Mysterious pulling
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Junior Member

Joined: May 2020
Posts: 50
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Car: 1986 FIREBIRD
Engine: 2.8l V6
Transmission: 4 Speed automatic
Mysterious pulling
When I was driving down the interstate and pulling onto the exit ramp my car started pulling hard to the right. I had only driven the car a handfull of times and had not had any problems. I replaced the calipers and pads on the front and have bled them both several times. The car still pulls to the right every so often, but not as hard as before. Tire pressure is good, steering is tight. I have noticed that the brakes seem to engage at a different pedal position every time it is pressed. Does this mean that my booster is shot? Thanks in advance
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Re: Mysterious pulling
Not really particularly "mysterious" at all. No more so than when anybody else's car does the same thing.
Probably the rubber hoses, as George asked about.
They rust on the inside; the hole in them start out life only about .050" or so, and it doesn't take much rust to block them. Brake fluid ALWAYS gets moisture in it; it's hygrospcopic, i.e. it attracts moisture, 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. A molecule here, another there; pretty soon there's enough in the system to start all the steel parts rusting. The hose fittings get blocked. When you step on the brakes, they pull toward the side that's NOT blocked; then when you let your foot back up, they pull toward the blocked side, because whatever little fluid managed to get into the calipers, can't get back out either.
Change out your rubber hoses, all 3 of them, and COMPLETLY change the brake fluid. ALL OF IT. Bleed the system using new clean fluid until it comes out clear and free of rust. Be careful as you do this to not let the master cyl run dry, because then you will HAVE TO take it off and "bench bleed" it, because the places that the lines attach to it, are NOT the highest point; meaning, air will be trapped ABOVE the line fitting and the "top" of the cyl, and it will NEVER EVER bleed out with it in the installed position. You can run 5 gallons of brake fluid EVERY SINGLE DAY, and 10 gallons on Sundays just for good measure, and the air will still NEVER EVER purge from the MC. Doesn't matter if you pressure bleed it, gravity bleed it, vacuum bleed it, power bleed it, or BLOOD bleed it with leeches; the air will NEVER EVER be purged. Am I making myself clear about the need for "bench bleeding" if you let the MC run dry yet?
Probably the rubber hoses, as George asked about.
They rust on the inside; the hole in them start out life only about .050" or so, and it doesn't take much rust to block them. Brake fluid ALWAYS gets moisture in it; it's hygrospcopic, i.e. it attracts moisture, 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. A molecule here, another there; pretty soon there's enough in the system to start all the steel parts rusting. The hose fittings get blocked. When you step on the brakes, they pull toward the side that's NOT blocked; then when you let your foot back up, they pull toward the blocked side, because whatever little fluid managed to get into the calipers, can't get back out either.
Change out your rubber hoses, all 3 of them, and COMPLETLY change the brake fluid. ALL OF IT. Bleed the system using new clean fluid until it comes out clear and free of rust. Be careful as you do this to not let the master cyl run dry, because then you will HAVE TO take it off and "bench bleed" it, because the places that the lines attach to it, are NOT the highest point; meaning, air will be trapped ABOVE the line fitting and the "top" of the cyl, and it will NEVER EVER bleed out with it in the installed position. You can run 5 gallons of brake fluid EVERY SINGLE DAY, and 10 gallons on Sundays just for good measure, and the air will still NEVER EVER purge from the MC. Doesn't matter if you pressure bleed it, gravity bleed it, vacuum bleed it, power bleed it, or BLOOD bleed it with leeches; the air will NEVER EVER be purged. Am I making myself clear about the need for "bench bleeding" if you let the MC run dry yet?
Thread Starter
Junior Member

Joined: May 2020
Posts: 50
Likes: 1
Car: 1986 FIREBIRD
Engine: 2.8l V6
Transmission: 4 Speed automatic
Re: Mysterious pulling
Thank you, I will replace the hoses. I know of the ones that go into each caliper, but where is the third one that should be replaced?
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Joined: Mar 2017
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From: Montreal
Car: 1989 Trans Am
Engine: L03
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.42
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