Hello, I have a 2001 Ford F350 7.3L 65,000 miles.
Truck suddenly started pulling to the right a few days ago. I have replaced both calipers, hoses, pads- had 2 bad ball joints and replaced them as well. Im out of ideas and really have no where else to go. If you have any ideas please let me know. Thanks, Fuzzy

The first thing to try is crossing the front tires. If the pull stops or changes direction, the tires are the problem. Radial pull is quite common.

If that does nothing for you, start the engine while observing the steering wheel and see if it jumps to one side when the engine starts indicating a power steering problem.




78 Corvette Pace Car For Sale-18k mi orig-Florida

Check for worn (don't know if they still call them that) strut rod bushings. Can allow the lower control arm to move during braking, throwing off the caster angle.
Loren
SW WA

Are we just assuming this is a brake pull or does it actually only occur when braking?




78 Corvette Pace Car For Sale-18k mi orig-Florida

ALL the above suggestions have been ruled out. First was the radial pull. no problem there. Starting truck and watching steering wheel checks out ok. Yes im sure it is only a brake problem, as described, it only pulls when braking. In fact the harder you push on the brake the more it pulls and as soon as you let up it straightens up. Front and rear brake pad wear is even. This pull started all at one time. Was driving truck all day then came up to a normal stop and it started pulling. Still could use some ideas.
Thanks, Fuzzy

About now I'd be suspecting a problem with the new parts or hardware installation issues.

Any chance the pads are not identical or if they got oil on them?

T
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Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest, Boston

fuzzy; This is a bit puzzling... Are the rotors close to the same thickness? Have you checked the brake fluid for contamination? Using a suction device, like your wife's turkey baster, take a sample of the brake fluid from the reservoir. Put it in a clear glass jar. Pour in some water and stir/shake it. It should go into a 'milky' like solution. If there is any petroleum pollutant in it, it will seperate and float to the top. (and don't blame me if your wife gets mad)
Loren
SW WA

well to be honest, after installing new calipers, pads, machine rotors, hoses and pad hardware it actually caused the pull to increase more upon stopping.
Im almost starting to suspect a master cylinder but I have no way to check fluid pressure at the calipers to see if they are equal side to side.
I am also sure that there is no contamination in the fluid or oil or grease on the pads. It was clean job start to finish.
This one is a puzzler I know. I dont want to keep swapping parts unless I can surley narrow it down, but I have already eliminated everything on the front axle.
Fuzzy

Have you even looked at the rear brakes? It is possible for them to do that.

Also make sure you didn't loop a twist into either front brake hose.




78 Corvette Pace Car For Sale-18k mi orig-Florida

Again yes im sure there is nothing wrong with the hose. I have been doing this for over 20 years, and please dont take offense to this, but I know what im doing when it comes to brakes. I just happen to have a serious issue with this vehicle and im just not seeing what else could be causing this problem. I most certainly and whole heartedly take your advice serously but your giving me advice that a novice shade tree might need to check. I need someone to burn some brain cells to help me out.
I have been useing this forum for while now and your a great bunch of people and have been a real help everytime I have had a problem. In fact 3 weeks ago the advice I was given for Jeep problem fixed me up. Thanks very much. So again PLEASE dont be offended, im not trying to sound like a smart A##. Just asking for some real help.

Good possibility Hammer - making a pig tail out of a brake hose isn't a good thing. You about can't with most. IMO - back brakes don't generally cause a hard pulling feeling but this is a 1 ton truck and back brakes frequently do a lot more work than cars.

Hate to suggest taking this job all apart and redo, re lube hardware and bleed out again with new fluid. Rotors shouldn't be the cause of a pulling if I'm reading this right and in that it just happened with the work I suspect parts or an installation issue but I'm not there looking at it.

Non brake fluid added or used by accident is a disaster as Loren mentioned. If that happened an oil product will destroy rubber parts used in brakes. If an oil is just added it floats and should stay on top at reservoir and might be ok to suck it all out and bleed the heck out of the whole system.

BTW - Loren - I always wondered why your turkeys tasted funny! Laugh - I use them too but mark them as NEVER to go back to the kitchen!

T
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Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest, Boston

If you have been doing this for a while then you know that 90% of the time when you get into a situation like this, you ultimately find out that the problem was right in front of you and you simply overlooked it or just assumed something that you shouldn't have. You have already hit the causes of this problem. If it's not a suspension issue, then it's something that you are looking right past so it's time to start over and look again at all the basics, that includes the rear brakes also. I might try pinching off the rear brake hose and driving it so see how it drives then.

