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Green Machine

Member Since: 19 Nov 2010
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 1226

Pulling to one side (feels like brakes)

Hello all,

It's not often that I come to you with a problem, but this one is causing both me and my local independent a bit of a headache! I'll try to provide a succinct overview:

As the weather's warmed up a bit I've been driving about with the windows down and noticed that my brake pads a clattering around quite nicely - sounded as though it was particularly bad on the passenger side.

Following on from this, my 90 has begun to occasionally pull to the left quite noticeably. This really feels as though the front nearside (passenger) brake is being applied even though my foot is nowhere near the pedal. It seems to happen at any time, but mostly at lower speeds (30mph) and in built up areas where I have been braking fairly frequently previously. The problem seems to have gradually got worse over the last couple of weeks. I can now hear the brakes squealing constantly when the passenger window is down, and even occasionally with it closed. The squealing is particularly pronounced when there is some steering lock applied - when the front wheels are completely straight, there is little noise, but as soon as I turn one way or the other the squealing is there. There is also significantly more brake dust on the front passenger wheel than any of the others.

So, this morning it went in to my local independent (who I know and have used many times before) to have the front passenger brakes checked out. He ordered in a new calliper in preparation that it may be required. He has just phoned me to say that he can't see anything at all wrong with the front passenger side calliper, or any other components. The only slight issue is that there is some corrosion to one of the pistons on the drivers side front calliper, which is preventing him from pushing that piston all the way back into the calliper to fit new pads on that side. Now, if the pistons on the drivers side calliper are not operating correctly, you would expect some effect on the passenger side calliper, but surely you would expect that under braking? The problem I am experiencing, which feels like occasional 'grabbing' of the passenger side front brake is happening randomly when the brakes are not applied. This is causing us both some real confusion!

We have decided that the best course of action is to replace the front drivers side calliper with a Ferodo unit, replace the front brake pads, and change the brake fluid. I figured that the driver's side calliper will need replacing soon anyway as the pistons cannot be retracted far enough to fit new pads. We discussed the option of putting new pistons and seals into the drivers side calliper, but agree that a new calliper is probably the better long-term solution.

It's one of those really annoying issues where an obvious cause cannot be diagnosed, but clearly there is a problem. My independent isn't convinced that the corroded piston on the drivers calliper is causing the problem that I describe, but that's the only thing he can find that has a notable fault.

Apologies for the essay, but I've tried to give as much relevant information as possible! Grateful for any ideas?

Regards,

Tris. 2005 Td5 | 90 Station Wagon | Tonga Green

24th Jun 2013 1:52pm

diesel_jim

Member Since: 13 Oct 2008
Location: hiding
Posts: 6093

I would have thought the garage would delve deeper into the problem, but things I'd look for would be:

Tyre pressures
loose wheel bearing
TRE (track rod end) knackered on one/both ends of the track or drag link
swivel bushes too much play (jack up and grab the wheel at 6 & 12 and try to wiggle)

24th Jun 2013 2:03pm

Green Machine

Member Since: 19 Nov 2010
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 1226

Thanks Jim, but he's checked them all and all are fine. No steering issues, no tracking issues, all bushes are fine, all bearings are fine. Perhaps it is just this issue with the drivers side calliper causing the problem.

Just to re-iterate, it isn't a continuous thing. Most of the time it feels absolutely normal, then all of a sudden (seemingly with no input from me) it will pull quite markedly to the left. It did it this morning on the way to the garage at around 50mph and it was really quite uncomfortable. I'm not really happy driving it whilst it's in this condition. 2005 Td5 | 90 Station Wagon | Tonga Green

24th Jun 2013 2:11pm

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17414

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey

A stuck piston, or at least a piston which cannot be fully retracted, can usually be remedied by pushing it further out and polishing off any corrosion with very fine abrasive paper.

A stuck piston on the osf caliper is likely to cause a pull to the ns under braking.

If you can hear the brakes squealing it suggests strongly that either the brakes are not releasing, or the disc is not running true in the caliper. My first suspicion therefore from what you describe would be that (in addition to the stuck piston in the osf caliper) your nsf wheelbearing is on the way out.

Other possible causes and things to check include the nsf brake line and hose - if the hose is breaking up internally or the pipe has been crushed it can prevent the return flow of fluid after a brake application. If you have ABS/TC it is I suppose conceivable that a fault in the ABS pump could be causing a similar effect.

Other things that can cause disconcerting steering effects are failures of the Panhard rod bushes, or the disintegration of the front diff. Having had my front diff break up and seize completely whilst driving I can say with some authority that the steering effects are unpredictable and profoundly disturbing! However the brake noise you say you are getting makes me doubt that it is this in your case, so I would check everything else first.

24th Jun 2013 2:36pm

bob neville

Member Since: 30 Apr 2009
Location: Marbella
Posts: 3248

My TD5 did this a few times. Had new disks and pads plus wheel bearings and it was a lot better.

Had an advisory just after the work was done on the bearings so my garage said they would check them.

Before it went in I noticed the OSF swivel weeping and the garage thought that the excess wheel play could be the swivel pins going.

Had the work done, needed different bearing spacers and the pins were on their way out due to previous owners rigorous regime of non maintenance

Now no more steering wander and on one particular section of road where it was prone to pulling to one side on braking there are no problems at all

Might not have anything to do with your problem but one to bear in mind.

Bob 2015 Jaguar XE240 R Sport - goes like ....... !!
2013 Defender 90 CSW - sold
2009 Defender 110 Double Cab - sold
2001 TD5 90 CSW - offroad project - sold to a forum member
2011 Porsche Boxster - for the sunny days !

24th Jun 2013 5:01pm

Green Machine

Member Since: 19 Nov 2010
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 1226

Thanks for the suggestions chaps - my indy stripped down the hub this morning and discovered that the inner wheel bearing was basically stuffed. Very black with some black wear marks on the race. Now has new bearings on the passenger side and new calliper on the drivers side, new pads, new brake fluid, and all seems well again (at least in the short distance between the garage and home!). Bit of a hole in the old wallet, but at least we discovered the problem (hopefully!).

Tris. 2005 Td5 | 90 Station Wagon | Tonga Green

25th Jun 2013 5:50pm

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17414

Good catch! It's not completely unheard of for front wheelbearings to seize solid with spectacular, adrenaline-rich, and catastrophic results.

25th Jun 2013 10:06pm

LRSoffroad

Member Since: 15 Feb 2012
Location: Doncaster
Posts: 189

Check panhard rod bushes

can also make it pull to onside when braking

26th Jun 2013 1:10pm

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