vehicle- 1993 Dakota 4x4 auto v6 181k

Today I replaced my front brake pads and rotors. I noticed that my right side brakes pads were so worn that it cut into the metal of the pad and rotor. (The inner right brake pad was really bad) So after I put the new pads and rotors on I noticed that my truck started pulling to the right and it always seems to pull to the right whenever I install new brakes.



Is something wrong with my brake caliper?


Thanks

 

they do go bad and do not retract all the way. had same issue with my 90 tried to rebuild did not do the trick in the end i replaced the caliper. I would drive my front tire on the rumble strip on the road to get it to retract......!!!

 

Did you clean the rotor with brake cleaner? The rotors come stock with a oil applied to them to prevent rust. If the oil is left on this can cause slipage. So one side will be slipping while the other grabs.

 

Yep, I used a lot of brake cleaner today, but is it possible my caliper is sticky?


BTW I do know that my front right side of my truck is sagging down more than the left side and maybe that's putting more pressure on the brake?

Just a guess

 

If your truck is sagging to the right, chances are thats where the pull is coming from. If you want to know if your brakes are really dragging, get an optical thermometer, drive the truck for 10-15 minutes and measure the temp of each rotor. If they are the same, you probably aren't dragging the brakes, if one side is noticably hotter, there is a brake issue.

But your truck is 4 wheel drive right? Try re-adjusting the torsion bars and getting it aligned. Thats one of the biggest reasons I wanted to do this solid axle swap is because I had bad problems with my torsion bars settling and adjusting them and getting the truck aligned got very old.

 

I took a tape measure today and measured each side of my truck and the right side is sagging down 1 1/2 inches. So do I need a special tool or something to adjust my torsion bar height?


Once I level the truck I will do what you said and check my brakes temp.

 

You just need a 15\ 16 socket. A big ratchet and wd helps.

 

A vehicle pulling to the right either has a grabby right caliper, or a non working left caliper....or both.

 

caliper. i had to replace mine once on the 89 and rebuild them once. the piston is seized out and the inner pad is tight against the rotor, when you apply the brake the caliper it does not move so the outer pad does not put pressure on the disc and does not wear as much.
calipers are only a couple of bucks each.
i solved the problem by draining the fluid, flushing the system with denatured alcohol ( %99 pure) and refilling the system with silicone brake fluid. it's the only stuff they use in high lifts in a warehouse and those brakes take a major beating, they go 24 - 7, i know i drove one for years and i wasn't soft on it. as far as i know there was never a brake failure from on a lift.
only cost me around $40 Canadian and an afternoon.

 

could be air in one side of the brakes too make sure the lines are bled,its easy and cheap plus you can eliminate air as a possibility.