-
Hi Guest!
You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
There are some perks with a member upgrade!**Upgrade Now**
(PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Hey - did you know if you click on the title of a thread it will take you to the first unread post since you last visited that thread?
but were afraid to ask: 
STOP!! Never post your email address in open forums. Bots can "harvest" your email! If you must share your email use a Private Message or use the 
smilie in place of the real @
Pretty Please - add it to our Events forum(s) and add to the calendar! >> 
TR2/3/3A Tr3a brakes pull to left on hard braking
- Thread starter badornato
- Start date
Share this page
TR3driver
Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
Offline
Since it only happens when you get on the brakes hard, I think you can rule out a stuck caliper or similar problem. I would double-check that you don't have worn out pads, maybe try swapping pads from side to side.
After that, I would be looking for anything that lets the front suspension deflect under a heavy load to the rear. When I had a TR3A that pulled like that, it turned out that the rear lower suspension mount (on the RH side IIRC) had pulled loose from the frame. The front mount was still holding the pivot in place, but the pivot rod would bend under heavy braking, allowing the suspension to deflect and the steering to turn the wheel to the inside.
I had just gotten the car running and drove it that way for a few weeks, holding the wheel hard when I had to stop; until someone pulled out in front of me and I couldn't keep it from jumping the median! Fortunately I hadn't been moving very fast and got stopped before it veered into oncoming traffic, but the experience convinced me it had to be fixed sooner rather than later! Oddly enough, the alignment shop had not spotted the problem.
After that, I would be looking for anything that lets the front suspension deflect under a heavy load to the rear. When I had a TR3A that pulled like that, it turned out that the rear lower suspension mount (on the RH side IIRC) had pulled loose from the frame. The front mount was still holding the pivot in place, but the pivot rod would bend under heavy braking, allowing the suspension to deflect and the steering to turn the wheel to the inside.
I had just gotten the car running and drove it that way for a few weeks, holding the wheel hard when I had to stop; until someone pulled out in front of me and I couldn't keep it from jumping the median! Fortunately I hadn't been moving very fast and got stopped before it veered into oncoming traffic, but the experience convinced me it had to be fixed sooner rather than later! Oddly enough, the alignment shop had not spotted the problem.
Foura
Jedi Hopeful
Offline
When I bought my 3A in 1968 (!!!) it had brand new pads. I drove it for many months without an apparent problem. One night I did a panic stop, and the car immediately went out of control. I managed to get it stopped without hitting anything and drove it home. I found that the previous owner knew that it had a frozen piston in the left front caliper. By putting new pads in, the small amount of play in the bearings allowed the working piston to push the disc against the frozen pad and the brakes appeared to work OK. Despite putting a huge amount of pressure into the caliper, the brake shop could not budge the piston and I had to get a new caliper.
I would not rule out a stuck piston. My problem only showed up under hard braking. It is not a hard job to pull the pads and see if the pistons are all moving OK.
I would not rule out a stuck piston. My problem only showed up under hard braking. It is not a hard job to pull the pads and see if the pistons are all moving OK.
groupdeville
Jedi Hopeful
Offline
Also check or replace your front flexible brake hoses. Preferably replace, so that part of your braking system is baselined.
Geo Hahn
Yoda
Offline
Well shoot, I knew that. I didn't mention it in 2016 because I had not experienced it - but my TR4 developed a hard pull (to the right in my case) about a month ago and it was a leaking caliper. Never did see any smoking gun (other than wetness) as the seals and caliper all looked fine -- but replacing everything 'rubber' resolved the problem.