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#1 |
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Modesto, CA
Posts: 1,321
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Well..new tires and alignment, STILL veers violently!! HELP!
OK, with the new tires on and a new alignment, the car STILL veers left when braking. The guy at the shop said I needed to repalce my pitman arm, bcause it was loose. IIRC, I remember reading something where another forum member was having this sort of problem, and it turned out to be the pitman arm..I checked the brakes last night, the passenger side brake caliper ISN'T frozen, it DID work when I checked it...
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#2 |
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Modesto, CA
Posts: 1,321
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Is it possible for the passenger side front brake to not work ENOUGH? I would think that if it's working, it's working...
I'm about to go out and pull the brake pads off and replace em (lifetime warranty) then bleed my system... |
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#3 |
Project92 SWB stepside
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Louisville KY
Posts: 4,793
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The pitman arm is under alot of stress when braking. Save your time and do it first!!
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92 C1500 stepside 496 Stroker Competiton Engineering Ladder bars/QA1 coilovers. Dana 60 rear with 4.10 gear and posi. Bonspeed Palisade 20x12 in rear w/335/30/20 and 20x8.5 front w/245/40/20. 5/8 drop with Belltech springs/DJM spindles/drop shocks. WWS Progress thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=140448 |
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#4 |
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Modesto, CA
Posts: 1,321
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Hmm, you really think it's the pitman arm?? How hard is that to change?
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#5 |
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Modesto, CA
Posts: 1,321
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Here's a picture of my caliper setup...
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#6 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Victoria,BC Canada
Posts: 125
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sounds like the 1 caliper is grabbing more then the other
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1981 GMC Sierra 1/2 Ton SWB 4X4 |
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#7 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Tampa
Posts: 1,191
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Get a couple caliper rebuild kits and some fine emery cloth/wet sandpaper to polish the pistons when you have them apart. Do both sides as it is going to be hard to determine which side is causing the problem. Or the more expensive route replace them. If your vehicle only pulls when braking you'll find your problem here. Even if your pitman arm is bad it wouldn't cause the pull to the SAME side every time (even though the pitman arm is on that side). If it was due to the pitman arm it should pull to the right half the time. Just my opinion (former ASE technician). Does it do it when the brakes are cold? Meaning from the first couple stops? Or does it do after driving it awhile? Does it get worse after the brakes heat up or is it just the same all the time?
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'68 Short Step LS1/T56, Hydratech, Fatman Fabrications Stage III, Baer, Hot Rods to Hell, US Body, S&W, etc |
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#8 |
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Modesto, CA
Posts: 1,321
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It's the same all the time. I looked at my brake pads tonight, and the drivers side pads were GONE! Literally, like NOTHING left..but the passenger side pads were in good shape. I also checked the guide pins, I couldn't push em out with my hand (had to tap em out with a hammer) So 2moro I'll grease the guide pins and change the brake pads...hopefully that'll do it
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#9 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Tampa
Posts: 1,191
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Don't use grease, use some anti-seize. Should be able to find it at any parts store. And keep a eye on it. When was the last time the brake pads were changed? And how many miles a year do you put on it? It sounds like you found the problem, I just want to make sure that the right side is doing its job (i.e. r/h piston froze, l/h piston sticking). If you can jack the front end up (or one side at a time) and rotate the wheel. Then have somebody apply the brake and try and turn the wheel with your 4way/lug wrench. Once your satisfied that the caliper is working have them release the brake and compare that to how it felt before the brake was applied. Make sure to compare l/h to r/h also. Good luck!
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'68 Short Step LS1/T56, Hydratech, Fatman Fabrications Stage III, Baer, Hot Rods to Hell, US Body, S&W, etc |
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#10 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Vermont
Posts: 996
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To butt in here if I may, from working at a parts store, I've found that on the late model chevy brake systems, you can pick up a caliper rebuild kit for around $10, but a whole complete reman caliper can be scored for anywhere between $20 and $40. For me it was worth the time, labor of rebuild and peace of mind to just score a set of reman calipers and be done with it versus pulling and installing seals, cleaning the piston surface, etc. Just my $0.02
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#11 |
67-72 parts collector,…
![]() Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Mid-MO
Posts: 22,699
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I had the exact same problem happen to me a few years ago. The problem is the brake HOSE that goes to the caliper. It looked fine on the outside, but was collapsed on the inside. This was causing it to send all the brake fluid to the opposite side, making it pull hard to that side. Replace the hose on the opposite side of the hard pull and that should fix it.
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#12 |
What if?
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Choctaw,Oklahoma
Posts: 649
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i had the same problem on the wifes minivan,turned out that the caliper on the drivers side was sticking. i put rem calipers on and end of problem.
also by saying the pads were gone on the one side indicates a caliper or brake hose problem. sounds like you caliper is sticking or has an obstruction in the line on that side that the pads were gone on. also you might want to get the rotor changed or turned cause if the caliper was sticking the rotor could be warped.