It's not a master cylinder.




78 Corvette Pace Car For Sale-18k mi orig-Florida




(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Jul 13, 2009, 2:48 PM)

fuzzy; Went back and re-read the thread. This is pulling to the right under braking. The problem is surely in the LF.
Agree with Hammer, it's not a master cylinder problem. Was this doing it before the calipers were replaced? Did you overhaul the calipers or replace them with remans? Faulty caliper? Very long shot, but.... Air? Doubtfull. I keep going back to a front end problem, but if it was not doing this prior to the brakes?.... Pads. Like Hammer stated, sometimes we can't see the forest cause all of the damned trees are in the way! Tunnel vision, as Sidom would say... Wheel bearings? Don't overlook or assume anything. Good luck. And, please, let us know when you find out the culprit.
Loren
SW WA

Just to add a little....Long thread & it's possible I might of skimmed over it but I didn't see the radius arm bushings mentioned. I'm assuming its a 2WD unless I missed that to

Those are good for the right side going out also. Definately wanna take a look at those.........

Ok here is the latest scoop. I agree the problem is in the left front. I have replaced the pads again and the left front caliper. Tried crimping off the rear brake hose and this made no change. Crimped off the right front hose and steering wheel will completly spin itself to the left side stop at a crawling speed. This vehicle is a 4wd. Wheel bearings are good. Remember already had left front apart to install ball joints. Yes the problem had occured before any brake parts were replaced. Vehicle was used all day, then at one point I came to stop at light and pull just started. Been pulling ever since. Air in the system is very doubtfull. I have manually bled and bled and bled and bled and then just gravity bled and bled and bled all four wheels. Rotated all six tires and still no change.

Sorry forgot to mention, yes raidus arm bushings were mentioned but as everything else they checked out fine.

Does your truck have anti-lock brakes? If so check sensors, dirt/ mud buildup, or possibly faulty sensor? Any codes showing on dash?

Quote

Is it that severe if you crimp the other side instead?

Could there be a difference in the caliper pistons that you didn't notice before?




78 Corvette Pace Car For Sale-18k mi orig-Florida




(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Jul 17, 2009, 7:30 AM)

Count me in the new club that if you crimped a brake hose you'd better replace it! They can act like "Reed" valves witout help from being crimped,

T
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Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest, Boston

Re: Brake Pull
Owner of 2000, F-350 7.3L Super Duty, Auto 4 WD, Dual Rear, w/ 4 Wheel ABS - 150,000 mi. Hey guys, I too have the same issue as Fuzzy1, though not as sever. This is actually a common problem for me and I have replaced the front left brake system, (Pads, Rotors, Calipers, Bearings, Hoses), three times due to completely worn before the passenger side... and once the Front Left Axle too! I am currently rebuilding the Front brakes again and, of course, I am having problems after replacing both Calipers, Rotors, Pads, Bleed all 4 wheels and a new Bearing on the Left Side. It pulls to the left when braking yet the right side pads are sticking and over-heating, (a common recuring problem for me). I do as well experience sever bouncing when braking hard. Because, I pull 25,000 lb. loads from time to time this truck is worked hard and doesn't get the maintenance on time when it should. Shame on me! Though I haven't yet gone through all the rechecks that you guys suggested to Fuzzy1, (and I will), I sympathize with him and some of your solutions for him to check. They are a bit basic and this guy is looking for something less obvious and maybe more specific and common to Fords. That's what I'm hoping for when I google this problem. I offer this only as it is a solution I have never come across before. I stumbled across this Post regarding the following issue:LINK DELETED 99 f350 4x4 v10 brake problems

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"anyone having brake problems, mine is pulling hard to passenger side during braking, any suggestions, i've allready tried bleeding and new pads." This posible solution eventually followed: "Had the same problem with mine, working at a ford dealer I talked to the front end guy, he said that it was one front shackle moving more then the other as the springs move causing the front axle to turn one way or the other. The fix is to torque the shackle alittle tighter then the other side. If it is pulling to the right during braking, tighten the right shackle, if it is pulling to the left tighten the right shackle." Though I don't yet know what a shackle is exactly, I have often felt that these springs that pushed the pads back from the rotors were a bit dodgy. Though I don't believe this is necessarily the solution to the braking left, but maybe it will help me with the over-heating brakes. Does anyone have any thoughts about this, and how would you adjust these springs? My Regards, BWilly


link deleted.........not allowed


(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Aug 16, 2009, 10:53 PM)