Brakes, delayed pull to right. 99 Tacoma

***Problem solved, lower left/rear LCB was totally blown. When braking normal the truck seems to brake ok. If I brake hard, especially at higher speeds it pulls hard right but sort of delayed (almost rolled my truck). Whats weird is the steering wheel tuns left when this happens, feels like something is loose. Any ideas would help.

 

check your brake pads, the left caliper might not be working so when you hard brake the right is doing all the work/braking and pulling right.

 

I have a the same problem opposite direction (pulls left slightly). Higher freeway speed braking produces a sharp pull to the left then a split second later it corrects and brakes straight. Its freaky to say the least. A friend suggested that perhaps one of the rubber brake lines became damaged during the brake job. So I am eventually going to install steel braided lines and see if there is a difference. So far I have replaced both front calipers (Autozone) and brake pads (OEM), replaced existing front coil overs (left one cracked) with newer Silver 620# Toytec Coils and Bilstein 5100s, replaced bad steel wheels with new aluminum and had an alignment done. trucks beginning to pull left

2002 SR5 Tacoma TRD 4X4
196xxx miles
4.3L V6 motor
5 speed manual
Timing belt, waterpump, thermostat, belts replaced at 160K
Hankook 285/75/16 Dynapro ATm’s with 95% tread
Black Aluminium rims
Elocker
skid
AllPro
full skids from front bumper back to cross member
Addicted Offroad front winch bumper
WARN 10,000 LB lb winch (2 months old, never used)
Trail Gear rock sliders
Trail Gear rear bumper with trailer hitch
4straight trailer wire harness
Tundra (13WL) 231mm brake calipers/rotors/premium pads. All are new with 1500 miles on them
Makes towing so much easier with no worries about stopping
3” lift with the Toytec/Eibach front coils (silver 620#) Adjustable Bilstein 5100’s
Rear AAL with Bilstein 5100’s
Pinch weld mod - Very common steering wheel clunk fix
Rear diff breather mod
Elbow removal...vs deck plate...vs K&N Fuel Injection Performance Kit (FIPK)
All fab work done by addictedoffroad.com

 

Why didn't you change the brake lines when you did the Tundra brake upgrade? Part of the upgrade is to install new stainless steel or Kevlar brake lines. I got mine from Wheeler's off-road and the rear brake line from @OCTaco in the group buy section. I hope you figure out your problem. Having brakes like that on the freeway has to be crazy scary!

 

I would definitely suggest getting the lines replaced along with the brake fluid. Not a good idea to cruise at highway speeds with questionable brakes.

 

After barely driving the truck for several months I had a mechanic look at the truck. He said that the calipers were bad and they should be replaced.. After replacing both calipers the truck continues to pull hard right when braking, nothing has changed. Not sure if changing the brake lines will help or not. Limited budget, I can't afford to just start replacing parts hoping to find the problem. Any help would be appreciated.

 

I had this issue (brake-steer) in my old solid-front-axle '84 4runner. It was caused by the change in geometry in the stock push-pull drag link when I did a suspension lift. I had to just live with it.

You might have an issue with your front suspension. Bad bushing, or loose alignment bolt-thingy.

 

I suspect a bushing but my mechanic recently replaced the lower ones (less than two years ago, maybe 10K miles).

 

Mine pulled hard left and was the lower control arm bushings. I replaced them with whiteline bushings and no more pull. Did you have the pull before having lca bushings replaced?

 

often it can be the brake line, if it were that or the caliper, it would do it all the time and not release

for me this pull to one side came and went at random and on mine, it turned out the brake pad "slides" were dry so the pads weren't sliding freely as they should when applied and they were "sometimes" binding and the result was only one side was braking causing the pull to one side

a good cleanup of the calipers and fresh grease on the slides and pins and I had no more problems

this may or may not be your problem but its a good maint job to do on your brakes regardless

 

Update! After a complete and thorough inspection and with further testing it would appear that the suspension components are alright but the right side is definately braking harder than the left. At highway speeds and breaking real hard, the right front tire locked up before anything else. I bled the breaks again with the same results. I could relace the brake lines, maybe someone could explain how that affects the braking? Thanks for any help.

 

when the lines get old they swell up on the inside. when new, a brake line has about 3/16" or so opening inside but as they age and get old the rubber swells and sometimes they can close up to nothing and not let fluid flow as it should.

step one would be to take off the wheels and see if its the caliper or the line that isn't working

do this by simply have someone press the brake as you wait to see if the calipers move to squeeze the pads. if need be open the bleed screw while using a big screwdriver to pry back on it to create some slack between the pads and rotor

if its not squeezing then open the bleed screw and press brake to see if fluid comes out, if it does then the caliper is stuck, if it doesn't then the line is blocked.

this shows you about swollen brake lines https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqNkWlyIDLM

 

also its a good idea to replace the brake lines on any 15 year old vehicle just as a routine safety maint even if they aren't bad yet. they only cost like $12 each at the dealer

 

Do you have ABS brakes?

 

No ABS

 

New calipers, new brake shoes (old ones were worn equally), new brake lines, bled all the brakes all the way around (twice, used over a quart of new fluid in the process), Still pulls to the right. On the dirt they seem to lock up at the same time, on the pavement the right one locks up way before the left. Definately grabbing more on the right. At my wits end, so frustrating.

 

Dumb question maybe, but are the front tires the same size, same tread pattern, and same pressure?

 

Same size. Didn't check the pressure. Not a dumb question.

 

OP, did you ever get to the bottom of this issue ?

 

I am fairly certain it is the LCA bushings bad. I know have some movement so until they are replaced I will continue to support this theory as to the pull