12 replies to this topic

[starrider]

my mini has pulled to the right hard ever since i've owned it. i just replaced the brake drums, shoes, lower arms, the torsion bars that goe from the lower arms to the front of the sub frame and track rod ends. it's not as bad but still pulling quite a bit. the only thing i can think is the brake cylinders on the left side may not be working right. any help at all would be gratly appreciated.

[*DJH*]

Stupid question but.... have you checked your tyre pressures?

[Retro_10s]

You may well have replaced everything but is the tracking set correctly in the first place?!

[starrider]

i forgot to mention i just put brand new 008's on.

i also forgot to mention it only does this when i apply the brakes. she drives great down the road.

[*DJH*]

Hummmm.... i'd give DAN a pm, he'll be able to give some advise.

[stef]

could be that your left caliper has siezed pistons so wont bite. an easy way would be to look at how much brake dust you get on each front wheel. then you know which brake is your problem.

an even easier way would be to just get someone to sit in the car with it on axle stands, put on the brakes and then try to spin each wheel to see if the left one still moves.

[Silicon Skum]

Sounds like the brake on the left is not working fully, are the fronts drums or disks?

Have you bled the brakes fully / lately? Could be an air lock.

Had something similar on my car before it was rebuilt, only the front left barake was the ONLY one working correctly (that was a fun trip to the garage, ALL down hill for nearly 2 miles!! )

SS

[starrider]

yeah, i have drums. i did a full bleed down of the brakes yesterday because it felt a bit spongy. after bleeding it was maybe a hair better but still everytime i apply the brakes it drifts to the right like crazy. it's ok if i'm paying attention and compensate for it but if i forget i end up in the head on collision lane. i am going to install new calipers on the left side this weekend and see if that helps.

thanks for the help

[Retro_10s]

When i had this problem I found that my shoes had massive eneven wear, henceforth, so did the drum itself I got both my front drums re-ground (cost about £4 each where I went) and fit new shoes.

After that, the drums had a good surface and were totally true. The car handled perfectly after that and braked much better.

yeah, i have drums

i am going to install new calipers on the left side this weekend and see if that helps.

Have you got drums or Discs!?

Edited by Retro_10s, 22 March 2007 - 10:14 AM.

[starrider]

i just put brand new drums & shoes on

[taffy1967]

What kind of brake bias would there be on this type of Mini? Maybe there's a problem with that perhaps?

[fishy]

What kind of brake bias would there be on this type of Mini? Maybe there's a problem with that perhaps?

I'm pretty sure you will find a seized or leaking wheel cylinder in there somewhere, more likely at the front on the side opposite to the way it pulls.

Remove the wheels and drums, and peel back the rubber dust covers to check for leaks. If there is no evidence, remove the shoes, and use a large screw driver in the slot of the piston to see if to see if it turns in the cylinder.

Other possibilities can be poor adjustment, because on most tls mini drum brakes the previous owners have usually rounded at least one if not both of the adjusters off. Oh, and always adjust in the direction of rotation of the wheel.

[starrider]

yeah, i'm going to get new cylinders today and see if that corrects the problem.