My truck has recently developed a problem that I am hoping someone can help shed some light on. At about 12,000 miles, it suddenly started pulling hard left during braking. I took it to my dealer and they replaced rotors and calipers. Seemed ok at first, then two weeks later, it was back. It seems to be more of a drift than a pull, but I can easily change lanes based upon braking pressure. Once again to the dealer where they spent three days. They eventually called and said we have done the best we can but it will still pull "slightly" under heavy braking. They also said it was not brakes and that they were able to make it better by playng with the track bar and alignment. It was better but it is still a problem. I am debating what actions I need to take. Can anybody give me any insight? A search found some issues with Excursions but not with the SD.

 

A cheap thing to try is rotating your tires. There is this little thing called radil pull that can happen if you have ran your tires under inflated or have changed the rotation of the tire.

 

You are absolutely correct that this can cause it. However, in this case, I have been through just about every combination of tire positions possible. That was the first thing the dealer tried both times I have taken it back in. If it helps at all, the problem first appeared while I was about 1000 miles into a long trip. It was fine one day and then started the pulling the next, with nothing I could identify happening in between.

 

This could be way off but ,what if the abs unit is malfunctioning and
not applying equal preasure to the system. have you taken it on a dirt road or gravel road and tried to lock them up?
This drift is it ocurring without brakes applied also? not sure from your
description.

some more things to chk
Ball joints
wheel bearings
spring hangers and bolts,
tires inflation
alignment
my other sugestion is have another dealer look at it
don't let them give up on it

did you hit a curb or pothole?.
were you towing anything while on your trip?

Rich





Ford Trucks Built Tough!
not with rocks
Watch out "X" Mayor of Truckville

 

Rich,
Good questions. Actually, between the time it was fine and the problem started, my wife and mother took it on a 200 mile trip to an airport to pick up my son. She swears that absolutely nothing happened and I have never had any reason to doubt her so... That said, I can't be sure.

I have been in the dirt but have not had any reason to brake hard enough that I could tell if one side was trying to lock. There is a loud clunk in the left front when I turn the wheels all the way the the right but the dealer swears it has nothing to do with the problem. I have to go in again for this so I will push to have them look in the other areas you mention. I appreciate your help.
Randy

 

Rich,
I missed one of your suggestions. The alignnment has been checked and done several times during this adventure, so I suspect it is as good as it gets. Also, the truck tracks just fine when the brakes are not being applied.
Randy

 

Now you mention a clunk when turning ,possible locking hub not releasing
or ujoint binding.

I'm assuming when the dealer replaced all those things you said ,he replaced the pads.

What was their reason for replacing the rotors and calipers?

We've had some caliper bolts becoming loose and striping causing clunking when stoping.

What is also key ,Why were they adjusting the track bar! for a pull when brakeing?

I ramble somtimes just to put thoughts out there to help for problems.

let us know the fix if they find it

Sometimes as fresh set of eyes on it might help!

Also one dealers alignment rack may not be equal to anothers

Still have them chk the abs to be sure its working fine

Rich





Ford Trucks Built Tough!
not with rocks
Watch out "X" Mayor of Truckville

 

I had a 99 3/4 ton Dodge (company truck)that did the same thing. There was a TSB about the pull problem I was having and it had something to do with the pad size. I know it sounds off the wall but if anyone has access to TSB for that year 4X4 with a V10 it may give you something to work off of. When I hit the brakes on that truck you realy had to hold on. Just a thought.

 

HEY odie780

Do you know any more on the TSB on the 99 dodge??? Like a referance number, website.
I have a friend with one and he has similar problems. The dealer won't admit anything is wrong.

 

Several people have had this problem, and Ford has not been able to come up with a good (cheap) fix yet. I've heard that is caused by a suspension problem, not brakes, tires or wheels. Apparently, when you brake hard, the front axle winds up slightly; when this occurs the wheels toe left and the truck goes left. Since it toes left, you shouldn't feel much in the steering wheel, right? If it were a brake, tire or wheel pull, you would feel the reaction in the steering wheel.

