I would try bleeding both sides. Start by sucking most of the fluid out of the reservoir and refill with new. Then bleed both sides until clean fluid comes out - make sure to refill the res as you go. I bet you you've either got some air in the system or some crap stuck somewhere. If you're lucky, bleeding will flush it out. As "1" noted above, it's a cheap and easy place to start.

 

Thanks for the advice guys, as soon as it stops SNOWING I'll try bleeding the brakes.

 

You might try taking the two front rubber hoses off ( the ones that supply the front calipers with fluid ) and try to blow thry them from both ends they might be collapsing on the inside from detoriation if the unit has as many miles as you say then you should replace them both .. been there --done that terry

 

Got out and checked hoses and bled whole system, still pulls left.

 

Go buy a caliper and you will stop straight. I can almost gaurentee it.

 

I've had this problem occur with bad flex brake hoses. The inside liner comes loose and restricts fluid flow. Brake application pressure pushes fluid past the restriction but it won't allow backflow so that the caliper releases.

You may want to check your flex hoses.

 

I had the same problem. I replaced calipers, hoses and pads. The problem DID not clear until I installed another set of pads. Whew,, went through much of the same you have described. That's when I went from semi-metallic to ceramic.

 

Hopefully I don't need to replasce my new Hawk pads, they are a little too expensive to just give them a try! On well, waiting for time/parts now, I'll update progress, Thanks again to all responses, this forum rocks

 

You seem to be sure of yourself so I have to ask. What makes you so sure it is a caliper? Are you saying it is the left one or the right one giving him trouble? I ask because he never said whether it was pulling during braking or or not braking, so to me there is information missing that could help determine the problem. I'm not saying you are wrong, but would like to know what makes you come to your conclusion.

Fordboy - what did the pads you took off look like? Were both left and right side pads worn evenly? I've replaced lots of brakes never had this problem before. I'm more inclined to belive that you could have damaged the brake lines in the manner that has been described already durning your brake job rather than damaged a caliper. Could have been the line was near failing and your messing with it finished it off sorta thing. That said you very well may have damaged the caliper when you pressed the piston back in. Sounds like you have taken it apart enough and even tested the piston so I'd go with a possible line failure and would consider changing it first as it will cost less than a caliper anyway, that is unless you are running some custom SS lines. But really I think it is important to know if the pulling left is continous, during braking, not braking, or what? does it fade slowly after braking? Let us know?

 

Thanks again for the input, It does only pull to the left when braking. Just for giggles i reinstalled the old pads/rotors, NO PULL. Checking into different rotors/pads.

 

The described hard pulling of the steering wheel makes me believe it is during braking as that would jerk the wheel fairly well if one caliper was not grabbing. If the caliper was hung up and dragging from a bad hose the steering wheel wouldnt really pull, or at least thats not how I would describe it.

He also stated he checked out the hoses, and usually when they go bad from my experience they will cause a claiper to not release, never seen one that wouldnt allow the piston to compress. He stated that he tested the operation of the caliper piston and it was moving, so the bad hose theory is kind of out the window for me.

Every time I have come across a situation liek this it has ended with a new caliper and the problem solved. Now I have not worked at a shop, so you may very well have more experience to draw off of than me. I am going off doing brakes on friends and family's cars for the last 12 or so years, and I have gone through an unral number of cars through out those years (I usually owned 5-6 cars at a time, now i am down to 4) and many of them have needed brakes.

If I was to place a bet right now it would be on the caliper and not the hose. Again, just going off all my past experiences as I have run across this a few times.

As far as which caliper I suspect is bad, if it is pulling left while braking, the right one is not compressing, if it pulls right when braking the left one needs replacing. If it is a constant drag and the wheel is pulling even without hitting the brakes I would try the hose first as that is likely the problem, doenst sound like that is your issue though. If that is whats going on replace the hose on the side it is pulling towards. If its pulling left at all times, or keeps pulling after hitting the brakes the first time, even after releasing, replace the left hose etc.


Heres another off the wall idea you can try and its free, look at the metal line to make sure it has not somehow been kinked or dented causing problems with teh fluid flow. If you hang the caliper funny while working, or maybe hit something while trying to beat off teh old rotors that could be yoru problem. One stray hammer blow could do it. Kinda doubt it agian, but hey, its a free easy check, and free is good!

 

I did check the hard lines and saw no evidence of kinks or any damage from hitting or bending. I re-installed the old brake pads/rotors, pull GONE!! waiting on new pads/rotors.

 

Now thats messed up! Did you call hawk? They have a help line i believe.

 

I called the online distributor I purchased the pads and Powerslot Cryos from, they told me I have to ship the parts back and when they receive them, they will send new parts IF they deem the parts defective! I don't have another vehicle to use while the X is down for that amopunt of time, so I am just returning the Powerslot/Hawk parts and getting parts from a local supplier, shoud be done tomorrow afternoon

 

Glad you found the problem. I found it much as you did. After changing all the "stuff" checking everything 3 times. Then I thought PADS? Na never. But changed pads and the pulling went away. solved my problem.