Steering wheel pulling when braking

Guys figured you might have a good idea here. I redid all the brakes pad's/drum's/fluid/lines on my 51 shoebox. All stock parts

Stops great for a while

But I got cutoff driving the car a few days back, and had to panic stop. I had a heck of a noise from under the car. Now every single time I hit the brakes the steering wheel pulls heavily to the left like 360+ degrees on a slow stop with no hands on the wheel. In reverse it pulls to the right. Car drives straight, turns fine, no weird rattles. Hit the brakes hard and the car really is unsettled.

Had the brakes apart a few times now nothing looks out of place. Checked all the pad clearances, everything is to book. All the rubber under the car is in a good shape. I measured all the suspension points and nothing is out of wack.

Is there something that goes out's that I need to look at specifically that would cause this. I do not have a lift so unloading the suspension is hard for me to do and really poke at everything fully.

You either broke something in the brakes or the suspension. Try doing it in the yard/street with somebody watching the front wheels, left one might move back a few inches.

Check all the steering linkage. Wiggle stuff. I bet the brakes are OK but something is going all wonky when you apply that force.

Kenny_McCormic wrote: You either broke something in the brakes or the suspension. Try doing it in the yard/street with somebody watching the front wheels, left one might move back a few inches.

You might be on to something I measured the location of the wheel within the wheelwell and it looks like the drivers front wheel is 1/2 inch or so further back then the passanger side.

I can only use the bodylines to measure but front and back to the body its that far off.

String on jackstands would be good enough to tell you if that corner is off. Just make the strings long and square up the ends with a 5-4-3 triangle.

I have had this problem twice, but once it was a stuck caliper and the other time it was a bad balljoint so I dont think that I have much advice to give.

i'm thinking something in the steering, or in the suspension that would act like steering. here's why i think this:

if it was because the LF wheel had way more braking than the RF, the car would pull left in forward braking AND in reverse braking.

so I think what's happening is you're getting a big ol' helping of toe out on the LF under forward braking due to steering or suspension compliance, which makes the steering wheel turn CCW. when you're braking in reverse, you're taking out all the compliance in the opposite direction, which makes the LF toe in (which is toe out in reverse) and makes the steering wheel turn CW.

what's the front suspension and steering config? OE, mustang 2 swap, etc?

AngryCorvair wrote: what's the front suspension and steering config? OE, mustang 2 swap, etc?

All OE at this point.

I can see your point about the suspension. I really need a lift.

wearymicrobe wrote: I really need a lift.

Amen.

My '67 Le Mans developed quite a pull to the left under braking, but drove straight as an arrow otherwise, at least within the tolerances of a 200,000-mile car. Turned out it was failed upper control arm bushings. Replaced those and the problem went right away.

Lifts are nifty, but you don't need one to diagnose or fix this problem. The suggestion about having someone watch the tire as you brake is very good. As is the suggestion for wiggling things and watching for motion. I think you're likely to find the bracket/rod that helps hold the lower suspension arm fore and aft has been torn free.

Got it up on a lift this afternoon.

When braking non of the front wheels move back and forth in the wheel-well.

First thing. All the rear leaf spring bushings are completely shot to hell. Which is going to be fun to try and fix.

To when you raise and lower the car once it gets on the ground you get a heck of a thump from the front suspensions. I want to say that its the lowering springs doing this but might be the upper control arm bushings going bad which is a 500$ fix and a weekend of my time.

Is it possible that the rear bushings just gave out and are now moving around enough to upset the car when braking.

Had the same thing happen on a Triumph Stag. At first glance everything looked good. Then I realized the mount on the frame where the lower locating arm connects had rotted thru. When the car wasn't under braking force, everything lined up. As soon as you hit the brakes, the lower control arm would push right thru the frame rail and the car would pull hard to the left. Took some serious fabrication work to remedy.

AngryCorvair wrote: i'm thinking something in the steering, or in the suspension that would act like steering. here's why i think this: if it was because the LF wheel had way more braking than the RF, the car would pull left in forward braking AND in reverse braking.

I might be backwards, but I think that stronger braking on the LF would act just as the OP says. In forward it would pull left, and in reverse it should pull right, as it's pulling the wheel in opposite direction...I think

It is possible that the noise you heard is coincidental to the brake issue but not related.

Is there any way a bad master cylinder could do this??

Go do some stops and check the temp of the drums, maybe the RF hose or something failed somehow and the LF is doing all the front braking. How old are the brake hoses?

So I got all the brake pads balanced out.

Keep your hand on the wheel and it stops dead straight. Take your hand off the wheel and the whole steering wheel now spins 3 full turns to the left almost instantly. Almost broke my wrist.

Dropped it off at a buddies shop he took it apart to take a look at it and upper and lower A arm's are busted where we could not see before and somebody had hammered a bit of steel to hold everything in place so it would not rattle around and shift. Arms were welded in the back as well. Seriously wrong.

So looking at almost 1.5K in suspension parts with all the front rubber being done at the same time. Plus another 1K or so in install. Plus the rear shocks are blown, and the rear springs hangers and rubber need to be replaced.

Someone just glued in some rubber rings to make it look correct. I am beyond pissed. I bought what was supposed to be a 100% car.

so far I have

Full engine gasket set + head gasket. Rebuild carbs. complete brake rebuild Now full suspension. Also the steering column is shot with improper supports. .

Sent a letter to the seller requesting cash back on this one, stuff is not just wrong, but wrong and hidden so you could not see it on a inspection.

If I wanted a full restoration starter car that's what I would have paid for. Beyond pissed.

That sounds like a serious hack job, like god damn, there's burning a dude and then there's that.