Help!!!

[Mr Bill]

I have a 74 FJ 40 that is killing me. It pulls hard left while braking. I have done the following:

Stock disc brakes- pulled hard left

Installed Front Disc Brake upgrade (all new loaded premium callipers, rotors, etc)- Still pulls left

All new front bearings, seals, birfields, cones, etc- still pulls left

Power steering conversion (pick-up type)- still pulls left

Blead the brakes (8 different times)- still pulls left

New tires/wheels- still pulls left

4" Downey lift- still pulls left

1.5" longer shackles- still pulls left

Rebuit the new calipers (they were not frozen or stiff)- still pulls left

Took off steel brake lines and pressure/flow tested- still pulls left

Swapped rubber caliper hoses right to left- still pulls left

Installed stainless steel brake flex hose- still pulls left

Installed 3 degree axle shim- still pulls left

It drives and tracks straight when not braking

I am a good mechanic, been working on Cruizers over 30 years. I have restored many. Never had this problem before, any suggestions welcome. Thanks, Mr Bill....

 

[mhdsummers]

I dont think you mentioned anything about the rear brakes. Do you still have the drums in the back?
I would jack it up and press the brakes and check to see you have an obvious problem with one side of the brakes.

 

[brew8]

I agree many times the problem is in the rears especially if you have disc in the front, a sticky cylinder can be the culprit or simply misadjusted, a leaky seal or cylinder, you may not see anything comming out, a slow leak out of the axle can just be a slow build up of gunk in the brake drum and shoes, cheers, Larry

 

[Poser]

Left rear brake is not working....

Adjust the rear brakes if you can.


Good luck!


-Steve

 

[theo]

Why in hell would you want to fix it? You're getting some good mods out of it. So I would throw an ARB in the front and see if that solves it.

 

[hi50phd]

You say it tracks well when not braking. Might you still have alignment problems?

 

[Poser]

You say it tracks well when not braking. Might you still have alignment problems?

huh?

 

[Mr Bill]

Thanks for the input. The frame/suspension is straight. It is in factory specs. It is definately the front brakes causing the problem. The left front tire showed considerable wear after only 2,000 miles (3/32").

It is alligned correctly.

The rear brakes are fine and adjusted properly.

Most of the mods were not directly related to the brake problem, just things I have done to improve overall performance.

It acts like there is air in the right brake line, but I have run over a gallon of brake fluid through it.

 

[Mr Bill]

Forgot to mention I installed a mini truck master cylinder- still pulls left.

I put one in one of my other 40's (big block 72 on 40" boggers), works better than the stock MC.

 

[pygpen]

My 40 did this and it turned out to be a dented line on the left side of the front axle. It was not smashed, just dented enough to throw off the right left bias when I would hit the pedal initially.
My symptoms were:
If I applied the brakes slowly, it was fine.
If i hit the brakes suddenly it would jump left, and then come under controll with steering input (and messy shorts in some cases).
HTH,
PMK