Pulls to left or right when braking

[joshwilson3]

"Jack one side up and see if there is steering play by turning wheel on jacked up side left to right. should be very little play if any."

This test you don't want it running. Only need to do it on one side. If you find play then you need to visually determine which end it is.

Glenn

Ok. I'll try it out in the next few days. I'm guessing by Play. You mean the wheel will wiggle a little? Kinda like it is loose?

 

[G Winter]

Ok. I'll try it out in the next few days. I'm guessing by Play. You mean the wheel will wiggle a little? Kinda like it is loose?

Yep.

Glenn

 

[vett boy]

One thing I've noticed that on I 295 there are slight truck groves from continual heavy loads .When I hit those with a wide tire vehicle I get quite a lurch either left or right.This condition has nothing to do with breaking though.

 

[Smmmokin']

New or almost new Vettes are pretty reasonable currently. . .

 

[joshwilson3]

I had it in the shop for an oil change. They said they checked the ball joints, tie rods, etc. that they always check during an oil change. And said they found nothing wrong. So, I guess that would mean an alignment? I do know while I jack it up, it looks like the bottom of the wheels are turned inward a great deal. As while I'm jacking it up, I can see and hear as the bottom of the tires pull out and scrape along the ground.

 

[sweabe]

Hi, the alignment should only be looked at when the car is sitting on the ground at normal ride height. When you are jacking up/down the car, it's normal that the tires are scraping along the ground.
You also need to move the car a bit after jacking down, to set the suspension correctly.

 

[joshwilson3]

Hi, the alignment should only be looked at when the car is sitting on the ground at normal ride height. When you are jacking up/down the car, it's normal that the tires are scraping along the ground.
You also need to move the car a bit after jacking down, to set the suspension correctly.

I'll look at getting an alignment and see what that does.

 

[John Robinson]

Lets stir the pot

On my 93 It became somewhat unpredictable as to were it was going. Had to replace the lower ball joints and the inner upper tie rod ends. I then had a four wheel alignment done. Car was better but not 100% cured. Checked the air pressure in the tires and found the fronts were at 45 lbs and the rears were 40 lbs. took them back to 35 PSI and the twitchy stirring went away and the car tracked straight again. I also have noticed that if the air pressure in one front tire is different than the other it will get squirrelly.

 

[joshwilson3]

On my 93 It became somewhat unpredictable as to were it was going. Had to replace the lower ball joints and the inner upper tie rod ends. I then had a four wheel alignment done. Car was better but not 100% cured. Checked the air pressure in the tires and found the fronts were at 45 lbs and the rears were 40 lbs. took them back to 35 PSI and the twitchy stirring went away and the car tracked straight again. I also have noticed that if the air pressure in one front tire is different than the other it will get squirrelly.

The shop put the tire pressure at 35. And it is still there. I believe it is either an alignment, or something in the front steering.

When you got your ball joints and tie rods replaced. Did the shop check them out and found them to be bad? Or did they just replace them based on symptoms? The shop I had it at said they checked it all out and everything was fine. As did a prior shop I had paid $30 to find anything wrong.

 

[John Robinson]

Checked out

I was there when I had mine checked and differently could see the play in the joints.

 

[joshwilson3]

I was there when I had mine checked and differently could see the play in the joints.

I hope they checked mine right. I know I've read sometimes you have to check the ball joints a certain way. Like with and without load, etc. or you could get a wrong reading.

I need to get a new tire put on and a rotation. When I do that, I may take it to another shop to get the tire put on and have them check the front steering out while they do that just to make sure there isn't anything wrong. As I wonder how good of a job they did checking the front steering, plus all the other things they say they check all for a $20 oil change.

I know on the coupon thing I got in the mail for the $20 oil change. It had a list of things they check. And one was "Thermostat Operation". I asked the guy how they check that. And he said they have a tool that tells them when the thermostat opens. But when the guy started it up after they did the oil change. They didn't run it long enough to get the thermostat open before they drove it out of the shop. So, I really doubt they did that thermostat check and probably didn't do all the other checks they have listed.

