Disco 2 Weird Brake / Hub problem

Background, I'm trying to chase down a vibration in 'Rover the dog. It's not as bad as driving over the rumble strips on the edge of the motorway, but it's that kind of constant vibration. It comes in at about 60mph and then get some better and worse bout is always there above 60mph.

So, I first though wheel balance, so I swapped all of the wheels around to see if I could confirm it was coming from the rear. No change.

So next I changed the drive shaft doughnut (because it needed doing anyway). No change.

Looking closer I realised that the rear offside brake pads were wearing badly, and on investigation the caliper mount pins were seized. So I replaced the caliper mounting bracket. No change.

At this point I noticed that if spun, the wheel always stops at exactly the same place, and if being moved slowly by hand it has a 'stiff spot'. Ok, so the disc got too hot and warped I thought, so I replaced it and put a new set of pads on. No change to either the rotation issue or the vibration.

And on inspection the old pads had worn at an angle, and the new pads are wearing at an angle too and not sweeping the whole disc. So the outside of the disc is being swept at the outside edge, and the inside of the disc is being swept at the hub edge if that makes sense? Ok, so the disc must be on wonky. Checked the hub and the disc mount is clean. But ok, could be the hub/bearing starting to collapse I suppose.

So, I've today fitted a new hub, and it's exactly the flaming same rotationally but marginally better on vibration.

Everything is pointing towards the disc being warped / wonky, but I don't see how it can be. The only other things I can think of are that the axle is somehow bent, but as the hub mounts onto the axle and so does the caliper bracket, I don't see how that would make a difference (even if it was possible to bend the axle).

It's possible that the vibration and wheel rotation / brake issue are unrelated - but clearly there are problems which need sorting!

Help!!!

Caliper pistons are a 'known' sore point, especially the offside rear, sticking, 'losing' seals etc

I replaced the seals and pistons first time, then replaced the whole caliper a few years later ..

Whilst staring into the flames in the log burner tonight I may have had an epiphany about the 'wonky' disc. I recently changed both rear calipers. I bought a pair, but I wonder if I got two LHS calipers. It's possible that the piston might not be correctly aligned if that is the case.

I don't know if it's even possible to fit a LHS caliper to the RHS without everything being in the wrong place, but I'll be comparing the two sides tomorrow.

Balbas said:

Whilst staring into the flames in the log burner tonight I may have had an epiphany about the 'wonky' disc. I recently changed both rear calipers. I bought a pair, but I wonder if I got two LHS calipers. It's possible that the piston might not be correctly aligned if that is the case.

I don't know if it's even possible to fit a LHS caliper to the RHS without everything being in the wrong place, but I'll be comparing the two sides tomorrow.

Click to expand...

Do not think that it is possible, but caliper could be bent.
Uneven wear of rear pads is a fairly natural occurrence in my experience, particularly on well used Landies.