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I brake and car jerks left..... scary, help!

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Old 01-29-2005, 04:50 PM
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I brake and car jerks left..... scary, help!

I have a 81 camaro. My front calipers are new, and I just bled the brakes all the way around. The problem is when I hit the brakes my car jerks to the left, almost as if the only brakes that are working are on the drivers side. I'm confused and need some help. Has anyone else ever had this problem and knows how to fix it? I raised the car and tried to turn the passenger tires front and rear and could not turn them with the brakes pressed... this is good, but what is happening when Im on the road.... why is it pulling hard to the left. So hard that if you are not paying attention you go in the other lane! Please help!
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Old 01-29-2005, 07:13 PM
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Re: I brake and car jerks left..... scary, help!

You could have a bad brake hose on the left front. A partially collapsed hose can slow brake pressure to the calliper causing the car to brake unevenly. You said you replaced the callipers, replace both front brake hoses and see what happens. If they are original, they are long overdue for replacement.
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Old 01-30-2005, 01:48 AM
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Re: I brake and car jerks left..... scary, help!

look for any pinched areas on bends and such. That will cause jerking. No dirty thoughts from the last sentence.
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Old 01-30-2005, 08:04 AM
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Re: I brake and car jerks left..... scary, help!

ditto what was already said, a bad or almost bad master cylinder has caused me the same sorts of problems
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Old 01-30-2005, 10:35 AM
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Re: I brake and car jerks left..... scary, help!

Thanks. I was thinking about the master cylinder but I was'nt sure because I bled the brakes and they pissed out like a rocket. so I figred there was adequate pressure. Also, about a year ago a bought some stainless brake line from Summit, the one's that are 80.00... I tried to put them on put I couln't get the old one's off. It's as if the old ones were welded on or something. I pt some WD40 on them but that didnt work at all. Now I have these nice brake lines just sitting here going to waste. Any idea's on how I can get those brake lines loosened without stripping or rounding off the nut?
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Old 01-30-2005, 10:40 AM
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Re: I brake and car jerks left..... scary, help!

vice grips and a crap load of penetrating oil, there is much better stuff then wd40
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Old 01-30-2005, 06:36 PM
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Re: I brake and car jerks left..... scary, help!

I would get a flare nut wrench as opposed to vice grips. I second the penetrating oil.
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Old 01-30-2005, 11:53 PM
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Re: I brake and car jerks left..... scary, help!

When the brake hoses are colasped on the inside the problem is not the fluid coming out, it is when it tries to return back to the master cylinder, which doesn't let the caliper release soon enuff causing the car to pull to one side.

Buy a small propane throw away torch to heat the flare nut on the line after you soak the heck out of it with a good pentrate.

Originally Posted by silvertripper
Thanks. I was thinking about the master cylinder but I was'nt sure because I bled the brakes and they pissed out like a rocket. so I figred there was adequate pressure. Also, about a year ago a bought some stainless brake line from Summit, the one's that are 80.00... I tried to put them on put I couln't get the old one's off. It's as if the old ones were welded on or something. I pt some WD40 on them but that didnt work at all. Now I have these nice brake lines just sitting here going to waste. Any idea's on how I can get those brake lines loosened without stripping or rounding off the nut?
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Old 01-31-2005, 09:38 AM
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Re: I brake and car jerks left..... scary, help!

I'd look at the hard lines, particularly the one that supplies the right front caliper. Internal corrosion will slow down the flow rate of fluid to the caliper it connects to (the RF, in this case), which will make it "lazy" in its application. The pads on that side will take longer to be brought into contact with the rotor than those on the "good" side, and the rate of increase in brake torque on the "lazy" side will be slightly lower even after contact has been made. Meanwhile, the opposite side (LF, here) will have been working at much greater effectiveness over the whole time, and that's where your brake imbalance is coming from.

This wouldn't necessarily show up while bleeding, since it's not a complete blockage, but if the line is almost that bad it's entirely possible to rupture the weak spot by just standing on the brake pedal and holding it for a few seconds (preferably with the car already stopped, as was my fortunate experience last fall).

As rough guidance, if you have any external corrosion on a hard line, you should suspect that internal corrosion is present as well in that 24-year old car.

Norm

Last edited by Norm Peterson; 01-31-2005 at 09:51 AM.
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Old 02-13-2005, 01:02 AM
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Re: I brake and car jerks left..... scary, help!

Jerks to the left, change the RIGHT flex brake line:

http://thirdgen.org/techbb2/showthre...hreadid=207360

Ed
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