vibration/pulling to left side when braking

[trashboy]

hey guys, i've been trying to track down this issue and get it resolved for the better part of 2 months now. when braking, there is a noticeable vibration in the pedal/body (not in the steering wheel), and the car pulls to the left. it is more pronounced at higher speeds. i have also noticed that when i'm crawling to a stop (10 mph and lower), the truck is almost pulsating forward, as if someone was releasing brake pressure and re-engaging ever so slightly.

things i have performed trying to track down this issue and other related vibrations.
- greasing ujoints
- lower control arm bushings (poly, sonoran steel)
- upper control arm (jba)
- upper ball joints (toyota)
- lower ball joints (toyota)
- outer tie rod (napa)
- inner tie rod (toyota)
- rack and pinion (new toyota, not remanned/junkyard)
- new tires (at4)
- balancing
- alignment (3 times)
- pads and rotors (2 times, napa premium)
- retorquing all suspension components (discovered LCA bolts were very loose after an alignment, which greatly improved vibration upon braking)
- wheel bearings (both sides)
- brake flush

i'm at a loss for what could be causing this now. am i chasing something thats considered normal on these trucks? i definitely wouldn't consider this normal behavior, but i also have never driven a 20+ year old vehicle.

 

[phattyduck]

You spent a lot of time on the front... what about the rear - brakes in particular. I would guess you have a leaking rear axle seal and one side has contaminated brakes in the back.

-Charlie

 

[19963.4lsr5]

You spent a lot of time on the front... what about the rear - brakes in particular. I would guess you have a leaking rear axle seal and one side has contaminated brakes in the back.

-Charlie

Yep, people always throw rocks at the pads/rotors and totally forget about their 250,000 brake drums.

But, with regards to the pads and rotors….did you do the pad bedding in procedure?

I drive city to work and it’s 25 miles. Every once in a while my pedal will pulse doing those slower stops and I will go out and do some aggressive braking and the pulse goes away.

I’ve only used Napa premium coated rotors and their ceramic pads for a long, long time…..


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[weberlukas74]

Have you checked the brake calipers? Problems with caliper pistons or slide pins can make your brakes work unevenly, causing these issues.
Also, I’d check the brake lines for wear or kinks that could affect fluid flow. Since you've already flushed the brakes, make sure all the hydraulic parts are working correctly.
Plus, inspect the suspension bushings, especially the ones in the control arms and sway bars.

 

[AuSeeker]

I'm guessing you have one or more sticking/seizing caliper more likely on the left side.

Get or borrow one of those infrared thermometer, drive it around for a while, then check the temperature of each rotor and caliper, if one is much hotter than the others that caliper is sticking.

 

[trashboy]

thanks for the ideas guys. i did consider a stuck brake caliper or the drums but didn't feel any sort of stiffness when pushing the pistons back when doing the brake job, and have heard the drums can last a very long time.

i have 320k miles on the truck, so its definitely possible that it might be the drums, but i talked to a shop who said it was most likely other things, so i didn't pay it any attention.

 

[trashboy]

Yep, people always throw rocks at the pads/rotors and totally forget about their 250,000 brake drums.

But, with regards to the pads and rotors….did you do the pad bedding in procedure?

I drive city to work and it’s 25 miles. Every once in a while my pedal will pulse doing those slower stops and I will go out and do some aggressive braking and the pulse goes away.

I’ve only used Napa premium coated rotors and their ceramic pads for a long, long time…..


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i did do the bedding procedure but wasnt able to get as aggressive stops as i would have liked. ill go out on an empty street and give her a couple strong stops and see if that helps.

 

[19963.4lsr5]

i did do the bedding procedure but wasnt able to get as aggressive stops as i would have liked. ill go out on an empty street and give her a couple strong stops and see if that helps.

Hard 60 to 5mph then drive somemore don’t come to a complete stop….


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[St Runner]

I would check the temperature of each wheel as AuSeeker said. Drive it around for a good bit and then place your hand on each wheel. The front two should be the same temp and the back two should be the same. If one is hotter than the rest then that is your problem wheel. I suspect either front caliper seizing or rear axle leak

 

[Wedgy]

I had a similar issue, replaced the front pads and calipers, bleed the brakes, etc. and still had the pull. Took the front shocks off and could see movement in one of the control arm bushings I had recently replaced. Got a bad one I guess.

 

[trashboy]

I had a similar issue, replaced the front pads and calipers, bleed the brakes, etc. and still had the pull. Took the front shocks off and could see movement in one of the control arm bushings I had recently replaced. Got a bad one I guess.

can you share if yours was the lower control arm or upper?

 

[Wedgy]

can you share if yours was the lower control arm or upper?

Mine was a lower. I had tried prying on it with a pry bar and got no movement but in the air with the shock off it was easy to see the movement.
It was frustrating because I had done everything as you including rear axle seals and new drums, brake cylinders, etc. complete front end and also a new steering rack(old one leaked like crazy) and still had the issue. Two shops found no issue either.

 

[trashboy]

Mine was a lower. I had tried prying on it with a pry bar and got no movement but in the air with the shock off it was easy to see the movement.
It was frustrating because I had done everything as you including rear axle seals and new drums, brake cylinders, etc. complete front end and also a new steering rack(old one leaked like crazy) and still had the issue. Two shops found no issue either.

you say you had a pull to one side.. weas the bad bushing on the side that was pulling, or opposite? i would assume the same side as the pull

 

[Wedgy]

you say you had a pull to one side.. weas the bad bushing on the side that was pulling, or opposite? i would assume the same side as the pull

Lower right rear bushing and it pulled to the right, scary if you hit the brakes hard so I quit driving it except to test it.

 

[19963.4lsr5]

I had a similar issue, replaced the front pads and calipers, bleed the brakes, etc. and still had the pull. Took the front shocks off and could see movement in one of the control arm bushings I had recently replaced. Got a bad one I guess.

When my lower control arm bushing on the drivers side failed I’d be driving down the road and the rig would veer left or right with the steering wheel strait.

Talk about a butt pucker feeling…..


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[trashboy]

as an update, i took the truck for a drive and didnt feel any difference in heat between the two front wheels and two rear wheels, so figured it was drums.

found a thread that said a good check is to pull the ebrake while driving so all the braking is done by the rear, and see if theres a vibration/pull. doing so resulted in a pretty noticeable vibration, so i ended up getting the drums replaced. from my initial short drive, it seems like the problem is fixed, along with much better brake feel.

i think the rears needed adjusted and probably just needed to be replaced anyways. truck has 320k miles on it, don't know if theyre original drums but the tech noted that the drum seemed "a little too big" (not sure what that even means) but im happy for now

 

[19963.4lsr5]

Most Drums have a ID range stamped on the drum somewhere.

If the ID exceeds the number you’re suppose to replace it

That may be what he was referring to


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