Shakey Brakes? Dodge Neon..?

The brakes work similar in nature to the brakes on a bicycle.

you have a metal plate called the rotor that spins with the wheel and then you have a caliper which has brake pads... they grab the rotor and slow it down eventually stopping the wheel from spinning.

OK so now you know how they work... now imagine if that rotor was a little bit warped... maybe 70% of the time both pads touch, but for a split second of every rotation maybe one doesn't touch because that rotor has a little wobble to it. at higher speeds this causes a vibration. (if it's in the front your wheel will shake back and forth a bit, if it's in the back you'll feel it more in your bum)

Warped rotors are often caused from hard breaking where the rotor gets very hot then cools (over and over)

Rotors are relatively cheap to replace.

**As a rule of thumb I generally don't suggest people start downshifting everywhere "in order to save brakes" because clutches and torque converters (in an automatic) are much more expensive to replace than brakes, so I don't trade off wear and tear on brakes for more wear on transmission components.

When you apply your brakes and the car shakes, that is caused by warped brake rotors. They can get warped by riding the brakes and overheating them, like when you coast down a long hill- I downshift instead. Warpage can happen also if the lugs get overtightened by some ape at the tire store who was in a hurry. Warpage can happen when you just get home from a fast freeway drive, then wash the car first thing and quench the brake rotors accidently- wait an hour instead.

Put on new brake rotors and it will be like new. They can be lathe turned, but thta takes a several hours instead of just one.

It is not warped rotors if it does not do it with light brake pressure.

In fact, warped rotors will also vibrate more at slow speeds than high speeds.

However, it can also be a bad wheel bearing or tie rod end, is it also can be felt through the steering wheel.

The ABS can also cause pulsing like that.

But new rotors are not very expensive, so may be worth a try.

Machining them can also work, but if they warped from heat before, they will likely warp again if you make them even thinner.

there were trouble with the brake system on those Neons ! sounds like the brake rotors are warped and causing the shaking when you hit the brakes !

You have warped brake rotors which have lateral run-out of more than .003 thousandths.

replace the line and now you have to bleed the entire brake system cause more than likely you have air in them now.