Steve1963

Hello: My GS400 needed breaks and did pull to the right as well up on breaking. Thought that was just a result of a bad rotor, maybe caliper. I put new rotors and pads on all wheels, replaced front calipers, flushed out lines. Tires are only 6 months old, had them rotated and balanced. Flipped the fronts as tires are non-directional. Took car to a repairs shop, they power flushed break lines, did alignment and couldn't find anything else wrong with the frontend. Still breaks to the right, significantly on higher speed moderate to hard stops. Car also still wants to drive right upon regular driving, when not breaking -- not real bad but clearly always goes right regardless of the road or lane your in. Car hasn't been wrecked to my knowledge and garage says no obvious evidence of a front end accident. Help -- what could this be?

Alphaman19

Check your caliper guide pins. Most likely their now allowing the caliper to float and as a result is causing a caliper to squeeze but not release, thus pulling to one side.

Pull your wheels and try to remove the caliper pins. Normally the guide pins should just pull out easily, but if they're stuck in the caliper bracket it's easier to just get a new bracket and pins (and little booties) from RockAuto. (Mine were covered in rust and junk and the "grease" that lubes the caliper pins had turned to something clay"ish.

Good luck

Steve1963

Thank you. I wondered about that. Only odd thing is the new calipers came with new pins and boots. However, the left lower pin was all dry and the old boot broken, came out very hard from the caliper housing. As you probably know, the new calipers still go over the old housing. When I lubed and put the new pin in, it went in kind of hard so I took it out -- it came out kind of hard, so sprayed the cavity out with break cleaner and cleaned with a pipe brush. Lubed the new one and it still went in kind of hard -- didn't seem right but figured I must have done enough. If there is some crud or something in that pin cavity, any thoughts on how I can really clean that out effectively?

Alphaman19

I went the same route initially, ordered new pins and boots while I tried to "clean" the caliper guide pin holes. But mine were so crudy that I just ordered new brackets as well. No sense in putting new pins into a dirtly bracket.

Now I just need to check out my rears.

I can say that it made a world of difference in how my brakes performed but then I replaced he pads while I was down there.

Good luck.

Alphaman19

PS - I bought caliper pin lube, not just any old grease. Of course one container of lube is like a lifetime's supply (lol)

Steve1963

Thanks for replies so far. No auto part store in town (including Napa, Pep Boys, Autozone) had just caliper brackets. I did find several sellers on eBay that had brackets made by Cardone Industries. Ordered them, but they weren't machined properly as the gap was too wide to get the brake pad clips in place so I couldn't install them. Since I had it all apart, I did sand out the pin cavities on the left side as the lower left pin cavity looked corroded and was dry when I first replaced the calipers. Recall it pulls to the right when braking, has new pads and rotors all around, new front calipers, brake fluid flush, newer tires, rotation, wheel balance, alignment, front tires switched around to no help, front struts about a year ago, mechanic inspection that front end is sound. The break lines visibly look OK (e.g. not bent, twisted, or aged).

Questions still: I wonder if the brackets are the issue but willing to try that --- maybe just need to go to the dealer for that? Or..any other ideas on what is going on here? Master cylinder? ABS? Could this be a rear calipers issue? Not sure how these aforementioned items would cause this but running out of ideas.

One interesting thing -- when you are going forward and quickly hit the brakes, the steering wheel pops to the right, when you going backwards and quickly hit the brakes, the steering wheel jumps to he left.

Whew! Any ideas greatly appreciated. Steve.

Alphaman19

I got my bracket from RockAuto.com for $20(?) bucks.
When you pull the pins in after cleaning the bracket, did you lube them and did they slide easily in/out by hand.
If so, I'd say the bracket/pins you replaced is no longer the issue, though others could be in bad shape also.
I'd check them all to be sure.

Question: Are your rims hot to the touch after driving/braking for a while? If so, you're brakes are sticking.

I'd raise the car and apply the brakes and see if any of the wheels become hard to spin (by hand) once you release the brakes. If so, the problem is at one or more of the wheels.

I doubt it's the BMC; at worst you'd have little to no brake pressure and/or the proportioning valve might be biased to the front or rear, not the left or right.

Good luck.

Steve1963

Thanks. I did lube the pins real good with lube made for this from Napa. But you know, I do have to use pliers to move them in and out. Not like fight with them big time, but I never thought they moved as easily as I thought they should. I think I will try to get brackets from the place you got them. Will also try the tire thing and see if I have some uneven drag or something going on. A mechanic acquaintance of mine said loosen the bleed nut and have somebody do one solid brake pump, observe the how much it squirts and then do the same on the other side. They should about even. He said it is rare, but sometimes the rubber part of the brake line can deteriorate on the inside resulting in an expansion of the lining which impedes brake fluid flow. Will keep you posted on this Scooby Doo mystery!

Alphaman19

You shouldn't need pliers to move em (bad sign) ; if so, that caliper's not "floating" as easily as it should.
As a result, braking force could become "uneven" and could cause pulling.

I remember after I'd lubed my pins, while holding the bracket assembly in my lap, I could pull/push them in by hand with little effort. But then I had a NEW bracket, pins and rubber boots. Check all of your existing pins also.

Good luck.

Steve1963

Thanks so much again for all the feedback. Yes, no way I could get those pins out with my fingers. Now my pins, boots and the gasket on the end of the pin are all new as they came with the new calipers so I will get on the brackets -- just needs ones that are made right! Will try your vendor. I will let you know how it ends up.


Thanks again. Steve.

Alphaman19

Cool. just be sure to use the 3350997830595278 discount code when you buy from RockAuto. It's good for 5% off.