weird braking/steering issue

[matthew gilland]

Hello,

My 1999 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins 24 valve 250xxx has an interesting issue. 

I have done quite a bit to the front end to try and figure out this issue. Replaced the steering gear box with a redhead unit. Steering gear box brace. Track bar upgrade to bushing with heim joint. Power steering lines when I did the steering gear box. Borg Warner steering shaft upgrade. That delron piece on the steering unit engine side this one http://rocksolidramtrucksteering.com/index.php/about-the-fix/  . Rebuilt the vacuum pump. Replaced the hydroboost a few years ago. Calipers like 2 or 3 times now. Pulled the rear proportioning valve off as it was rusted heavily and I blew the rear metal brake line a couple winters ago. 

So the truck pulls to the right when I brake. When I need to brake hard that is a rodeo keeping it under control so I have to drive with pretty close attention so I don't need to brake hard. Braking in the winter is sketchy but manageable. As stated above, I have replaced calipers 2 or 3 times so far. Well drivers side is sticking, can smell it and the rim gets hot, and tried to push the piston back and it would not budge, passenger side is getting replaced as well. So at the same time, my truck is pulling to the left when the driver caliper starts to stick but when braking it pulls to the right so I need to counter steer to the left. I did do tie rods, drag link, and pit man arm link a few years back as well. Thinking of doing the steering link upgrade soon not sure yet... Have not done wheel bearings or ball joints yet. My front axle seals are leaking, though left has it a little worse than the right side isn't bad. Need to get that fixed one of these days. 

I seen there are two different sizes of rotors, which I have not replaced since ownership of the truck in 2013. I don't think having different sized rotors would do anything as the braking system gets bled/adjusted and is one pressure after that. Tires were replaced at the same time a few years ago. I believe the axle is in the correct spot as I had an alignment done after the tie rods and drag link replacement. 

What could be the issue? I am at a loss here. ABS module is toast, read on AllDataDIY that if the ABS module isn't working it brakes like standard brakes so that ruled out the ABS system. 
Could my hydroboost be bad? I replaced it for the same issue way back when I got the truck, pulled to right when braking... Both replacement calipers bad from start? Brake lines bad? I do need to do something about the steering gear box again though, got slop in it now... 

Any help would be nice!

Thanks!

[Haggar]

Have you replaced the flexible hose to the caliper?   Known troublesome spot. 

 

Had to do one of my buddies while in Florida this summer.  It was right side hose failed, but truck pulled left on braking.  My thoughts for this is right brake has gotten too hot.  When you apply brakes, the left one being cool has a higher coefficient of friction (in is not in the throws of brake "fade")  so the vehicle pulled left.

 

Put new hoses on both sides right now.  Keep your calipers, they are probably not bad. 

In fact if you want to test it, drive truck get caliper to start sticking.  bleed that caliper, if the fluid shoots out, it is under pressure.  (a truck sitting still should have 0psi of pressure in the caliper.)   You then know "something" is retaining the pressure you put in with the brake pedal but not allowing that pressure to return to the master cylinder to become 0psi again.

 

HTH

Hag

[wil440]

Is the caliper sliders free ? Piston could be seized or sliders and as Hag says pressurized check hydraulic side ...... not pressurized check for something sticking/seized

[matthew gilland]

I have not changed my brake lines, yet. I just ordered new front brake lines off amazon and will install on my next day off. The calipers are under 10 year warranty through RockAuto, which is nice! They are the premium calipers with the anti-rust paint on it. 

 

@Haggar that may be what is happening but when I go to touch the front rims, the driver side is hot to the touch after 20 minutes of driving to work (highway and through town), passenger is just getting warm. Going home pretty much same route driver side is warm to touch and passenger is cool. 

@wil440 the sliders are free and lubed up. When I went to push the piston back the truck had been sitting overnight, so cold, and it would not move. So I think it is seized. I have not checked the passenger side as it appears to still be okay.

 

I still take the truck to work with this issue as it is the only vehicle I have at the moment. Truck brake steers to the right as stated, and as speed slows down it feels like the left caliper catches up or the right side isn't brake steering anymore. Then when releasing the brake pedal and driving it feels like the left caliper is slightly grabbing as it wants to brake steer to the left a little. This is all with slop in the steering still... I want to get this brake steer/seized caliper issue fixed before I tackle the steer slop. 

[Evan]

I read through this didnt think much of it. Then I wonderd if it could be that unit bearing seizing up pulling 

Edited August 4, 2019 by Evan

[Haggar]

When you go to push it back, and it won't move, open the bleeder.  Does it suddenly move then?  If yes, the problem in is in the brake lines (most probably the hose, but could be anywhere from that caliper to the master cylinder)  If it won't move back easily with the bleeder open, it is a stuck/sticking caliper.  Usually very easy to tell the difference.

 

Hag

[ve4mrt]

I bet it's your rubber brake line 

my 99 2500 was doing the same thing

it turns out the rubber line under the bracket collapsed  because of rust 

it was slow to apply and slow to release 

I also replaced both front calipers before fine the bad brake line 

[Mopar1973Man]

The only reason rubber brake lines fail is because you have not flush the brake system out every 30k miles. I'm almost to 400k miles and still got all my rubber hose and working just fine.

 

[matthew gilland]

Thanks everyone for your valued input! I changed the calipers since they were under warranty, and the brake lines to the calipers. My brake steer issue is fixed!! Cannot believe it was them lines. Again, thanks everyone!!

[Evan]

I bet it was a caliper 

[matthew gilland]

On 8/17/2019 at 6:35 AM, Evan said:

I bet it was a caliper 

Nope. If you read my original post you will understand.