Car Pulling to Right

[bstark]

Following on from the 'Grabbing Rear Drum Brake' question, I'm not sure the problem is so simple.

 

The sun was shining so we went for a blat today and the car was pulling gently to the right most of the time - much worse under braking. Also, on the way home I heard a very loud moaning noise (no it wasn't me...) coming from the front right wheel on two consecutive left handers, taken at speed whilst off the power.

 

I stopped at a garage but I couldn't see or feel anything obviously wrong, and after this I couldn't replicate the noise. Still pulling to the right, though...

 

When I got home, I felt the wheels to see if any of them had got significantly hotter, indicating a grabbing brake, but what I found was that the front right, and both rear wheels were a nice warm temperature (about the same as the tyres - AO21R's) but the front left was still cold, albeit with a warm tyre. If the front left isn't coming on at the same time as the other brakes, is this easy to adjust / fix?

 

I don't really want to take it back to the garage as they (UK Sportscars) are painfully slow and I'm not convinced about the last job they did (check rear brake, service and MOT about 200 miles ago). Can anyone make sense of the above and suggest the most likely cause / solution? Or does it sound like many problems coming together? Help!

 

Bob Stark

Supersprint first-timer

[sjwb]

LHF brake piston(s) seized?

Pull the wheel off, using a (nominally 1") open ended spanner on its side, lever the pads apart. They should move quite freely. If not, there is your culprit.

Don't forget to pump the pads back into contact before you drive away.

 

Steve B

 

Edited by - sjwb on 21 Apr 2002 19:43:07

[Paul D Jones]

Also check the wheel bearing if its tight it will give the same affect.

 

paul

See My Car Here

[Graham Perry]

A brake bleed all round afterwards probably wouldn't go amiss either, as it could be trapped air, although it would have to be a lot of trapped air.

[deanteam]

If brakes and bearings are in order do you have same caster both sides?

[bstark]

Thanks for the advice - I'll check the LHF brake when I get home.

 

Sorry if it's a basic question, but how do I check the bearing? Is it simply a torque setting (if so, any ideas what it should be - 1992 1700 Supersprint)? If not, what else?

 

I don't think its air in the system, as the pedal isn't squidgy (technical term), but I will try bleeding it once I get some suitable tubing.

 

How do I check the castor? This problem is relatively recent, by the way, and in particular the pulling to the right in normal driving.

 

It passed an MOT at the same time as the service when I asked the garage to check the brakes (hence my concern about the service - although it is running beautifully other than this, touch wood).

 

Bob Stark

Supersprint first-timer

[Super_Rich_Bernie]

Before the Caterham I owned a car which was notorious for seizing brake calipers, both front and rear, if not used frequently.

 

Part of the normal servicing of the car involved removing the pads, putting a piece of wood the thickness of a very worn pad in place, and pumping the brake pedal to push the pistons out. On a sticking caliper one piston would come out ahead of the second, and may need a hefty shove on the brake pedal to release it.

 

The rubber boot could then be peeled back, and any dirt/ tarnishing on the exposed piston cleaned up with brake cleaner. I used to drip a little silicone brake fluid on the piston to lubricate it as it pushed back.

 

If one piston was sticking the process was repeated until it moved freely.

 

The last check was to make sure the pads were evenly worn - if not the pistons are trying to work at a slight angle to the bore, and will be more prone to sticking.

 

This was particularly important on a car which wasn't used often. Going through the same process with your Caterham will do no harm, and eliminate sticking calipers.

 

Jonathan

 

 

 

[DohNut]

To check the bearings - put car on axle stands and try to wobble the wheel top in bottom out and vice versa, and really heave on it, you are trying to simulate driving down the road.

If there is a definate Klonk then take the wheel off, take off the cap that covers the center of the bearings (not the shinny cap that is sort of part of the wheel but the solid - black? 30-40mm diameter cap) this will reveal a castlated nut with a split pin holding the nut in place. remove split pin turn the nut one notch and replace split pin, does wheel rotate freely? replace wheel, re-test wobble etc, etc, there should be a point at which no wobble and free rotation can be achieved but in my experience it is not easy.

At least that is how I did it on 88 De Deon front suspention, there is not anything that you can do for the rears - as I undersand it - they just need to be torqued correctly.

Nick

 

 

[bstark]

Thanks again for all the advice!

 

If I do need to change pads / replace pistons and seals etc. can anyone tell me what car the front brakes are likely to have been sourced from? It's a 1992 1700 Supersprint, with 4spd Escort Sport box and an Ital rear axle, if that helps.

 

Bob Stark

Supersprint first-timer