A few months ago, I found the 2 lower bolts on the driver front shock were barely on there. As one day I had noticed one of the bolts were sticking up a half an inch. Then found they were barely on. So, there had been 3-4 different shops miss that.

 

[gmjunkie]

I hope they checked mine right. I know I've read sometimes you have to check the ball joints a certain way. Like with and without load, etc. or you could get a wrong reading.

I need to get a new tire put on and a rotation. When I do that, I may take it to another shop to get the tire put on and have them check the front steering out while they do that just to make sure there isn't anything wrong. As I wonder how good of a job they did checking the front steering, plus all the other things they say they check all for a $20 oil change.

I know on the coupon thing I got in the mail for the $20 oil change. It had a list of things they check. And one was "Thermostat Operation". I asked the guy how they check that. And he said they have a tool that tells them when the thermostat opens. But when the guy started it up after they did the oil change. They didn't run it long enough to get the thermostat open before they drove it out of the shop. So, I really doubt they did that thermostat check and probably didn't do all the other checks they have listed.

A few months ago, I found the 2 lower bolts on the driver front shock were barely on there. As one day I had noticed one of the bolts were sticking up a half an inch. Then found they were barely on. So, there had been 3-4 different shops miss that.

1. Ball joints need to be checked Un-Loaded!!
2. Most $20 oil changes are done by a $6.50 an hr "Hey Boy" that is lucky to know how to change the oil,Much less do the checks they say they do!!:L:L:L

 

[joshwilson3]

1. Ball joints need to be checked Un-Loaded!!
2. Most $20 oil changes are done by a $6.50 an hr "Hey Boy" that is lucky to know how to change the oil,Much less do the checks they say they do!!:L:L:L

Yeah I know on the part 2. I don't have any faith in those 40 point inspections or what not they advertise with their oil changes. I'll have more faith in the shop to check it who puts on a new tire. I may let the dealer do it as they are offering a free balance with purchase of a tire. Though I do hate the dealer, but they may be able to correctly check the ball joints.

 

[shark454]

If the brakes are not fully functional on one side( your left), the car could pull to the right when stopping. Check the condition of the brakes.

 

[joshwilson3]

If the brakes are not fully functional on one side( your left), the car could pull to the right when stopping. Check the condition of the brakes.

It's not the brakes. It happens on both sides. And I've noticed the wheel wanting to turn some driving down ruff roads. So, I've ruled out the brakes. It is alignment, or something in the steering on the front end. It also is real darty, which I believe to be the same problem.

Actually, yesterday. I was coming up to a stop light and started braking. The wheel started turning to the right. Then when the front tires rolled onto fresh pavement, the steering wheel straightend out even though I was still braking.

Though, that isn't saying there isn't anything wrong with the brakes. But I believe the problem with the steering wheel turning has to do with something else.

 

[shark454]

Did you just describe how the anti-lock brakes would work if only one wheel was in contact with ice and the other dry pavement!?! The anti-lock system functions on each wheel separately.

 

[bucket]

My 89 likes to pull to the left or right sometimes when I'm braking. It done that since I've had it. When it does this sometimes, it will try to turn the steering wheel a good quarter a turn.

I had the brake fluid flushed over a year ago. A few months ago, I gravity flushed the brake fluid. I put a couple of bottles of break fluid through the lines.

I did read up on it. And it looks like most people who have this problem. It either pulls to the left or right. But for me, it can pull in either direction.

Could this be an alignment problem?

.

with new pads and fluid mine stays straight under braking

 

[joshwilson3]

.

with new pads and fluid mine stays straight under braking

My steering wheel can also turn on just driving down bad roads without braking. So, it isn't brake related. When I posted, I had just noticed it more when braking at the time. But realized it does it also without braking.

 

[joshwilson3]

Did you just describe how the anti-lock brakes would work if only one wheel was in contact with ice and the other dry pavement!?! The anti-lock system functions on each wheel separately.

I haven't driven it on any ice.

 

[bucket]

My steering wheel can also turn on just driving down bad roads without braking. So, it isn't brake related. When I posted, I had just noticed it more when braking at the time. But realized it does it also without braking.

...if it isn't brakes then your getting bump steer from bushings or other moving parts in the suspension....