steering and suspension Pulling To The Right Whilst Braking... Not Brakes?!

[mavhh]

Car was fine... But brakes were worn out and desperate for a refresh. I replaced everything... Discs, pads, new calipers, hoses, drums, shoes, cylinders... Followed by pressure bleed. Brakes are now very very effective... But the cars pulls to the right whilst braking.

I cant believe the new hoses or calipers are causing the left disc to not function properly... Could it be something else? Maybe wheel bearing incorrectly adjusted? Geometry issue?

Thanks

Dave

[jgerock]

Wheel bearings, rear shoe adjustment, parking brake cable adjustment among some possible areas to inspect.

[M3M3]

could be lots of things.  not likely wheel bearings

 

incorrect tire pressure

bent suspension parts

worn out suspension bushings

mis-adjusted rear brakes

crown in road.

etc.

[mavhh]

I'll check the bearing adjustment, and the rear shoe adjustment. It cant be much else... It was fine before i changed the brake components!

[TobyB]

It very well might be a sticking piston in the caliper, and it may be one side sticking

on, or the other binding 'off'...  I agree it shouldn't be,

but that's the thing you really should rule out.

 

Because that's what you changed.

 

Do a double- check, too, and make sure the pads are all in right- side 'round.

I know it's basic- but almost all of us have done it eventually...

 

t

[mikebontoft]

New parts failure is certainly possible too... I've had a seized NEW A/C compressor out of the box before.

[Pierre]

How bad is the pull?  Is it a gradual slight pull or is it an obvious tug to one side?  Do you have to countersteer to keep the car going straight?  And when you release the brake, do it pull the other way since your steering is turned left, thus you have to readjust your steering angle?

You could also have air in the system, on the left.  Worn strut rod bushings (the ones that connect the control arms to the front of the frame rail) can also have such symptoms.

[mavhh]

From 30mph down, it's barely noticeable - from 60mph braking hard it's a hard tug to the right that certainly requires countersteer.

 

Dave

[c.d.iesel]

after driving 10 miles,

jack up the front end and try/feel if one of the front

wheels is stuck or hard to turn, and is one of the disks turning black?

and can you feel that there is more heat on the center of the wheel

with the sticking brake compared to the free spinning wheel ???

 

defective caliper?

alignment issue?

bent suspension/steering part?

wrong size brake pads?

[PaulTWinterton]

+1 on new caliper problem.

I had this on a new set of calipers. They had a greasy cloudy substance inside them (from re-manufacture possibly) that impedes fluid or proper bleeding. After a few re-bleeds and more use the problem went away.

[mavhh]

Thanks for all the tips.

 

So... Wheels all off again:

 

Pads out on the front, both sides of both discs are bedding in nicely. All four pistons on both sides can be easily pushed back in, and after reinstalling the pads, slide out nicely when the pedal is pressed.

 

For good measure, I pressure bled the brakes again (UK RHD cars have a horrible twin servo system that is a real pig to bleed) - got some air at the passenger caliper and one of the servos. Not much, but maybe enough to notice on the road... Interestingly, the calipers must be running fine - the 20psi from the pressure bleed is enough to lock the discs right up!

 

Then when reinstalling the rear wheels, I noticed that the rear drums were binding... wheels off... not binding. Well, I learned that you need to spin the lug nuts on when you setup the rear drums.

 

I wonder if I've fixed it... Gotta put the kids to bed then out for a night time test drive.

 

Fingers crossed! Update soon.

 

Dave

[mavhh]

Result!!! Perfect - pulls up straight and hard.

Thanks for the help guys!

Dave

[M3M3]

yeah!  sounds like it was a rear brake adjustment issue.

[02Les]

Thanks for all the tips.

 

So... Wheels all off again:

 

Pads out on the front, both sides of both discs are bedding in nicely. All four pistons on both sides can be easily pushed back in, and after reinstalling the pads, slide out nicely when the pedal is pressed.

 

For good measure, I pressure bled the brakes again (UK RHD cars have a horrible twin servo system that is a real pig to bleed) - got some air at the passenger caliper and one of the servos. Not much, but maybe enough to notice on the road... Interestingly, the calipers must be running fine - the 20psi from the pressure bleed is enough to lock the discs right up!

 

Then when reinstalling the rear wheels, I noticed that the rear drums were binding... wheels off... not binding. Well, I learned that you need to spin the lug nuts on when you setup the rear drums.

 

I wonder if I've fixed it... Gotta put the kids to bed then out for a night time test drive.

 

Fingers crossed! Update soon.

 

Dave

Interesting! That's 3 of us with RHD cars with the same "pulling to the right" problem. I had come to the conclusion it was an issue with one of the Servos (only things I have not replaced....yet).

[73touring]

Funnyly enough my situation sounds identical. Rhd 02 puling to the left.

Still not solved but. I had s fluid drop last night and I generally have an issue getting the bottom servo to bleed. I get a tiny bit of air in the system at the drivers caliper and the bottom servo. Think its time to pull servos and see if the vacume part has accumulated brake fluid