Brakes pull to one side

Issues with shocks/springs, tires, steering box, stopping, etc.
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blackstack
United States of America
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Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2009 11:36 am
Location: WHIDBEY ISLAND

Brakes pull to one side

Post by blackstack »

When I put on the brakes the vehicle pulls hard to the left. I have adjusted the brakes per the manual and it does not seem to make a difference...I have also bled the brakes . Maybe I am leaving a step out. I would appreciate any suggestions. Is there a trick to get the pull balanced ?
undysworld
Norway
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Post by undysworld »

No particular trick, that I remember. A hard left pull seems to point to the RF not working well, or left grabbing. I assume all the parts are in decent shape - shoes, drums, etc.

Perhaps this will sound like a stupid question, sorry. Did you remember that the right-front adjusters work in the opposite direction as the others? (I'd think you'd have had troubles adjusting it like this, but...)

Perhaps you've got a seized-up caliper somewhere? One on the RF might cause this. (You don't want to go pushing the brake pedal with the drums off, but if you carefully pulled a drum out just a bit, and had an assistant help push the pedal, you might be able to see whether they were moving or not. I've never tried this, it's just an idea!) Also, remember there are two slaves on each front wheel.

I also seem to remember a past post regarding this issue. You might do a search, if you haven't already.
krick3tt
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brakes pull to one side

Post by krick3tt »

The first time I adjusted the brakes I did the rear first and did not know that there were two points of adjustment on the front. That made the shoes wear unevenly. I may also have adjusted one side more than the other. They did not pull significantly (just a bit) to one side but I did feel rather sheepish when I did remove the drum to clean them and realize what I had done. It has taken some time to get the wear even again.
Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the government take care of him:
better take a closer look at the American Indian.---Henry Ford
blackstack
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Post by blackstack »

Thank you both for your replies. I think my problem might be oil saturated brake shoes....The vehicle sat for several months and when I started driving it again there was a leak from the wheel drive that I noticed because of discharge thru the weep hole...the leak stopped after I had driven a bit (topped off the lube and still no leak) when I pulled the drum today there is no fresh oil but it is black and nasty with old oil on the shoes and everything else in there. The shoes clamp when the brake is applied but the left front grabs much stronger than the right. I am guessing the right side shoes are oil soaked and don't have as much friction ...Am I clutching at straws or does that seem possible?
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McCall Pinz
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Post by McCall Pinz »

Are you sure its oil and not brake fluid? I posted about a cylinder rebuild last year that was very similar. My pads were able to be revived by removing them and spraying with brake cleaner several times, but they weren't soaking in fluid for months just a week or two.
blackstack
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Post by blackstack »

Reasonably sure it is old oil...the brake fluid reservoir is steady...I am going to try cleaning the pads . I know that applying pedal locks the right side enough to prevent movement by hand but don't know if both shoes are engaged. I am going to try putting a bungee around the pads and see if both pads are pushed out or one of the cyliders is frozen.

Just an aside to cleaning the pads...I have a 1931 Model AA truck and an old timer told me the way to degrease the pads if the seals leaked was to just put them on the barbecue .
blackstack
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Post by blackstack »

I went the "take it apart clean it and put it back together" route and the brakes don't pull like they did. Of course if i am wrong about the seal no longer leaking it is only a matter of time. The repair manual says you are wasting your time trying to degreease the shoes and that oil will continue to leach out of the lining...I used two cans of brake cleaner and a scotchbrite pad and the shooes look new ..wait and see i guess
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