The soft spring bushings allow the front axle to wind up. They may have some stiffer bushings out by now, which may help.

There is also a brake pull that was caused by mis-matched front brake pads; I think there was a bulletin out on that. This could cause the brake pull either left or right, and you may feel it in the steering wheel. If your brake pads cause a left pull, and you have the axle wind up, then it will really pull left.

By the way, the NHTSA has a safety investigation on this subject; EA01-004. If your pull is real bad and Ford can't fix it, you might want to report it to them at: www.nhtsa.dot.gov
If its a real safety problem, they may be able to require Ford to recall and fix them.

 

I wanted to bring this to the top again
Good info in the last post by Autotech

Thanks
Rich



Ford Trucks Built Tough!
not with rocks
Watch out "X" Mayor of Truckville

 

I had a loud "clunk" when I would turn to the left, full lock and again when I would start to bring the wheel back to the right.
After checking everything, I had my daughter turn the wheel back and forth, finally I saw the problem.
The track bar bracket was loose, the front bolt holding it to the frame loosened up and was allowing the bracket to move from the frame and then pop back when you would turn the wheel back.
I got rid of the stock 19mm and put in some 3/4 with 1/4 washers and no problem anymore.
Also with play in the bracket of the track bar, I had driffting also.

Just a thought...

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 28-Apr-02 AT 11:19 AM (EST)]>HEY odie780
>
>Do you know any more on the TSB on the 99 dodge??? Like a
>referance number, website.
>I have a friend with one and he has similar problems. The
>dealer won't admit anything is wrong.

No I sure don't. I have a friend that works for a dodge shop up in PA I will try to get with him today to get the info.

Or if you want you can try posting it on www.allpar.com they have a few guys on this site that know what they are talking about (very few that is).

 

I have a good feeling you are correct. When they were investigating the issue, the first thing they did was replace pads, but that did not resolve the issue. The guy that seemed to have the most insight, not the service manager, suggested that he did not believe that brakes were the problem. He focused upon the suspension in everything he did, so I suspect he had information from Ford that that was where he needed to look.

You are correct about what I feel in the steering wheel. It is really a very gentle pull to the wheel, but the truck drifts anyway. Hopefully, the service guys are up to the task. This is generally a good outfit and they do seem to work hard to correct things. All but the service manager anyway.
Randy
>
Several people have had this problem, and Ford has not been
>able to come up with a good (cheap) fix yet. I've heard
>that is caused by a suspension problem, not brakes, tires or
>wheels. Apparently, when you brake hard, the front axle
>winds up slightly; when this occurs the wheels toe left and
>the truck goes left. Since it toes left, you shouldn't feel
>much in the steering wheel, right? If it were a brake, tire
>or wheel pull, you would feel the reaction in the steering
>wheel.
>
>The soft spring bushings allow the front axle to wind up.
>They may have some stiffer bushings out by now, which may
>help.
>
>There is also a brake pull that was caused by mis-matched
>front brake pads; I think there was a bulletin out on that.
>This could cause the brake pull either left or right, and
>you may feel it in the steering wheel. If your brake pads
>cause a left pull, and you have the axle wind up, then it
>will really pull left.
>
>By the way, the NHTSA has a safety investigation on this
>subject; EA01-004. If your pull is real bad and Ford can't
>fix it, you might want to report it to them at:
>www.nhtsa.dot.gov
>If its a real safety problem, they may be able to require
>Ford to recall and fix them.

 

There are a ton of reasons a truck can pull under braking here are a bunch of questions to walk through.


1.Is the pull in the steering wheel or does it just pull when applied.
It can be in the rear brakes even if the wheel pulls.
2. Line pressure-side to side and front to back.
3. Pads that are glazed.
4. Bent front end parts---Sway bar loading the front side
5. Tires rotate everywhich way
6 Rotors that crack or have cracks