pulls left when braking

[Todd]

My spider pulls left while braking. I flushed the brake lines out, so I know there is no air in the line and also looks like the PO recently replaced the calipers. So, I suspect the problem is in the master cyl. Any ideas how to troubleshoot it?

[ventura ace]

Todd,
I think the problem is other than the MC. Could be a restricted brake hose. Could be a caliper that is not retracting properly. Do either of the wheels / brakes tend to run hotter than others? If so, that would be a caliper that is not retracting away from the rotor when you release the brake. Older hoses can form restrictions inside, and you'll never be able to see it.

If the 5 brake hoses haven't been replaced in recent years, I'd start with that.

Alvon

[So Cal Mark]

faulty brake hoses are common, but also check the caliper slides for proper installation and lubrication. I'd also check the steering linkage for any looseness and check the toe-in

[Todd]

The brakes don't appear to run hotter than others or at least not noticeable by touch. The hoses don't look that old. I'll have to check and see if the caliper slides are proper installed and lubricated.

[punes]

I have the same problem except it pulls to the left. Ihave had all 4 calipers rebuilt, all new hoses, pads, front end was done and the brake system completely bled...it improved a little when I changed the brake booster hose but it still pulls a bit...I will do the MC this week.

After that there is no other alternative I know of but to steer to the left upon braking.

Frank
79 Fiat Spider

[Curly]

I know it's a long shot, but check your rear suspension arms and bushes for alignment and play. Any misalignment or movement will create rear axle steering under braking.
I can't see how the Master Cylinder could be causing it, especially as you are obviously able to bleed both the right and left sides.

[adrians]

My car also pulls to the left during braking, and everyone said it was the rear suspension arms bushes so I pulled them off and checked them, and all were ok.

I'm now waiting to get the car to a mechanic friend, to redo the seals on the brakes ! Front hoses are new !

[mdrburchette]

You might want to check the front suspension. Any give may be noticeable in when applying the brakes. I'd also pull the pads to see if they're wearing evenly on each side.

[punes]

In my case the car still pulls right and like I said I have new calipers, hoses, pads, front end...someone once mentioned wheel bearings and now I just learned about rear suspension a possible culprit..

I will add that I last week changed the outer front sway bar bushings and boy did it make the handling noticeably tighter...my wheel was rubbing the plastic inner fender liners, but that is corrected now.

[pleiades]

My '81 had this issue really bad when I purchased it. After replacing very worn tie-rod ends, it got a lot better. It still pulls a bit, but I am reserving judgement of brakes (which the owner had rebuilt recently) until I replace the shot control arm bushings. It seems that the sticking caliper or collapsing brake line story comes up quite a bit as the casue of the pull under braking.

[adrians]

Note on th tie-rods, both of mine were replaced 6 months before I purchased the car. I've also taken the car to a frontend aligment specialist ( old school ) who said everything was ok ! !

Brakes still pull left ! ! !

[pleiades]

Maybe our spiders are just trying to keep us on our toes! Or kill us!

I think I experienced the caliper on the right sticking tight instead of not biting evenly today, so I very much suspect that is my problem. Early next week I'm going to pull the calipers from my parts car, get a rebuild kit and then just do a swap. Hopefully that will cure mine.

[stupidsongs2]

Sounds like you have a sticking caliper, I've got the same problem. With any luck, a rebuild kit will be able to fix it, but you might need to buy new calipers. The problem with mine is it sat so long, they started to rust!

[punes]

A close Fiat buddy recommended to lube up the locking blocks on the front calipers. That seemed to help a great deal. I also noticed improvement when I replaced the brake booster hose.

[pleiades]

Well as an update, I am almost certain it is not my caliper sticking, but rather the shot control arm bushings in the front, a short arm in the rear with a bad bushing and a bad alignment. I was helping a friend tune his Miata a week ago, and while we were at the shop with the dyno, I had the owner play with my alignment. He races a very quick little x 1/9 and does a lot of import work, so he's pretty good. The bushings were causing play that made it hard to align, but he was able to even the camber out (was positive on the left and negative on the right, now very close to the same on both sides - slightly negative) - he got the toe dialed to just slightly in, but the castor was giving him fits. In the end I told him not to worry about it anymore until I replace the bushings. The castor was at +3.0 on one side and -3.0 on the other side - boy does that make it weird. Anyway, the car now pulls to the right under braking! So exact opposite of what it was before, so I suspect alignment and bushings to be the biggest problem.