07 Jetta Steering Wheel Shake When Braking

[RabbitGTI]

At low speed barely noticeable. Higher speeds pretty bad. Seems to be the left front causing it. I replaced worn pads and rotors and had a shudder before and after. Replaced caliper pins. Still there. Replaced caliper pin boots. Still there. Rotated tires and changed wheels. Still there. Replaced whole caliper and carrier because it was ratty looking. Shake still there. VAG COM confirms the antilock sensors are working as they should. Steering rack, tie rod ends, ball joints and control arm bushings seem fine with no play. I do hear what might be a slight bearing noise in the left front, could a failing wheel bearing cause these symptoms? Axle feels fine and is still OEM. Any ideas and thanks in advance.

 

[Powder Hound]

... could a failing wheel bearing cause these symptoms? Axle feels fine and is still OEM. Any ideas and thanks in advance.

Sounds to me like you've checked darn near everything else. The one big caveat on wheel bearings is that while it may seem the problems are from one side, the actual culprit is the opposite side. Sounds weird but happens a LOT.

Being able to spin the wheels in the air to check both sides is important. Read up on people here who have been through this. Many times diagnosing bad wheel bearings, or rather, the correct wheel bearing is at least as difficult as determining that it is a wheel bearing at all.

Good luck,

PH

 

[RabbitGTI]

Thanks, I had it on a lift and the left side growls when I spin it, not the usual brake rub sound like the right side. Also when driving if I turn right it gets louder and when I turn left goes away. Sounds like a loaded left side causes the noise. Guess I'll replace the bearing and hope it solves the shake. Usually I solve these things pretty quickly, but not this one. Thanks again.

 

[Another]

It can be the hubs. I also have a small shaking when braking but have no time now to check cause just bought the car a month ago.
Look at this video, it is in russian language but the images tells all

 

[Mongler98]

Only 3 things that really cause that symptom are ball joints or warpped rotors or tires or losse wheel studs

 

[garreth5]

Aside from ball joints, check your CV's.

 

[redbarron55]

Real lower suspension bushings worn.
When they get weak and deteriorate they let one wheel pull the other to one side and then it pulls to the other.
The key thing to look for is the steering wheel oscillated (left and right) but there is not really much, if any, up.down vibration in the chassis.
Somewhere on this site is a discussion of the problem.

 

[redbarron55]

I have found that a lot of front end problems are related to weak Lower Control Arm bushings.
One difficult to find that put me there was a vibration or oscillation in the steering wheel with no corresponding vibration is the car itself.
Weal rear LCA bushings were the problem that let the wheels shift left and right (through the steering rack tying them together) turning the steering wheel.
I replaced tires, road force balanced replaced front brake discs and finally finally as a desperation effort changed the rear LCA bushings.

 

[RabbitGTI]

Thanks all, lots of ideas. Will dig into it and report back. I do know I want overalls like the Russian guy, great video.