I just finished replacing every inch of the brake system and all of the tie rods and ends and shocks and by every inch of the brake system I mean booster, master cylinder, brake lines, ppv, calipers, rotors, and pads. I just had the allignment done and it drives straight. When I hit the brake the truck pulls hard to the left. What could it possibly be that is making it pull? Is there something I could have done wrong on the suspension to make it pull left? What are the odds that I put a brand new bad caliper on the right side? Sweet Lord, I've spent about 40 hours and over a 1000 dollars trying to get this thing fixed. Any gurus out there that can help?

Thanks,
Bentobd

 

Since you have replaced and checked everything maybe it is time to take it to a professional mechanic at an independent shop for an eyeball and test.

 

I'm not a "brakes guy". :/

But did just get done having my brakes pull hard to the right after a DIY brake job. I have it for over 32 years and did -every- brake job myself.

It also squeaked pretty bad on that side and made the wheel black from brake dust too. Never had either one of those before.

Figured out it was the brake pad, the one with the ears to hold it to the caliper.
It was loose. :/ I hammer-mechanic-it tight and fixed it right up. :)

But only for a while. :/
Then both sides went to squeaking -bad- and blackened the wheels.

Raybestos semi metallic brake pads.
Been using them suckers forever and all of a sudden this set wasn't any dangged good. :/

Was supposed to get Wagners but was unable to unless i had them installed.
I squeak worse than the worst brakes, when i walk, I'm so tight. :/

Bought some semi-metallic Dura-Last from AutoZone, just before Torque(Nick) said to get carbon metallic. Too late. :/

Anyway, they don't squeak and they aren't making the wheels black.

And. I didn't do anything.
No sanding or repacking the wheel bearings or anything.
I just took the old ones off and slapped the DuraLasts on.

Sometimes you just have to test stuff. ;)

It's easier to do when the stuff has a lifetime guarantee? ;)

That's my "brakes" story.

Question is... what's going on with Raybestos? :/
It wouldn't surprise me a bit if the Dura-Lasts were made by Raybestos. :)

Alvin in AZ

 

Last time I took my truck in for work, I took it in for an allignment. When I got my truck back it was misfiring on 2 cylinders. When I pulled the plugs two of them looked like they were pulled, hammered flat, and put back. For the life of me I can't figure out how the engine would do that to itself, and what the allignment jockeys would be doing pulling my plugs for.

Alvin, you're in AZ... where is there an honest, reputable mech? None of the dealers around here shoot straight (besides the $75/hr rate).

Thanks,

 

Could you have air in the front system, or one of the drum brakes out back too tight? It does not take very much to make a truck pull. Chances are the truck won't suffer from a pull due to air out back, but it very well may from the front.
Most guys don't, or won't believe this but the rear of the truck can make a vehicle pull.
May also verify that air pressure in the tires are correct. A low one will also cause the same symptoms, and easily overlooked.

 

I've been in two wrecks and both times replaced the driver's side twin eye beam from a wrecking yard and both times took it to the dealership for alignment etc.

Both times they just set the toe-in and said everything was fine.
And it was! :)

Try that with a Chevy's car-like front suspension. ;)

Except for -their- toe-in adjustment, they dropped the ball there. :/
They set the toe-in way too stinkin much! :/

Tires cupped to beat hell both times finally figured out what caused that.
The stock answer even from the Dealer was "it's a Ford twin eye beam".

0" to 1/8" is a wide range and they tend (IME) to set it closer to 1/8".

I've found 0" to 1/32" to be my favorite.

http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/toe-in1.jpg
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/toe-in2.jpg

Learn how to do it yourself. :)

The tricky part to my method of toe-in adjustment is learning how to get repeatable reading on your tape measure, each time you put it back on the 1+1/2" square tubing. Figure out a nice flat and level spot to park it... park it with the wheel turned to the same angle it is when driving down a flat level road too.

Take the brick and straight edge down too... and put it back up at least once.
Get the same readings?

Experiment to find what you like best.
Guessing most would like 1/32". :)

On a VW dune buggy with big tires on the back... 1/8" toe -out- is better than any toe-in.

Yes there is at least one in Tucson I know of, I'll have to get the name from my son if you're interested. I looked in the phone book and can't find it.

The story above was about working on the dangged old things yourself, they'll nickel and dime you to the poor house otherwise. Almost everything i have paid to have done for me (not just automotive) i end up do at least half over anyway.

One exception was my 360FE overhaul! :)
He up and died on us tho. :(
Many told me after it was done...
"you could have had it done cheaper than that"
No thanks. :)
Gonna do the next one myself tho. :)

If you're in Tucson go to Kent's for tools. :)

I gotta get out of here, looks like rain and I need to go to town and get valve cover gaskets. :)

Called ahead to make sure they got 'em.
No big deal see? :)

Alvin in AZ

 

Alvin,

Thanks for the help. I'm in Sierra Vista but I've been trying to get my brakes working well enough to get my truck into the Line-X guy in Tucson so I'll be travelling up that way soon... I hope. I'm actually buying all new suspension parts and taking the ones I have on there back to Checker. My luck with Checker and the wrong d... parts tells me that they fed me a wrong tie rod or drag link and the size difference is causing the dip/pull. I'm also thinking about taking the caliper off and taking that back, but then I'll have different pulls on each side based on the new pad thickness v. the older pad, right?

Well, good news is that tie rods and ends are cake walk... bad news... if I can't get Checker to take the parts back then I'm out another 200 bucks on a hunch. Good thing Uncle Sam pays well.

 

Had that problem once on a 74 F-100. Drums at all corners. Pulled HARD right. There was a hole in one of the rubber brake lines. It wasn't leaking brake fluid, but air had gotten into the system. Replaced the brake line and all was well.