Steering pulling to the left

[mav]

Hello.

I have had my Maverick now for 4 years and apart from normal wear and tear i got a good one.
Well, until yesterday that was, I was on my way to billing aquadrome to the Ford Escort 1300E rally when i start to get a bad pull to the left and was having to hang onto the steering wheel to keep it in a straight line.
I pulled over and as soon as i got out i could see smoke coming from behind the front passenger side wheel.

Can i ask the normal question and ask if anyone else has had the above symptoms with there vehicle?.

Regards, Mav.

 

[mr-gadget]

Yep I had that brakes were binding like mad, but when i moved the truck the brakes were off again, no idea why it done it...

 

[Deleted Member S]

My 1st gues would be the caliper has locked on due to abit of dirt ? Apart from that i'm unsure sorry :?

 

[iandouglas]

steering pulling

hi mav.
does truck pull all the time ,or only when you have done a few miles from COLD. as brake binds and gets hotter ad hoc.

have you checked ball joints ,steering tyre pressure etc lately.
guess you will have ,but got to start somewere

rgds.iandouglas.

 

[mav]

Thanks for the replies so far,

Ian, Yes it was from cold and when we first set off.
Luckily we were not to far into our trip out so we turned round and came home,
But it got better and the pulling eased but is still a concern as when something is wrong you don’t know when it is going to do it again.

Tyre pressure was the first thing i did but the ball joints will be looked at when the wheel comes off.

Mav.

 

[iandouglas]

steering pulling

hi mav.
FIRST jack up on that side .Spin wheel and feel for any drag.
get some one to apply foot brake a little at a time ,to get a feel for how keen brake is once wheel stops turning .release pedel and spin wheel again has brake released ok or is there signs of drag.
IF SO pistons in calliper are sticking.,or pads binding .
DONT USE ANY CEMICALS THAT WILL REACT WITH PISTON SEALS.
THEY SWELL UP AND ITS GAME OVER IF YOU DO.
I USED WD40 GAME OVER
rgds.iandouglas

 

[rustic]

Re: steering pulling

hi mav.
FIRST jack up on that side .Spin wheel and feel for any drag.
get some one to apply foot brake a little at a time ,to get a feel for how keen brake is once wheel stops turning .release pedel and spin wheel again has brake released ok or is there signs of drag.
IF SO pistons in calliper are sticking.,or pads binding .
DONT USE ANY CEMICALS THAT WILL REACT WITH PISTON SEALS.
THEY SWELL UP AND ITS GAME OVER IF YOU DO.
I USED WD40 GAME OVER
rgds.iandouglas

Note also that the pistons are only on 1 side. It relies on the caliper assembly sliding on 2 rods (bolts) these can sieze, so worth checking that the assembly moves side to side JUST with finger pressure. You can easily strip these down and regrease with copper ease or similar. Ensure the long flexible rubber boots are intact otherwise water gets in and causes them to sieze. If they do sieze, it will give uneven Pad wear (clue check pad thickness both sides) and appear as if the brakes are on, or binding.
Hope this helps.. easy to check. best regards, Rustic

 

[Jocky]

Mick my nearside front caliper seized last year :twisted:

Cost of repair kit for caliper from nissan was £41 (Lucas Caliper)

Kit was 2x sliding bolts, 2x Rubber boots for sliding bolts, 2xbolts and sachet of grease Onces fitted no more seizing on :smile:

I think it must have been the grease that made the kit so expensive :roll:


:smile:

 

[jace]

did u not try lucas themselves think there rebranded lsuk round here now!

 

[robobone]

mav

there was a post on from jim terrano about this and his was due to front hubs.

not 100% sure all symptoms were the same though

 

[mav]

Hi all.

The problem i had had seemed to have cured itself, But we went for a ride today and guess what, It happened again about 30 miles away from home.
Being a member of the AA for seven years and only one call out before, i decided to give them a shout.
He said that he was not 100% sure but thinks its the wheel bearing as the wheel got hot, very nearly to hot to touch.
He also thought it may have caused the brakes to get hot too!.
But there was only very, very slight play and this made him think twice about if the bearings were the cause of the problem.

Very, Very nice man!.

Talk about confused!.

So now is this a job for me or for someone that’s knows there stuff?.

Looking back at some off the bearing topics it don’t seem to bad, May strip it and have a look in the morning.

Will let you know the outcome.

Regards, Mav.

 

[Deleted Member S]

I put a post on last week about adjustments of wheel bearings as I had quiet a bit of play on the n/s/f bearing but wheel never got hot :? but have found i've got brake judder now as I think the bearings being loose hid the judder :?

 

[ssteve]

bearings my backside! it's summat to do with yer brakes 8O
ssteve

 

[rustic]

Have you checked those sliders, Support on axle stands then take the wheel off, If you push the caliper over so the pistons are going in, you will be able to slide the caliper sideways easily if it is not seized.
Warning.. check your brake fluid level, you don't want to push the brake fluid out of the resevoir....

 

[mav]

Do you know i have owned only 2 Nissan / Maverick 4x4 vehicles, And i have only had 1 problem before where i have had to ask for help with it. Now today i have my second problem and guess what its the same problem but on the other vehicle, Nellie this time.

Driving along, Grandchildren strapped in of course, All of a sudden the front right-hand brake locks up, and skids to a stop!.

I got out and walked around to smell of a hot wheel (Not tyre),
I could feel the heat from the hub without touching it, But carefully touched the hub and it was very hot, nearly to hot to touch.

Now would i be right in assuming its the brake caliper again as when its cold its ok for about a mile or so, but then starts to pull to the left.

The only thing that i find strange is that there is signs of fresh metal filings on the inside if the wheel, I have removed the wheel and turned the hub which turned ok, i then got the wife to press the brake pedal which seemed to work ok,

Could it be the caliper?.

Thanks,

Mav.

 

[ssteve]

how much meat on yer pads mav??
ssteve :?:

 

[iandouglas]

steering pulling to left.

hi mav.
brakes again. :roll:
sounds like calipe sticking ,try to drive somewhere without touching brakes use hand brake drive for a coulpe of miles .
feel front hubs /wheels compair they should be at same remp if brakes NOT sticking.
could it be a front hub /wheel bearing getting hot ,hence filings.
have you jacked front up and spun the wheel and checked wheel bearing free play.
BE CAREFULL IF USING HI LIFT JACK (BLOCK IT UP).
GOOD LUCK.
rgds
iandouglas

 

[mav]

Brake pads.

Hello Ian and Ssteve,

Had a look earlier and i think the pads have broke up, I think this is where the iron filings have come from,

I will have a better look in the morning and see what i can see.

Thanks again for your idea`s

 

[Jocky]

Mav, I don't think its your brakes.

If it was metal to metal you would here it and it wouldn't lock up.

Metal filings doesn't sound good to me.

I would suspect bearing or hub.

:smile:

Mav you beat me to it if pads wrecked there you go

 

[mav]

Thanks Gego, I really do think they have broke up.

Had a quick chat to Nellie tonight and what he said about his ex car made sence.

Cheers Al.

Mav.