Pulls to the right

[HDRider]

So my 1979 DHC pulls to the right at speed when the brake is applied. It feels more like it is in the rear of the car. The rear brakes seem fine and I am starting to think that it might be soft rear bushings. I am going to check on different inner diameter of the drums tonight. Any thoughts/experiance with this problem?

Edward Hamer
Petaluma CA

[jazzie]

HD Rider,

Check your front calipers they tend to stick causing excessive force being applied therefore causing the car to pull to the right uder braking...

[HDRider]

I checked the calipers and they are free. The pads are not binding in the calipers either.

Edward Hamer
Petaluma CA

[PeterTR7V8]

The rear wheels don't steer (hopefully) so it is usually a front brake problem.

How strong is the pull? If the car is pulling dramatically it will definately be because one of the front brakes aren't working.

Have you bled the front & made sure the fluid is pumping to each caliper?

[Troy ODoherty]

Check the front suspension. possible soft shock or spring or worn sway bar bushes.
Cheers Troy

[cliff]

I once had a tread seperation that gave me a warning by pulling to the side that seperated a few days later. The second part was a vibration that was followed by the actual seperation. I was lucky that nothing was damaged by the tread flailing around. I recommend that you have a good tire shop check out your tires for an inpending failure. Sometime radial tires will pull, if you have radials on all four corners you might also try a tire rotation to see if the pull follows a particular tire. Cliff

[HDRider]

I replaced the tires and the problem is the same.

I checked the left rear bushing last night and there is at least 1/4" of free play. I have orded some new poly ones and will see if that makes a difference.

The complete brake system has been bled and both front calipers checked by the way. The rear brakes were replaced just before I purchased the car.

Edward Hamer
Petaluma Ca

[Beans]

Also worth to check the suspension alignment.
What (size) wheels and tyres are you using, wider tyres may emphasise small faults.


<center>
<font color="blue"><i>1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
1981 TR7 DHC (not very well known yet, but back on the road)
Also a 1980 TR7 DHC, 1980 TR7 DHC FI, 1981 TR7 FHC
http://tr7beans.blogspot.com/</i></font id="blue"></center>

[jclay (RIP 2018)]

Have you checked the FLOW through the brake lines? If there is residue or corrosion build up in the brake lines, one side will not flow as well as the other, causing a pressure differential between the two front brakes.

Have fun, drive fast & safe, be kewl,

jclay

[HDRider]

Brand new stock TR7 wheels with 185/70 x 13" tires.

Flow to the calipers seemed fine when I tested the piston movement and when I bleed them.

Edward Hamer
Petaluma CA

[HDRider]

I installed new poly bushings in the rear swing arms last night and it seems to have cures the pull. The forward one on the left side was badly worn and allowing the axel to move for and aft 3/8" to 1/2".

I was fortunate in that it was a dead easy job. The bolts came right off and my 20 ton press made fast work of removing the old bushings.

Edward Hamer
Petaluma CA