Anybody ever having problems with their car pulling?

[MI-Thunderbird]

O.K. Here it is. My '96 V8 one day to the next, or so it seems to me just started pulling like crazy to the left when you step on the brakes a bit harder. I upgraded last year from the regular rotors to cross-drilled ones and so far I am happy as can be with them. While at it, it also got some new shocks because I figured " why stop then". So I never have an issue, until about 2 weeks ago. Now I just had a front end alignment in the late spring, I just had my tires balanced 5 weeks ago. It only happens when you have to break kinda hard at a higher speed. We thought that maybe the caliper got stuck, so we took the wheel off and cleaned it up, but it was fine. The stupid book ain't no help and my husband is busy at work so I got to figure this one out by myself! I am driving my husband crazy with "could it be this, could it be that'' so if you have any thoughts or you have had problems with your brakes/car could you please pass on your knowledge....I swear I won't claim it if you are right

[jworm420]

Its either a bad caliper or you need to bleed your breaks... most likely a bad caliper, you can clean it all you want and it wont help it any, and t bird oem calipers can not be rebuilt, you either need to get one from a junk yard or from an auto parts store.

[97Bird]

The rubber brake hoses between the caliper and chassis can also break down inside and plug up so that you don't get equal pressure to both sides.

[thunderbird muscle]

Mine did as 97 Bird said. You'll just have to check and see what exactly is causing the problem.

[flewthecoupe]

Another possibility is suspension components, especially upper and/or lower ball joints. If they are loose and worn out it will allow the geometry of the wheel to change in relation to the car and can cause a pull.

[thunderbird muscle]

He said it happens when he hits the breaks.

[solaris=amazing]

I got my 95 bird back from the bodyshop 3 weeks ago, it was repaired due to a driver hitting me in the drivers front wheel area.. All the left side suspension was replaced and everything, then they aligned everything. When the guy at the alignment shop took it for a test drive, he told me that the car was doing exactly what you describe.. It was pulling to the left, which i felt with the guy test driving it when braked kind of hard at any speed over 20mph. It turned out to be the front pads needing to be replaced, in which the bodyshop did for me. Now, i can stomp the brakes at 80mph and stop completly straight.

[MI-Thunderbird]

Hi to you all,
Thanks for giving me some advice, and just by the way I still am a woman not a man, made me laugh though Like I said I replaced brakes, pads and shocks a year ago checked all that and it is fine. My ball joints just got done too, and after that I had it aligned and balanced. I will check the hose this weekend maybe that is it. Unfortunately we live in europe and our junkyard never has a T-bird or Cougar around for us to strip, so if it really is my caliper I have no choice but to put a new part on Anyway it is all my husbands fault....he drove my car for a week and when I got back in it that is when it started....it just does not like men I swear! My baby has never given me issues, but he drives it and next thing you know the intake blew! Thank god for recalls. Anyway I will check it out and let you know what is going on.
Have a great day
Marija

[RickwithaTbird]

ever check your right caliper? maybe it aint workin, and thats why you go left? ... and solaris... STOMP the brakes at 80? sheesh....

[flewthecoupe]

I do it on any car I test drive. Gotta know if it'll stop straight during panic braking. If it won't, the car has problems that could be more than brakes.

Originally Posted by thunderbird muscle

He said it happens when he hits the breaks.

And yes, worn out suspension components can cause a pull during braking.

[RickwithaTbird]

yea I have to agree with that, flewthecoupe, last year after I changed my brakes I was having problems with a pull to the left, so I checked everything about my brakes, bled them a few times, but neglected to look at the suspension. I had no idea so I had to live with it for a while until one day while I was delivering pizza, my lower front ball joint BROKE OFF... fell off, and landed on the inside of my wheel... that corner of the car dropped about 3 inches, and I was like... whoa my hydrolics are broke... then I was like.. wait I dont have hydrolics... so the moral is, make sure you lube your balls regularly.