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2002 red extended cab Silverado 2002 Wheatland yellow Suburban |
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#13 |
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Modesto, CA
Posts: 1,321
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Well, the rotors that are on it, are a lot newer than the brake pads. Here's what I"m gonna do:
1.) Change the pads (lifetime warranty, free swap) 2.) Lube the guide pins 3.) Flush the brakes completely and fill with new Valvoline Stuff If that doesn't solve my problem, then I'll go from there... Question: Do I lube the outside or inside of the guide pin sleeves? (Or both!) ![]() |
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#14 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: daytonabeach
Posts: 22,956
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when installing the new pads make sure to lightly sand the surfaces of the calipers that slide in and out and lubricate with some brake grease(less than $1) to make sure the calipers slide in and out freely
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71c-10 350/2004r/4:11 lowered3/4 longbed/dead by hurricane MEANING OF DEATH::::: SOMEBODY ELSE GETS YOUR STUFF DONT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK TAKE MY ADVISE;I DON'T USE IT ANYWAY |
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#15 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Des Moines WA. (Kent, area)
Posts: 668
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I had the same problem on a chevy van it was the brake hoses!
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70 chev c10 swb fleet 72 grill, sb 400, 2/4 drop. 68 chev c10 swb fleet Early classic 4/6 drop with 4wheel disc brakes 9"rear 67-8 buckets tilt and A/C Classic GM Truck Club of Washington . |
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#16 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 140
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I aggree with front brake lines, happened on my 95 1/2 ton. Passenger side line was either plugged or collapsed and NO fluid was flowing through it. looked fine form the outside.
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#17 | |
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Modesto, CA
Posts: 1,321
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Quote:
1.) Replace the brake pads (Lifetime Warranty) 2.) Replace the brake rotors (2 year warranty, which is up in 10 days!) 3.) Lube the slides WELL If that doensn't do it, then I'll go on to the next step, which is replacing the passenger side front brake hose (the rubber one) and then bleeding the system...for the most part, this is all a free fix...just costing me the labor (which I'm paying in sweat and busted knuckles, haha) |
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#18 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: daytonabeach
Posts: 22,956
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other things you should check while the trucks up on jackstands are tierod ends pitman,steering arm and balljoints it's a good idea to have the greasegun handy and give them a squirt
__________________
71c-10 350/2004r/4:11 lowered3/4 longbed/dead by hurricane MEANING OF DEATH::::: SOMEBODY ELSE GETS YOUR STUFF DONT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK TAKE MY ADVISE;I DON'T USE IT ANYWAY |
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#19 |
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Modesto, CA
Posts: 1,321
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Well, the guy said my lower ball joints and my pitman arm is loose. I looked...they're not THAT loose.
I found a reciept, that shows where my brakes were bled last year, when the rear brakes/wheel cylinders were replaced. Soo...I dunno. Would replacing my rotors but NOT my pads, have caused the problem? The guy at AutoZone, said I MUST replace the pads when I replace the rotors... |
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#20 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Tampa
Posts: 1,191
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No you don't have to replace the pads when you replace the rotors. I know for a fact some of the automotive manufacturers (dealerships per manufacturers say) do not turn the rotors when you have them change the brakes. Which I agree with. If the pedal isn't pulsating when the brakes are applied, why turn them? It just makes them thinner and easier to warp. I do recommend knocking any glaze off the rotor with a die grinder and a Scotchbrite/3M pad. Let me guess, your lifetime pads are from Autozone and they are trying to get out of warrantying them?
__________________
'68 Short Step LS1/T56, Hydratech, Fatman Fabrications Stage III, Baer, Hot Rods to Hell, US Body, S&W, etc |
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#21 |
English Chevy Owner
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Shropshire, UK/ Lot, France
Posts: 1,848
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It is possible for a brake line to be partially obstructed but let enough fluid through to partially apply the brake. This would allow you to see the caliper move but not give enough force to give any braking effort. This happened to me in a Suzuki 4x4 coming down out of the Pyranese mountains in Spain as I braked behind a truck and ended up on the other side of the road. At time my only option was to ream the line out of all the loose rubber, reassemble, bleed and carry on until I could get a new one.
Change both front flexible pipes, bleed and redo the pads as suggested above. The chances are if one pipe is breaking down the other may not be far behind it. I've always looked at brakes as pairs and done the same thing to both sides.
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Phil '67 C10 long fleet. 350/TH350, 4 bbl Carter, K&N, Dual exhaust, loads of stuff coming soon 2001 S10 Blazer Daily Driver, bone stock 4 door 4x4 with manual transmission |
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#22 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Atlantic City, NJ
Posts: 1,073
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Same problem I had.....CHANGE THE BRAKE HOSES!
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86 SWB 9.0 LITER T-400-OD 4.11 eaton-4/5 drop Best 1/4 12.51 @112mph no traction ![]() |
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#23 |
And you call that a what?
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Dickson, TN
Posts: 171
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you should replace the hoses .. even if they are not visibly worn or leaking. I changed the hoses on my truck first thing when I had the same problem ... cured it right off. The old ones looked fine with no leaks. Be sure to bleed both sides as well.
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#24 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: BRADENTON FLA
Posts: 3,269
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Brake hoses are the FIRST place I look on customers trucks when they complain about pulling to 1 side, 99% of the time thats what it is.
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Rest in Peace Ed. Thanks for all the good times. |
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#25 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 441
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Bleed the brakes, that's the cheapest way. then if you wanna work on the calipers, they're abotu $15 each. Don't screw with rebuilding them, it's not worth your time. and you can paint the new ones if you want.
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