1997 F150 - front brakes

I have an issue with the front brakes on my 1997 F150. It has about 123,000 miles and is in pretty good shape. The problem is the front brakes pull fairly hard to the left under moderate braking. If you step hard on the brakes the pickup pulls to the left for an instant then "evens out" with no pull to either side. If you "pump" the brakes the pull isn't as bad but its still there.

I thought I had a pad or air in line issue but when I replaced the pads they actually looked to be in good shape. I also bleed both calipers hoping to find some air but I didn't. I replaced the pads with no difference in operation.

The brake lines look OK - sticky caliper issue?
 
Warped rotor? any pulasting?
Any drag on the wheel when you spin it in the air?
Loose wheel bearing?
Uneven tire pressure?
If your rear brakes are not doing there job properley any problems in the front will be magnified.
 
Make sure the pads are not rusted in place so they aren't able to slide freely back and forth, if rusted grind or file away that rust and lube the sliding areas. If that is all good or doesn't help, install new calipers and bleed. Also , those years had a common issue of rust starting in the brake hoses where the metal meets the rubber. There is a protective rubber sleeve over that part of the hose, and it traps moisture and salt which corrodes badly , but you cant see it til the hose lets go or you cut that sleeve off.
 
I had an 89 Chevy half ton do that. It was the brake hose opposite the side it was pulling toward. Apparently hose ID broke down and partly restricted the flow. Outside of the outer hose rubber shield showing some cracking at the flex points as happens to all older vehicles you could not see at what point the problem area was.
 
My dodge did that kind of thing. Pull one way with slight application and then go the other with harder pressure. Then seem fine other times. drove me nuts ! Caliper pistons were sticking.
Drive it on a gravel road and hit the brakes ! That really made it go wild ! Good place to test it to check to see if it was fixed.
 
I have always own ford trucks from a F-100 to a F-150 and now I own a F-250. Front brakes and suspension can be to any issues on pulling to one side and them levaling to a smoth stop. I have found sticking Calipers, warped rotors, air in brake lines, master brake cylinder with anti lock system. witch could be at fault plus some times worn out ball joints that might lead to a pull. If you have a 4X4 the front locking hubs might be locking. I had a 1980 bronco that had that problem. The hub would heat up and then stick causeing a pull to that side. It all depends on what you have and what you find is the problem. Good luck.
 
I had that happen with a very old F250 (drum brakes in the front) too. The line was probably 40 years when it began to fail. Would they break down like that in 17 years?

At first I figured that was the issue - then I started finding things about sticking calipers - something I had never heard of before.
 
Thanks for the info. I know its not the pads. The old ones were OK and seemed to function fine and the new ones were greased when they went on. Absolutely no difference in braking.

Should I replace both calipers or just the one that appears to be sticking?
 
I had the same problem on my 98 F-150, but mine would sometimes stick just enough to lightly rub even with brakes released. Then in hot weather, it would heat up and seize if I had any type of load in the truck or had to do a lot of braking. I figured out the caliper was sticking, replaced it and havent had a problem since. I didn't bother replacing the other side.
 
I agree on the calipers. Also look at the strut bushing where the struts attach to the frame. They are natural rubber, I think, and they go away kinda early in a trucks life. That makes the truck steer real bad. bjr
 
If it has Kelsey Hayse anti lock brakes it is quite possible the AB system is hanging up. been there. Used is 150 to 250. new is 1500. To check, stop the truck firmly then lift the front and turn the wheels by hand if one is dragging, loosen its line at the caliper. if it releases, try it again and loosen it at the ABS module. If it releases, the module is hanging. Jim
 
Actually the truck drives nice and straight with no slop in the steering at all - that's what makes the "pull" that much more noticeable.
 
I had a 98 f150, did the same thing. replaced the pads, rotors and calipers, still did it. replaced the master cylinder, still no luck. Was told by an old mechanic that I needed to replace the front lines to the calipers, I didn't believe him, as how could that possibly have anything to do with it, but I bought new lines anyway as I had replaced everything else. turns out the lines on the end that hooks to the body, have a small square on the end that has a small valve in it. I replaced them, and it works perfect, so bottom line was I wasted $400 in parts by not listening to the old guy in the first place.
 
After checking out a few things I believe this is the problem (jacked the truck up - rolling the tire and applying the brake etc..)

Any input on what this guy's advice on changing the brake hose?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK7zENSMf_U

I started soaking the connections with liquid wrench last night.
 
(quoted from post at 11:36:04 10/29/14) I had that happen with a very old F250 (drum brakes in the front) too. The line was probably 40 years when it began to fail. Would they break down like that in 17 years?

At first I figured that was the issue - then I started finding things about sticking calipers - something I had never heard of before










/quote] Nowadays those brake lines can break down in a lot less then 17 years.I had one go while still under warenty.
 
Get rid of the truck before a deer runs into the passenger door and tweaks the cab so bad it pops all the glass except that in the driver's door, like my dad's did.

The 97-0-something were the ones that failed so badly in IIHS crash testing, that the one tester said on national TV "I traded mine off. I don't want my wife or daughter in that thing".
 

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