Ever since I got the truck on the road, the brakes have always pulled hard to the left (specifically the front left brake grabs a lot more than the front right), and I have to really be holding the wheel towards the right to keep the truck stopping straight. It's extremely unsafe and I've gotten to the point where I sometimes don't even want to drive the truck anymore because its such an annoyance and frustration to come to a stop every time. Plus it just wears me out so fast.

I don't know why I haven't posted this problem before, but I am now.

Anyways, to keep it short, I'm going to just list the facts and everything I've done to the brakes since I got the truck:

- First of all, the entire brakes system is all stock.
- Replaced all the original lines with pre-bent stainless lines. Replaced all the brake hoses as well.
- Replaced master cylinder and 4 wheel cylinders.
- Replaced 4 shoes and 4 drums.
- Replaced the front self-adjusters because I thought it might solve the problem. Replacing them did not have any noticeable effect.
- The only components of the brake system that were NOT replaced are all those linkages and hardware in the drum. None of the parts looked broken though.

I'm wondering if the problem I have is in the hydraulic system itself. Maybe I have air in the line that goes from that 4 way splitting joint to the front right brake? It's hard to believe though, since I bled the system over and over and over again, thinking that that might help. It seemed like it did for a bit, but then it came back to the way it was (pulling hard to left).

Maybe one wheel cylinder is weaker than the other for some reason like faulty parts? They were both brand new and installed at the same time...

Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks --Matt

 

Assuming that your brake system is all in good working condition and they are properly adjusted. Check your I beam bushing. I had the same problem, except that i had already switched to Disc Brakes. I checked and re checked everything with the brakes and could find nothing. So I started checking everything under the front end. that is when I found the bad I beam bushing. I changed them both and no more brake pull. And it had a viscous pull, a lane changer. I hope this helps.

Bill T.

 

Well, I did replace the kingpins (I guess they're also called I-beam bushings) about half a year ago, so I'm not sure it could be that. However, what can I visually check about them to see if they might be contributing to the problem?

 

Check the rubber brake lines, on these old of trucks they can get soft and expand, makeing the brakes react differant from side to side.

 

What happens if you are driving at low speeds...in the neighborhood for example...if you come to a stop, you say it pulls left...when you do come to a stop, when you do take off...go straight...but keep your hands off the wheel and see if it wants to jerk left as soon as you try to get rolling again. If thats the case theres a few things possibly...a badly hanging up wheel cylinder thats not releasing fully or at all. You said you put new self adjusters up front...are they installed correctly...I believe if you have 2 rights on it that the result will be one side adjusting itself mega tight...
Also, when you try the neighborhood drive and so on...does the left wheel/drum/hub assy get alot hotter then the right side ??? Are the wheel bearings ok on the left ??? were they replaced on one or both sides or at all ??? Are they adjusted properly??? Is the tin cover that goes over the hub nut to hold the nut in adjustment present or damaged ???
Did you have the drums, though new measured to be sure they indeed are the same diameter as the originals ??? Is the inside width of shoe surface of the new vs old drums the same ??? Are the star adjusters on the right wheels...you will get the same effect of the brakes adjusting to the max over time if you have them on wrong. Also, since it pulls left hard, what is the left rear doing...check the same things as above....also see if it has a bad bearing...feel it to see how hot it gets...basicly I would check to be sure that the same issues I mentioned above arent going on back there either...
As for the bad bushing, I think he is referring to the pivot bushing possibly...but if not, it would be the kingpin.
Before you did the brakes initially, did it stop straight and not pull and all that ??? Were any of the cylinders leaking or rear axle seals leaking???


I know this is a TON of stuff to check...but we are talking about the brakes though...one last thing...make sure the tires are inflated evenly left to right...if one side is way outta whack, it would cause a pull, though probably not to the degree you describe.



- cs65

 

I was not referring to the King Pin Bushings. Look at the other end of the axle where it attaches to the frame and pivots. And again this was assuming that you have checked all of the obvious possibilities. I know my suggestion sounds odd and if i had not experienced it first hand i would not have believed it myself. But I did and it fixed the problem. And this is not say this is your problem, but do not discount it. it is worth the couple of minutes it takes to check it.

Bill T.

 

I think we're talking about two different things here. Are you talking about twin I-beams from a '65-66 truck? I have a '64 with the straight axle...

Thank you though!

 

I have another question: Were all 4 brake drums the same? For example, could any one go on the front or back and it wouldn't matter?

 

No one has mentioned this, so I will.

1964's have leaf springs front and rear. 1965 and later F100's (2WD) have front coils and real leafs. No I-Beams till 1965 (2WD).

So you could not have replaced I-Beam bushings when there are no I-Beams.

IF a front (or rear) spring has a broken leaf, that will cause the truck to "dog track," and also causes a brake pull.

When a rear leaf breaks, the entire axle shifts over to one side. it may only be an inch or two, but that's all it takes.

If a front leaf breaks, this throws off the geometry of the front end.

Ever follow behind another vehicle down the road and notice you can see all four tires instead of just the rears? This is called dog tracking.

A broken spring causes this.
---------------------------
There is no way...none...that the brake drums can all be the same. No way at all.

1953/67 F100: The front brakes are 11" x 2" the rears are 11 x 1 3/4"

The front and rear drums are not the same.

Regardless, on 2WD's Ford did not sell the front drums only, they only came with the hub.

Front drums only were available in the aftermarket sector, but because of the design, you couldn't use a front drum on the rear, or a rear drum on the front...impossible.

 

Suspension and steering components are where I start when the vehicle pulls like that.

 

Matt I haven't worked on drum brakes for a while, but as I remember the shoes have different length pads. for the front you should have two longer pads and two shorter pads. The shoes with the shorter pads should go to the front. I don't know if this would cause the problem you discribe. Just my two cents.

 

Sorry Matt,
It did not say in your original post that it was a 64, I guess I should have looked at your gallery. My mistake, the problem that I had immediately popped into my head. I was thinking twin I beam all the way.

Bill T.

 

Well, I can report that none of the leafs in any of the 4 corners are broken. The truck sits level and tracks pretty damn straight. It's just when I get on the brakes, I can feel the front left grabbing a lot more than the right. I just know that it's in the brakes. (I could be wrong, but it just feels that way)

I wonder if I could jack up the front end (wheels off the ground) and get both wheels spinning by hand, and then watch as a helper slowly puts pressure on the brakes. If the driver-side brake stops first, then I could presumably rule out any suspension problems.

Here are a couple pictures showing the left and right side brake innards.

Passenger-side (right):


Driver-side (left):


I couldn't see anything wrong inside, but I didn't look for anything specific. I'll go back and take another look this weekend.

Does anything look out of place in either side?

Thanks for all the help so far! --Matt

 

FWIW - i had the same trouble back in he 70's when i first got my truck. did a major front and rear on it and when i got done it did the puklling thing also. i had a friend that was a mechanic at the ford garage here and i talked to him about it and he told me that because of the poor design of the system the only way to cure the problem was to jack it up so the wheel is off the ground an tighten the brakes by hand until you can no longer turn the wheel. this forces the brake shoe to gget in alignment all the way around. then turn it back until you can only hear a faint rubbing. do this with all four whels. i have not had the trouble since i started doing that. Dutch

 

Well, I'm glad to say that I found and repaired the problem.

I had never noticed before, but a couple of the shoes' lining were all cracked up and chipped on the underside (that's why I didn't see it before, because I never looked underneath). I went and bought a complete front brake shoe set and installed them. Aftering seating them correctly, I took the truck for a spin, taking it easy on the brakes. It stopped straight as an arrow, without a peep or squeak!