Front end pulls?
 

Ok Guys, I got one for you.........1983 911SC. Has stock suspension/brakes with the following exceptions;

Turbo tie rods (new)
HD Bilsteins (new)
Weltmeister camber brace.

Problem started when I installed the tie rods. Weekend before I changed front brake pads/wheel brgs and seals, all new and installed as per my manual. I installed the tie rods and like a good boy went straight to the alignment shop. After coming home everything is jake.......steers great no pulling nothing....puuuurfect. Next day when ever I apply the brakes it pulls to the left as I'm stopping and only with firm brake pressure. Just driving stays straight as an arrow.

Back to alignment shop for re-check. Toe is right, Camber is right, Caster is right, ride heights are right and even. tires are matched and reasonably new as well. So what the heck?

And now the kicker..........it comes and goes......sometimes its perfect and other times it makes a left turn when I hit the brakes............. i'm thinking its not alignment or anything with the front end at all. It has been suggested that I may have an intermittintly sticking caliper???? Is this possible? Anyone heard of this? Any other thoughts/ideas?
Thanks!

Bleed the brakes and when you test it,make sure you always do it on the exact same stretch of the road. The crown of the road makes a big difference.

If it's any help my car is doing the exact same thing except it pulls to the right. It goes into the shop on Wednesday for new shoes and to hunt this down. I'm guessing sticky caliper but I'll let you know.

If it only pulls under braking, I certainly would suspect brakes, not alignment. As netspeed said, bleed the whole system. It wouldnt hurt to check the front pads / rotors for grease, etc. and maybe spray them down with some break cleaner.

Doug

Time to look at your front brakes. I'd do an inspection looking at pads and compare right and left. Probably find one side worn more.
Chances are good one caliper has a little air in it.
If the pads and rotors look good, I'd replace the brake fluid and bleed all corners. Especially, if the fluid is more than two years old.
If this doesn't work I'd check the corner balance.
Sounds like the alignment is ok.

I just did everything, brakes, lines, calipers, disks, turbo tie rod ends, Complete suspension front and rear. I have put about 500km on it. Mine does the same thing. However, I read the road and can tell which way it is going to pull. Look at the roads you are driving on and that may be your only problem, especially if it is intermittent.

SGT B

Since you just did the front wheel bearings, double check the adjustment on them. If one is loose(r) than the other, it can make the car pull under braking.

ianc

i have the same thing happening on my 84 carrera. i was thinking it might be the tires. yokohamas seem to follow every ridge in the road. also, seems more pronounced under braking but i have had the brakes,shocks etc recently seviced. talked to an old tech and he recommended checking the camber?
steve

Braking will make a pulling condition more pronounced. Find the flatest road you can and make sure no other traffic is around. Get it up to about 45mph and then let the car coast. Which way does it go? If it pulls either way (exclusing the crown of the road) then it's most likely an alignment problem. If it doesn't pull until you hit the brakes, then (unless something is drastically loose in the front end) you have a brake concern.

You bleed the brakes and had a wheel alignment done. How old are the flexible brake lines. If they are the original ones they might be swollen up on the inside causing the pulling. And take note that it could be on the rear. I would suggest replacing re bleeding and if the flexible lines are more than ten years old replace them cheap insurance in my book.

My thoughts

Michael

Good info Michael,

Definitely sounds like a possible answer to my problem at least.

Wow Thanks!

I have many things to check! My first thought was a sticking caliper but quite possibly I have some air in the system.......stranger things have happened. That should be fairlyeasy to remedy. I will put up another post after I check.

Update on my '84. I just got the car back from the shop with new RA-1's. The car is only driven in dry weather so I figured I'd go for it. The car has been totally transformed. No more pull under braking, the ride is now firm and tight and it sticks like glue. Unbelievable! The tires the car came with must have been total garbage. I really can't believe this cured my pulling issue. I would have bet good money it was a caliper but there is no indication now of what I was peviously experiencing.

Cool....glad to hear it's fixed! Radial tire pull....not too common but more prevalent on lower-grade tires.