Car pulls hard under strong braking?

Tiny
ED GARRIS
  • MEMBER
  • 2007 HONDA CIVIC
  • 1.8L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 301,534 MILES
Car listed above is a Coupe. The car started pulling to the right upon firm braking. I replaced the left caliper, no help. Replaced right caliper, same. Both brake hoses replaced, no difference. I was at Honda dealer for tie rod replacement and other small work, had them look at this. The Service Manager himself got involved, drove it a lot, he replaced brake master cylinder, thinking that was it. No difference at all. Didn't have to pay for that as it did no good, He threw up his hands, said short of replacing a lot of parts, he did not know! In the time since I have replaced strut assemblies to no avail. Help!
Tuesday, December 6th, 2022 AT 9:45 AM

3 Replies

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 110,176 POSTS
Hi,

When reading your post, my first thought was the right caliper, but you replaced that. If you lift the front wheel off the ground and have a helper press and release the brake pedal as you try turning the wheels, do the brakes seem to grab and release at the correct times?

Also, have you checked the ball joints, the control arm bushings and things like that? Has the alignment been checked, and does it pull without the brakes being applied?

Let me know. Also, check the highlighted components in the pic below. Make sure there are no issues with the bushings and the ball joint is tight.

Let me know what you find.

Take care,

Joe
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Tuesday, December 6th, 2022 AT 4:27 PM
Tiny
ED GARRIS
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Thanks for your response. The car does not pull at all going down the road. It was aligned when the inner tie rod replaced. What are Nos. 6, 7, 8 and 9 on image? Can a ball joint be tight, yet be worn out to cause this action? Under slow smooth braking, car will ease to stop. But at the point where you push to the fullest, the steering wheel jerks to the side. Upon release of the brakes then, you get a thunk of a noise from under brake pedal area, Left caliper releasing? When checking brakes with helper, do I need to have car running for power brakes to be functioning or not? Thank you.
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Wednesday, December 7th, 2022 AT 5:13 AM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 110,176 POSTS
Hi,

The idea that it only happens under heavy braking, I feel it has something to do with one of the calipers. If you recently, had it aligned, one of the first things done before the alignment is to check all steering and suspension components.

If you do check the brakes as mentioned, you can do it with the engine off. However, the clunk you mentioned leads me to question a lower control arm bushing issue one of the calipers isn't engaging as hard as the other.

Let me know.

Joe
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Wednesday, December 7th, 2022 AT 3:47 PM

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