TR6 Tr6 Brake Pull

[Mikes69]

Good Morning,

I'm new here, relatively new to the Tr6, and a far cry from an experienced mechanic, so please forgive my ignorance....

I recently replaced my unmolested, but quite worn 1971 Tr6, with a previously frame off restored 69. The car was completely restored in 1999, but has been sitting since 2006. Just got it on the road this year, but after fixing one problem, 3 new ones come up...lol.

My current problem is a severe brake pull to the right. My first thought was a frozen caliper on the left. I inspected the left side. The pistons move quite freely. The brake pads look brand new, as well as the rotor. The brake hose is new steel braided. I cleaned and reassembled. Pull still as bad as ever. I looked at the right side. Excellent condition as well. I bled all brakes - no air, but good fluid flow. Problem still there. Where do I go next????

I do have severely worn lower a arm bushings and some minor play on the inner tie rod of the right side. Could this be causing it? The a arm bushings were bad before the pulling started. One more thing, on a drive up the road, someone pulled in front of me and I braked very hard (skidded). Right side caliper did not release. I could not drive, so I pulled over. I tried to limp home and within about a half mile it freed up on its own.

Please help!

 

[TRopic6]

Aloha Mike,

Sounds like the front right hose has swollen and is acting like a one-way check valve, allowing pressure to apply the brake but not release it. Better check all 4 hoses and be ready to replace them (definitely the RF).

Jeff

 

[trrdster2000]

Mike, if you have wire wheels, you may be looking in the wrong place. When the splines go bad there is no stopping power on that wheel and will give a severe pull, so the wheel and spline to check is the front left. In most cases the splines and inside the wheel will be destroyed and should be replaced.

Wayune

 

[bgbassplyr]

Check the lower A arm attachments at the frame. These will break and allow the wheel to toe out on breaking, causing the pull to that side of the car.

 

[Mikes69]

@trroadster2000 Fortunately I don't have wire wheels, thus eliminating that cause (one less thing I have to worry about!) Is your car white or Jasmine yellow? My 71 was Jasmine....

@tropic6 Would the hose swelling be contributed to sitting a long time? Could this happen even to a higher grade Steel braided hose? I am getting fluid out when I bleed- Maybe not enough?

@bgbassplyr Upon another inspection, My lower a arm bushings are no longer worn - one is missing...actually causing a change in camber to the point where there is evidence of rubbing on my wheels (panasport 195-60/15). Could the braking problem be solved when I replace the bushings? or do you think it is a separate problem?

Also the pull seems to be most severe upon initial braking...once I correct the pull, the car tracks relatively straight until I stop.

Thank you everyone for your help!

 

[bobhustead]

The TR3 I had in late 60's had the lower control arm mounting brackets break off the frame, causing a pulling like you describe. Don't know about the caliper locking that you described.
Bob

 

[bgbassplyr]

Replacing the bushings may not totally cure the breaking problem, but they must be replaced or you will have even more problems.