Heavier Braking on left side

[Brunoski]

So here we go again (this server must hate my IP or something)

A short while ago, my left side started to dust heavily pulled to the left on braking and drag as well.

The first things replaced were the front soft brake lines. That didn't help and the calipers were replaced with rebuilt ones as it appeared that left caliper was seizing . It was hard to verify at first as the right caliper was messed from the factory and leaked, so it was replace with another rebuilt one. However that didn't really help. The truck still gets heavy dust on the left side and only pulls to the left under braking.

Bottom line, the critical braking parts were replaced and the lines bled 2/3 times. The rears were adjusted at the same time. On note the front pads were replaced and the rotors turned in the summer. There were no immediate problems and it was at least 10k km between the two brake tunes ups.

My mechanic suspects either a proportional valve, which I ready only exists on the Taco, or the master cylinder.

Any other high or low tech diagnoses?

[MTL_4runner]

I would still have to suspect one of the calipers or caliper hardware as the culprit.

Few questions.....
Do both calipers compress equally easily with a C-clamp?
Did you replace the calipers with a different brand?

You might even buy a set of used calipers from the junkyard to try out. If you do that and you still have trouble with that one side then it could be the master cylinder. I'd just want to eliminate the calipers completely before doing the MS replacement.

[Brunoski]

Jamie,

I did not try to use a c-clamp on the. It be hard for me to even do so, no garage, unless I take it to my mechanic.
The rebuilt calipers were of a Fenco Brand. The leaky right one was replaced with some other brand, I forget the name.

I gather that there is no way of checking the MS? Any reasons for that to go anyways?

[corax]

I would doubt the master cylinder as the cause - if it was anything MC related, it would affect either both front or both rear

were the pads replaced before or after the right side/leaking caliper? if they were replaced before, then I'd say the pads might be contaminated with brake fluid

[Seanz0rz]

mines always pulled to the left a bit. ive looked at the pads on each side and the calipers (tundra swap) and never found anything to be causing it. i gave up and just accept it as part of a vehicle problem.

[Brunoski]

Corax,

The pads were replaced before the problem. I believe that they were original and had 100k miles on them and just started to squeal. I am doubtful of them being contaminated with brake fluid. As mentioned before, the leaky caliper was the rebuilt one I installed the first time to address the issue.

SeanzOrz,

I have a hard time accepting it as a just vehicle problem. It is very annoying and unsafe for other people to drive the truck if they brake hard and they truck pulls to the left. Also the ugly black dust makes my truck look the same as the idiots who just ride their brakes.

[CJM]

I replaced my calipers 2x before I bought bendix brand and NEVER had another issue.

Whatever brand my old mechanic replaced the stock ones that froze with sucked and locked up. Then I let the truck sit and the dang things locked up again, so I bought whatever brand the parts store had. They locked up again and I bought bendix and no more issues.

I would really check the drums for run out as well as the shoes adjusted. TO be adjusted right they gotta be dang near touching the drum.

[MTL_4runner]

Jamie,

I did not try to use a c-clamp on the. It be hard for me to even do so, no garage, unless I take it to my mechanic.
The rebuilt calipers were of a Fenco Brand. The leaky right one was replaced with some other brand, I forget the name.

I gather that there is no way of checking the MS? Any reasons for that to go anyways?


I've haven't been impressed with Fenco parts honestly. It may also be the pads if the caliper had leaked on them.

Question 1: Does the truck pull to the side with the caliper that leaked and was just rebuilt?

Question 2: Which side was the wheel with the brake dust (leaky caliper side, other, both sides)?

I don't agree with the statement that the truck should pull to one side after the Tundra brake mod. Mine does not do that at all and I used a set of junkyard calipers from ebay.

[Brunoski]

The problem has always been on the left side.

I replaced the lines and calipers in pairs just keep the front in balance. The leak was on the right side, the trouble free side. It was just a mishap I guess.

So the left side is still getting dusty and pulls to the left when braking. The performance has not waned, as far as I can tell. The truck still grabs well, just that its like when braking I have the batmobile grapple hook pop out on the left side.

My mechanic didnt like the rebuilt stuff either, the guys doing the rebuild always mess something up. As you can see by the leak. Either way, logically thinking, it seems that there is a leading cause for this since the main components of the front braking system were replace to no avail.

[CJM]

If it pulls left then its the right caliper thats hanging up.

I had a similar issue on a camry, new brakes and stuff up front and it still pulled. No abnormal dust or other issues, till I heard the wheel bearing whine.

Replaced the bearing and no more brake issues.

Imho, check your wheel bearings too-but I bet the rebuilt stuff is the culprit

[Brunoski]

UPDATE

CJM was close with the problem starting in the rear. It wasn't that the brakes were not adjusted. The parking brake lever by the drums was really seized. It was starting to seize up in the right as well.
I advise everyone that when you check/adjust rear brakes, take the time every couple of years, and take of the rear shoe which will give you access to the two bolts holding the parking brake lever assembly. Take it apart and clean off the rust and lube it up.

This issue has lead to other problems, first the parking brake was never properly adjusted, such a resistance leads to higher fuel consumption (which I will verify in the next couple of days), and it will cause quirks in the front braking. Funny thing is that there was a warning sign a few months ago when I could not push the truck on a nearly flat drive way, while now it takes little effort.

Any remaining tendencies to pull slightly will probably be resolved by an alignment especially around the caster effect.

Thank you all for your help. HAPPY NEW YEAR

[MTL_4runner]

I had my parking brake bellcranks seize up but never to the point the truck pulled noticably during braking. One of those drums must have gotten stuck in the engaged position. If you finally got them freed up then be sure to grease them heavily to prevent the salt from doing the same thing again. One of mine was so badly rusted I had to get another one from the junkyard.

Glad you got to the bottom of it though! :thumbup:

[CJM]

Glad to hear it was something so simple!