look goooooood