My wife has been complaining about a vibration periodically while braking in her 2000 toyota 4runner limited (full specs in my sig). I was finally able to recreate it today after many unsuccessful attempts. But now I have no idea what it is.

It's a vibration/rattle in the front end that you feel through the brake pedal, but it doesn't feel like a warped rotor and it only happens when braking relatively hard and you hit a bump or dip in the road. Any other time the brakes feel fine, no problems at all. Any ideas??

 

My wife had a similar problem with her 2000 limited. It would only shudder when going down an extremely steep hill (Steele Creek Buffalo River). I could never recreate it. Took it to our mechanic in Fayetteville and he fixed it. Warped rotors. Not warped enough to notice on flat sections of the road at high speed and heavy braking, just down a very steep hill...

 

If you only feel the vibration in the pedal, that is usually rear which is harder to diagnose sometimes, when you have the shaking in the steering wheel is when the fronts are warped.

Since it has drum brakes, you can just remove them and either get new or just get them turned at your local auto parts store and see if that fixes the problem.

 

could just be the abs. my mom has the same 4runner and it does that when you slam brakes.

 

Thanks I'll pull the drums tomorrow and take a look.

 

That was the first thing I thought when she was describing it to me but after getting it to happen while I was driving it it definitely doesn't feel like ABS

 

Try just using the hand brake to recreate the shake. The E brake uses the same brake shoes as the main system and it will eliminate the front brakes from the equation. Just hold the button in so it can be released. Check for leaking axle seals. If it were front end related, you'd feel it in the steering wheel..

These drums have plenty of meat on them. Just get them turned. If you want to check if they are out of round, lift the whole rear axle and spin the rear wheel. Listen for an uneven rubbing of the shoes. If it turns quietly, they are fine. If you hear rub, no rub, rub, no rub they are warped.