Thoughts on the brake?

[Autocross7]

I have a pull to the right when I press the brake on my Esprit... The car has new front calipers and pins - and the car roles free so this is not a sticking issue. Now, the car is out of alignment... pretty bad since the pot hole slam I took a couple weeks ago. And, the drift away from center line is in the same direction as the pull under braking...

So, (yes it is getting re-aligned next week) does anyone have any thoughts as to other stuff I should check for at the same time? Nothing appears bent or broke up on the rack and the impact was not really that hard, just at an inside angle...

Thanks for the thoughts...
Drive topless!!!
Cameron

[Dr.Hess]

Also check the brakes on the left. Pull to the right with braking means brakes on the left not braking, generally. Of course, start with the alignment.

Dr.Hess

[ragingfool]

yeah Cam
brakes on left not engaging
give you a call sat evening
later
chris

[Autocross7]

Thanks guys... I am not sure to what extent the brake would not engage.

As stated the calipers are brand new. The system bleeds out fine (no air) and when up on the jack stand, a buddy can spin the wheel and it stops instantly when the brake is applied... so at speed I should think that it is possible that the left brake may be only partially engaging. Not sure what would the cause. The brake master is fine.

My only thought is (other than the alignment) that the rubber brake hose my be expanding further on the left side than the right side? Of course, visual inspection does not really reveal any damage or extra wear on the left side... but I reccon it would only take a tiny bit of "over expansion"?

Thanks again,
Drive topless!!!
Cameron

[Dr.Hess]

OK, if you have a lift and a buddy, do this:

Buddy in car, pumps brakes hard while you observe the hoses. If they are bad to the point of causing you problems like you describe, you will see them balloon, or one of them anyway.

Buddy in car, you spin wheel. Start with the "good" side. Buddy puts _just enough_ pressure on the pedal to slow the wheel. You go to other side of the car and see of the same (front or rear) wheel is meeting the same resistance.

It is also possible that you have some contaminated brake linings on the left, the caliper is too loose, or even the caliper on the other side is too tight.

Another thing to try: Take your non-contact digital pyrometer (everyone has one of those, right? Real neat. If nothing else, you can get the cat to chase the laser) and take the car out. Stop from 30 or 60 or whatever. Immediatly go and get the temp of each rotor and compare to the opposite side. I bet one is off.

Dr.Hess

[lmarsala]

Greetings,

Check the front rubber bushing in the lower A arms.
check the pads for even wear on both sides.
Check rotor runout
make sure TOE setting are correct
TO check brake balance there are gauges that connect to the calipers and measure the pressure going to each caliper, also gauges that go between the pads and the rotors to check the pistons on the calipers.
These two checks can tell you if you have a partial blockage in the brake lines

Good Luck
-Larry

[fflyingdog]

Hi
I would firstly check my tyre pressures are correct ,incorrect tyre pressures can have a profound effect on the car pulling to one side.i had a simular problem had all sorts of advise ,then checked pressures .........DOH. Yep easy and cheap to fix ,plus it makes you check your pressures more regularly than a normal car !

Nick S4s

[Cross-eyed-twit]

For that reason alone, ie tyre pressures, I bought a handy little hand held pressure gauge with a air bleed button to let off any excess. Saw them at Silverstone when I went on a track day and its V handy. Of course it doesnt work the other way but helps lots. Both Geoff and myself thought the pressure was too much and hense were sliding around all over the shop. As it turned out we weren't the only ones, the track was -very- slippery. Strangely, it was the first track day I haven't spun at, too busy concentrating on keeping the car stable...

>> Edited by Cross-eyed-twit on Tuesday 22 November 16:28