Brake pull

Frdbronco8

Frdbronco8

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2018
Messages
39
Location
US
Seeing if I can narrow this down before throwing parts at it. Pulls a little to the left on moderate to hard braking. If I let go the steering wheel will turn a couple inches. Does this mean anything (front vs rear)
Also if I brake hard a few times it seems to stop doing it for a while. Sticky caliper? Does the heat cause it to stop sticking?



Thanks
 
Either the piston in the caliper is sticking a little, or the soft line is swollen/internally collapsed.

If they are the original lines, Id replace those, and flush the brake system first.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Weasellee
Frdbronco8 said:
Seeing if I can narrow this down before throwing parts at it. Pulls a little to the left on moderate to hard braking. If I let go the steering wheel will turn a couple inches. Does this mean anything (front vs rear)
Also if I brake hard a few times it seems to stop doing it for a while. Sticky caliper? Does the heat cause it to stop sticking?



Thanks
Click to expand...
Piston in the caliper is likely sticking. My 1990 Silverado had a brake hose collapse which didn’t allow the caliper to recess off the rotor. You couldn’t tell because the hose failed internally.
 
Frdbronco8 said:
Seeing if I can narrow this down before throwing parts at it. Pulls a little to the left on moderate to hard braking. If I let go the steering wheel will turn a couple inches. Does this mean anything (front vs rear)
Also if I brake hard a few times it seems to stop doing it for a while. Sticky caliper? Does the heat cause it to stop sticking?



Thanks
Click to expand...

Check the dust shield on the right side right behind the tie rod end on the steering knuckle and see if there is any grease on it. It is pretty common for the grease boot to squirt out a bit under hard braking which causes a pull to the left when it gets on the rotor. The symptom is that it goes away after a few more stops burn off the grease and then it comes back under hard braking again. Hard braking cycles the front suspension pretty well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Frdbronco8
Something I haven't seen anyone mention, and actually isn't brake related at all..

Check your control arms while you're under the Jeep looking at the brakes.
Common to have a 'pull' under acceleration/deceleration if a lower arm is slightly loose.
 
Thanks for the replies. Everything else feels pretty tight and it's done it since it was stock so thinking it's brake related. The pass dust shield looks dry although that tie rod boot is crushed so I could see grease getting out.

20240212_181104.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: mrblaine
mrblaine said:
Check the dust shield on the right side right behind the tie rod end on the steering knuckle and see if there is any grease on it. It is pretty common for the grease boot to squirt out a bit under hard braking which causes a pull to the left when it gets on the rotor. The symptom is that it goes away after a few more stops burn off the grease and then it comes back under hard braking again. Hard braking cycles the front suspension pretty well.
Click to expand...

Everything looked dry. I ordered up Bmb pads, centric rotors and new calipers. I pulled the left caliper and I this groove worn in the knuckle that isn't on the drivers side. I'm guessing this caused the brake to stick? Would I need a new knuckle or do you think I could grind it smooth?

20240213_203043.jpg


20240213_202558.jpg
 
It's too late now, but I would have suggested doing some simple tests before ordering parts, e.g.:

Jack up the front
Check both wheels can turn with a single finger
Press on the brake pedal - do both wheels lock or only one?
Release the brake pedal - is one side now harder to turn than the other?
When turning the wheels do you hear any griding noises from the hubs?
Do the calipers move freely on the slider pins if you remove the slider bolts?

What do the eight control arm bushings on the front look like? Dry and cracked?

Does it pull while driving as well? If so then do a DIY toe adjustment.

Andy
 
Last edited:
AndyA said:
It's too late now, but I would have suggested doing some simple tests before ordering parts, e.g.:

Jack up the front
Check both wheels can turn with a single finger
Press on the break pedal - do both wheels lock or only one?
Release the break pedal - is one side now harder to turn than the other?
When turning the wheels do you hear any griding noises from the hubs?
Do the calipers move freely on the slider pins if you remove the slider bolts?

What do the eight control arm bushings on the front look like? Dry and cracked?

Does it pull while driving as well? If so then do a DIY toe adjustment.

Andy
Click to expand...

I'm guessing the grooves are causing my problem but this sounds like a good checklist to do as well. If fixing the grooves cures the pulling ill return the calipers (Napa) but figure it's worth putting on the black magic brake pads either way to help stop these 35s.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AndyA
Thanks again for all the ideas. I got that welded up. Ended up replacing pads, rotors, calipers and brake lines. Turns out the pulling to the left was rear brake adjustment..... oh well, nice to have fresh brakes I suppose.... The BMB pads do seem to stop a little better.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AndyA
AndyA said:
Sounds like only a minor improvement? Andy
Click to expand...

I never really had to slam on the brakes before changing them out so it's hard to give a fair comparison but they work well and at least I know I've done all I can do with the stock brakes.
 
Top Bottom
Back