When I took the Jeep for a drive Monday morning, I noticed that whenever I apply the brakes, it pulls to the left, and keeps on pulling for a second or two after I release it. When I came back home (our driveway is gravel, the loose/washed type) and applied the brakes, the front driver side wheel dragged and dug in, even after I released the pedal. The weird thing is that it didn't do it when driving in reverse and applying the brake. I bled it, but the same thing. Adjusted the brakes all around, same thing. Loosened the adjustment on the front left wheel but it didn't make a difference. I gave up and parked it. Today I decided to tackle it again, with the help of a friend. Took off the drum and looked at the shoes when the brake pedal is released, and the shoes go in right away. It is pulling so hard now, that I am afraid to drive it on the street. it doesn't lock any more (I don't know why), but when you apply the brakes at 25mph, you have to fight the steering. If you go 5mph and apply the brake it stops perfectly.
Next I am going to change the rubber brake lines and see if that makes any difference.
Any other ideas? _________________ Shalom Y'all
Amnon Nissan
People can be strange sometimes too. Ever notice how many folks as soon as their engines run poorly go straight to the carb and after hours of farting with it and asking questions on the web sites they are finally convinced to look at the whole engine in an orderly manner and thru proper trouble shooting they usually find the culprit is not the carb.
When a front wheel grabs or pulls to one side during braking it will usually be either unequal tire pressure, the brakes, the steering, or the hub.
Check your tire pressures and be sure they are equal.
Brakes can cause it by the shoes having grease or oil on them. Or the shoes may be loose in their mountings. Or the hoses are swelled closed and trap pressure at the wheel cylinder. Or simply one brake is adjusted tighter than the other. Don't get caught in the novice's trap by automatically suspecting the side it pulls to as the problem side. It may be pulling to the left because the right brake is not applying. Or the right brake shoes may have oil on them. By the way the reason it happens in forward and not reverse is the servo (multiplied) action of the shoes based on their design and the larger front / leading shoe which applies increased force in forward motion.
Steering can cause this pulling under brake loads just by having loose or worn parts. Or being misaligned causing one wheel not to be straight ahead which will cause this wheel's brake to be more effective.
Loose bearings in the hub or worn king pin bearings can also cause the wheel angle to change when applying the brakes resulting in a pulling motion.
So back up, get a good view of the entire forrest then pick the trees that look suspicious. Jack up the front axle. With an assistant to apply the brakes for you spin forward each front wheel then have your assistant apply the brake firmly and hold it while you still try to forcibly turn the wheel forward. If braking action appears equal then go to the steering. Have your assistant hold the steering wheel firmly while you grasp the front and rear of each tire and try to turn them by hand gently left and right while looking for excessive play in any joints. Then grasp the top and bottom of each wheel and rock them top in/out and bottom in/out. Any excessive rocking in excess of about a 1/4" (measured at the edge of the tire) will indicate a need for repairs. _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
Thanks for the come back Wes.
Tire preasure is equal, (28psi).
Both wheels stop just fine when up in the air, no grease or oil on the shoes.
Steering does have left/right play, exccesive, but it is the same as it was a month ago. I did tighten the wheel bearing on the left front wheel on Friday, it had some play (less than 1/4" but still it was loose).
I am going to change the rubber hoses today if I can find some locally, and see if that solves the problem. Is the brake lines junction box that is mounted on the front axle a proportioning valve or just a 'T' ? _________________ Shalom Y'all
Amnon Nissan
Just a "T". If you have brakes that apply equally and stop the tires on the jacks then I don't see the need for hoses. When the hoses are bad they leak, or restrict release of pressure or restrict application of pressure. If the brake was applied with the jeep axle off the floor and the instant it was released you could rotate that wheel by hand the hose is fine. If you can hold one wheel straight ahead and move the other left or right of center then you need to fix that play. Did you check the king pin bearings? _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
The play is in the steering box itself, I have a new one to replace it, but didn't get to it yet. The belcranck was real bad when I got the Jeep, so I replaced it when we reinforced/welded the cross member. I just moved the Jeep to an area where I could jack it up, and the left front wheel is staying locked for a second or two after I release the brake. Jacked it up on all four, put it in fourwheel drive, started it, and used the brakes, no locking, both front wheels stop pretty nice, and release right away. Put it back on the ground, front left wheel is locking. Seems like weight/inertia has something to do with it. _________________ Shalom Y'all
Amnon Nissan
Well, I ended up replacing the brake rubber hoses, and all is well so far.
I can blow air through the old ones, but I was told that under preasure, wierd things can happen to these hoses when they get old.
Thanks for all the replies guys. _________________ Shalom Y'all
Amnon Nissan
Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 1:04 pm Post subject: Re: M38A1 brakes acting strange
I know this a old but I just wanted to note that I had a similar problem where a bad rubber line would let fluid into the brake but would not allow the pressure off when the brake was released. The line was rotted. So I had one front tire that would pull and even lock up and remain so. If you let it set over night it was fine. New line and all was ok.
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