Pulling to right when braking
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 9,293
Likes: 10
From: Parker, CO
Pulling to right when braking
I just wanted to see if anyone has a quick idea as to what might be causing this....
For the past week and a half my truck has had a trailer hooked up to it most of the time. Everything has been fine until yesterday. Driving along anytime I hit the brakes my truck pulled to the right, hard right! I nearly lost control one time during heavier braking. Took the trailer off, and everything is normal. No pulling no nothing. I tried hard braking while empty and I can't duplicate the problem.
Any clues???
For the past week and a half my truck has had a trailer hooked up to it most of the time. Everything has been fine until yesterday. Driving along anytime I hit the brakes my truck pulled to the right, hard right! I nearly lost control one time during heavier braking. Took the trailer off, and everything is normal. No pulling no nothing. I tried hard braking while empty and I can't duplicate the problem.
Any clues???
Elder User
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 936
Likes: 1
I have the same problem. This is what I have done so far - the rubber brake lines, slide pins, caliper hanger brackets, rotors, pads, calipers. It still does it so, now I am going to do all of the steering linkage and double check the slide pins. If it still does it the dealer gets to figure it out.
When I am done towing the RF wheel has way more brake dust than any other wheel.
Any other ideas out there?
When I am done towing the RF wheel has way more brake dust than any other wheel.
Any other ideas out there?
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,372
Likes: 14
From: West Cornwall, CT
If the truck pulls to one side only when the trailer is hooked up, I'd look at the trailer brakes and tires first.
The easiest thing to check is trailer tire pressure. Unevenly inflated trailer tires can easily cause a pull while braking. One of the electric brakes on the trailer (if you have electric brakes) could also be inoperative. This can be checked when the trailer is disconnected by hooking up a battery to the trailer's pigtail and applying 12 volts between ground and the trailer brake connection. Any brake that does not buzz is probably not working.
Lou Braun
The easiest thing to check is trailer tire pressure. Unevenly inflated trailer tires can easily cause a pull while braking. One of the electric brakes on the trailer (if you have electric brakes) could also be inoperative. This can be checked when the trailer is disconnected by hooking up a battery to the trailer's pigtail and applying 12 volts between ground and the trailer brake connection. Any brake that does not buzz is probably not working.
Lou Braun
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,720
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Your brake dust on the right indicates that wheel is working harder than the other, now the question is why. You could have a stuck slide pin. But you could have a bad line going to the left caliper restricting flow to the caliper. If the line is failing internally you might have a partial blockage allowing the right brake to work more. I think you have had good advice with the brake work. I would consider changing both flex brake to caliper hoses and lubricate the slide pins. It is also possible you have a broken brake pad. Best of luck and please advise on the fix. Jim
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,339
Likes: 5
From: NJ
Depending on how old the pads are, I have seen some new brakes that do this and switching the pads from left to right will in some cases resolve this. This would really only hold true if the brakes are new.
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Elder User
Joined: May 2004
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Can I switch the pads without machining the rotors, or will this cause a vibration in the rotors? I have about 15,000 miles on the pads and rotors.
The wheel spins more freely on the LF when the truck is on the lift - I'm thinking there is a slide pin issue on the LF.
The wheel spins more freely on the LF when the truck is on the lift - I'm thinking there is a slide pin issue on the LF.
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Joe Kucinski
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2006
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You might have a slide pin issue on the right front keeping the caliper loaded against the disc. Look at the pads for uneven wear. The right front should spin freely also. Yes you can change pads w/o changing rotors. Just drive easy for the first 100 miles or so and give a little wear in time. Been there done that before many times. I think you are on the right track on the slide pin. Jim
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 213
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From: Maryland
I was having the same problem. When I looked the outboard pads had plenty of material left on them. I bought my truck used form NY ('01 F-250) and the calipers had corroded so much that they got stuck and it was only using the inboard pads to brake. Fortunately I discovered this before they started wearing into the rotor. I took the calipers off, used a lot of break cleaner and then solvent with a wire brush and emory cloth and got all the rust off. Went back on with new pads without turning the rotors and it's like night and day. No more spongy brakes and pulling to one side, the truck stops on a dime. The amount of rust was incredible.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 14,582
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From: 21791
Pocket, check to see that all of the trailer brakes are grabbing near the same. easiest way is to unload the trailer (if you can) and turn up the breaks and have someone watch to see which ones are locking up and which ones arent. my guess is that the left side trailer brakes are grabbing harder than the right side, and it pulls the tongue of the trailer to the left which pushes the back end of the truck left which forces the front right. make sense?
Elder User
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 936
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I just washed the truck after a couple weeks w/o towing a trailer and there was more brake dust on the RF. So, I think the brake pull problem exists all the time - it is just more noticeable when stopping a trailer.
Elder User
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 936
Likes: 1
A couple weeks ago, I did swap the pads side to side in the front, lubed the slide pins, and reinstalled.
When I had the pads off there was only a slight difference in pad thickness - slightly more wear on the right. The caliper mounting bolts were overtightened, I could hardly remove them with a breaker bar, on the driver's side and pretty loose on the passenger side. Another reason to do it yourself w/o an impact wrench.
I have not seen excess dust on one wheel verses the other or felt a pull yet.
I also extended the pistions fully and bled the front two calipers when pushing the pistions in to make sure they were not froze.
When I had the pads off there was only a slight difference in pad thickness - slightly more wear on the right. The caliper mounting bolts were overtightened, I could hardly remove them with a breaker bar, on the driver's side and pretty loose on the passenger side. Another reason to do it yourself w/o an impact wrench.
I have not seen excess dust on one wheel verses the other or felt a pull yet.
I also extended the pistions fully and bled the front two calipers when pushing the pistions in to make sure they were not froze.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2006
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Originally Posted by mizzitch
I also extended the pistions fully and bled the front two calipers when pushing the pistions in to make sure they were not froze.