Need Help Diagnosing Brake Pull
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 765
Likes: 1
Need Help Diagnosing Brake Pull
I asked this before a ways back and nothing I've tried so far has cured the pull. My main symptoms:
Truck will pull right with light application of the brake pedal. During harder stops, it evens out. Both conditions are regardless of pitch/angle of the road.
At freeway speeds it has a very light tendency to pull right.
Steering wheel has an inch back and an inch forth of freeplay through the steering shaft and steering gearbox before the tie rods actually move. This is with and without power steering assist.
Here is what has been done within the last six months:
Moog brand tie rod ends (all 4) and ball joints (all 4)
New brake rotors (front)
Wagner brand brake pads (front)
Rebuilt brake calipers (front)
New master cylinder (system pressure bled)
New flexible brake hoses (front left/right)
Tires balanced and rotated
Vehicle aligned, everything in spec
I'm at my wits end. The truck is safe to drive and everything, the pull is not that bad but it drives me nuts knowing something isn't right here. What else should I be looking at?
Truck will pull right with light application of the brake pedal. During harder stops, it evens out. Both conditions are regardless of pitch/angle of the road.
At freeway speeds it has a very light tendency to pull right.
Steering wheel has an inch back and an inch forth of freeplay through the steering shaft and steering gearbox before the tie rods actually move. This is with and without power steering assist.
Here is what has been done within the last six months:
Moog brand tie rod ends (all 4) and ball joints (all 4)
New brake rotors (front)
Wagner brand brake pads (front)
Rebuilt brake calipers (front)
New master cylinder (system pressure bled)
New flexible brake hoses (front left/right)
Tires balanced and rotated
Vehicle aligned, everything in spec
I'm at my wits end. The truck is safe to drive and everything, the pull is not that bad but it drives me nuts knowing something isn't right here. What else should I be looking at?
FTE Legend
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 31,930
Likes: 1,499
From: Ottawa, Ontario
The front is usually where a braking pull originates but the the rear can also produce it so maybe turn your focus there. Start by checking the shoe adjustment of both sides, if one side is tighter than the other that could be your problem. And you might think the right side would have to be braking first to produce a pull to the right but an early left rear brake may tweak the axle slightly to the left and therefore make the truck turn right.. think rear axle steering.
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,443
Likes: 5,516
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
if the front end is all new and tire pressure is the same between the front tires, it is either rear brakes which i doubt, or the steering box which i think it is because you said there is 1 inch play in the box. this is enough to cause steering wander
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,570
Likes: 258
Sounds like worn out pivot bushings and radius arm bushings. My truck was a bastered year and I got the wrong radius arm bushings for it which caused the axle to move almost an inch forward or backward, made for very lousy steering and weird braking problems.
I'd check the suggested or just replace then and see how it is after.
I'd check the suggested or just replace then and see how it is after.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 765
Likes: 1
Aren't calipers specific to the left/right spindles? Did you mean the tires?
Sounds like worn out pivot bushings and radius arm bushings. My truck was a bastered year and I got the wrong radius arm bushings for it which caused the axle to move almost an inch forward or backward, made for very lousy steering and weird braking problems.
I'd check the suggested or just replace then and see how it is after.
I'd check the suggested or just replace then and see how it is after.
I know those need to be changed, I just don't have the time/money at the moment. They will get changed eventually.
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