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Brake pulling hard left

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Old Feb 21, 2012 | 01:32 PM
  #1  
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lucasp
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Default Brake pulling hard left

Ok, that being said I have the I6, 4 lug drum brakes. When I step on the brakes it pulls a hard left to where if you are not ready for it would cause an accident. Is there any adjustments I can do? I had it on jack stands and made sure when the brakes were applied they both stop the same time, but driving it and applying the brakes still pulls left. I am out of ideas any help would be awesome.

Thank you,
Old Feb 21, 2012 | 02:49 PM
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Things I would do:
Pull the wheel and check the backing plate for a leaking wheel cylinder
Pull the drum and check wheel cylinder for leaks in side and for shoe wear
If no leaks and shoes look good I would bleed the brakes
Still wouldn't rule out a bad wheel cylinder. This what I have found bad the times what you have described has happened to me.

Once you are sure of the mechanics I would button it back up and check for pulling.
There are adjusters that are accessible from a slot in the back plate, they are supposed to work automatically when you back up... in theory. Manually you can turn the gear like wheel one way and it expands the shoes, the other brings them in and makes them looser.
Here's what it looks like from inside.

Last edited by scootchu; Feb 21, 2012 at 02:54 PM.
Old Feb 21, 2012 | 03:16 PM
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+1 to the above

I moved this to the tech section maybe you'll get some more help here!

-Gun
Old Feb 21, 2012 | 03:21 PM
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Thanks for the helP and the move for more traffic.
Old Feb 21, 2012 | 04:53 PM
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The main causes for drum brakes pulling are contaminated linings, which you will find on inspection or out of round drums. To find an out of round drum you really need to put it in a lathe. Really bad front end parts can contribute to the problem too, so I would check your tie rods on the left side.
Old Feb 22, 2012 | 02:26 PM
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Be sure to check both sides. It may be pulling left because when you press the brake the right side is not engaging due to any of the above listed possibilities.
Old Feb 22, 2012 | 03:59 PM
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Originally Posted by bluemustang1966
Be sure to check both sides. It may be pulling left because when you press the brake the right side is not engaging due to any of the above listed possibilities.
Thanks for pointing that out because that is in fact what I was thinking but it came out backwards when I wrote it. Its a problem with the right brake most likely.
Old Feb 23, 2012 | 11:28 AM
  #8  
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Get your alignment checked as well
Old Feb 23, 2012 | 08:50 PM
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when you take the brake drum's off, i would take the time and take the adjuster's apart,and put some never-seize on the threads,and run them in and out a cpl times,.lots of times they rust up and will not turn anymore.. i know on my '65 , had that problem years ago,and it was almost violent the way it would jerk to the left when hitting the brakes..took the drums off and wheel cylinder was leaking,brake shoes were coated,etc
Old Feb 26, 2012 | 06:43 PM
  #10  
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Problem solved. It was a bad brake wheel cylinder; note, napa auto part did not fit(holes did not line up). Just gutted new cylinder and rebuil the existing one.

Thanks for all the help.



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