Help -Jeep pulls left when braking

[Steve Campbell]

I recently replaced my front brake pads and now my TJ (2001) pulls to the left when I brake. Disk brakes are pretty simple so I'm guessing that I have a bad caliper. Does that sound right? Anything else I should check?

[jeepin_in_az]

I recently replaced my front brake pads and now my TJ (2001) pulls to the left when I brake. Disk brakes are pretty simple so I'm guessing that I have a bad caliper. Does that sound right? Anything else I should check?

Did you bleed your brakes correctly? Did you check your fluid?

[Steve Campbell]

Did check the fluid and it was okay. Did not bleed the brakes bacause air should not have gotten in the system.

[jeepin_in_az]

Did check the fluid and it was okay. Did not bleed the brakes bacause air should not have gotten in the system.



You 100% sure no air got in? I know when I do mine, I take off the brake res cap, take some fluid out, then compress the calipers so the new brakes will fit over the rotors. Even though it doesn't seem like air gets in, I always bleed the brakes, and there is always air in it.

[Steve Campbell]

You 100% sure no air got in? I know when I do mine, I take off the brake res cap, take some fluid out, then compress the calipers so the new brakes will fit over the rotors. Even though it doesn't seem like air gets in, I always bleed the brakes, and there is always air in it.

Yes, I'm pretty sure. I removed the cap but did not remove any brake fluid. In fact, the brake fluid overflowed a little when I compressed the calipers. I added fluid before the level got low enough to suck air. Having said that, I will still bleed the brakes just in case I am wrong. :D If it's not that, what might the problem be?

[danno]

Anytime you do your brakes you should always bleed and flush them. Even if you do not have air in your system, when you bleed and flush them, you are getting all of the air out of the system and you are allowing new fluid to make its way down to the calipers and wheel cylinders. New brake fluid is clear, so if you see brown fluid coming out of the bleeders, keep bleeding until you see clear. Also, use a turkey baster to suck as much fluid from the reservor as possible and replace it with new fluid.

As far as you problem goes... did you replace the rotors or did you have them resurfaced? If not, they may have different groove patterns in them from how your previous pads wore on the rotors. Also, when you replace pads, it takes a little while for them to seat (ie wear so that the face of the pad exactly matchs the face of the rotor).

Another possibility would be grease contamination on the pads and rotor. Anytime you handle the pads and rotor with your hands, you could potentially contaminate them with grease. You should always clean them liberally with brake cleaner and use rubber gloves when handling them.

Lastly, when you put new pads in the rotors, you should use a brake lubricant to lubricate the surface that the ear of the pads slide on when they move in and out. Lack of lubrication could cause them to bind as they move in and out.

Good luck...

[jeepin_in_az]

Anytime you do your brakes you should always bleed and flush them. Even if you do not have air in your system, when you bleed and flush them, you are getting all of the air out of the system and you are allowing new fluid to make its way down to the calipers and wheel cylinders. New brake fluid is clear, so if you see brown fluid coming out of the bleeders, keep bleeding until you see clear. Also, use a turkey baster to suck as much fluid from the reservor as possible and replace it with new fluid.

As far as you problem goes... did you replace the rotors or did you have them resurfaced? If not, they may have different groove patterns in them from how your previous pads wore on the rotors. Also, when you replace pads, it takes a little while for them to seat (ie wear so that the face of the pad exactly matchs the face of the rotor).

Another possibility would be grease contamination on the pads and rotor. Anytime you handle the pads and rotor with your hands, you could potentially contaminate them with grease. You should always clean them liberally with brake cleaner and use rubber gloves when handling them.

Lastly, when you put new pads in the rotors, you should use a brake lubricant to lubricate the surface that the ear of the pads slide on when they move in and out. Lack of lubrication could cause them to bind as they move in and out.

Good luck...



Yup.......