When Mike & I had the engine out of his '70 at Christmas we noticed that the left trailing arm could move around at the inner pivot point so we tightened it up.
Tonight Mike drove it for the first time since then as part of getting it ready to bring up to me on Friday. He noticed that when he applied the brakes it pulls hard to the left and makes a loud metalic crunching noise (similar to walking through metalic "gravel"). The sound "pulses" in time with the wheel speed. He also noticed that when he goes around a right turn it makes the same noise and it is even worse if he's turning right & braking at the same time. We haven't touched the brakes at all, but it's clear that it's coming from the left rear brake. Anybody got any ideas what might be going on?
The good news is that we had always noticed that the car didn't seem to "roll" compared to other teeners that we have and now that problem is gone so obviously tightening the arm pivot did something good!
Full Version: Hard Pull to Left When Braking
The pulling could be the algnment is off (probably is based on what you described). The crunching sounds more like wheel bearing or cv joint. Possibly loose stub axle?
Warped rotor+a bad pad? Otherwise... wheel bearing?
I have heard that noise before.
M
I have heard that noise before.
M
Stub axle is tight, brake pads are new and no pulsing in the brake pedal.
If the algnment was off I would think it would pull when driving.
This is all new and was not there the last time I drove the car about 4 months ago.
If the algnment was off I would think it would pull when driving.
This is all new and was not there the last time I drove the car about 4 months ago.
mike9142.0 
If my car looked like yours I would expect it to pull if it would move at all!
If my car looked like yours I would expect it to pull if it would move at all!
The "metallic 'gravel' " sound, sounds like that expensive bearing in the trailing arm has "fatal-ed out".
That is my 73 2.0 that is wating for a new tub, I also have a 70 1.7 and that is the car we are talking about. The 73 runs and drives just has a hard time turning
I'm glad you can laugh after that, looks like a rough ride.
M
M
Hit the right side of a lumna sedan at 45mph and walked away from it.
It was a bad day, I miss that car
It was a bad day, I miss that car
Did you happen to have the stub axle out when the engine was out? If you put any load (even the car's weight) on the bearing when the stub is out, you can destroy the bearing.
Not related to your grinding problem, but if you tightened the trailing arm nut with the engine out then you should go back and do it again. The rubber bushing needs to be in its neutral state (car's normal ride height) when you tighen the nut. Otherwise, you are twisting the rubber just to reach normal position, and really abusing it to reach full compression of the suspension.
The easiest way to fix this is to get the car on a lift or ramps so the suspension is loaded when you loosen and retighten the nut.
Not related to your grinding problem, but if you tightened the trailing arm nut with the engine out then you should go back and do it again. The rubber bushing needs to be in its neutral state (car's normal ride height) when you tighen the nut. Otherwise, you are twisting the rubber just to reach normal position, and really abusing it to reach full compression of the suspension.
The easiest way to fix this is to get the car on a lift or ramps so the suspension is loaded when you loosen and retighten the nut.
QUOTE
If the algnment was off I would think it would pull when driving.
If the trailing arm was loose and the car drove OK, then you need to have it re-aligned after tightening it. Depending on how loose it actually was, you could have affected that side's alignment settings by a good margin.
If that doesn't cure the pulling, then you could have venting clearances off between the two sides or a caliper piston stuck and you're draggin a pad or something similar.
Well part of the mystery is solved. Mike found that Dad apparently didn't tighten down the heat exchanger valves (like I was sure I had) and one of them cam off and was dangling by the heater cable.
The steering wheel is not straight when the car is going straight so the alignment has definitely been changed by tightening that nut. Since it was unknowingly aligned with the nut in the loose position this is no surprise.
Still can't really tell if the brakes have an issue of their own that causes the pulling, but have discovered that the right front caliper is leaking. I suppose it would pull left if there is more pressure on the left side due to that leak. The misalignment would probably add to that.
The steering wheel is not straight when the car is going straight so the alignment has definitely been changed by tightening that nut. Since it was unknowingly aligned with the nut in the loose position this is no surprise.
Still can't really tell if the brakes have an issue of their own that causes the pulling, but have discovered that the right front caliper is leaking. I suppose it would pull left if there is more pressure on the left side due to that leak. The misalignment would probably add to that.
The pressure on both sides will be equal, even with a leak.
On the other hand... a ruptured, or swollen left soft line will cause that one to close up a lil faster, maybe.
M
On the other hand... a ruptured, or swollen left soft line will cause that one to close up a lil faster, maybe.
M
The rubber line is not leaking, the leak is from one of the pistion seals.
I think that the pull is the alignment but we will see.
I think that the pull is the alignment but we will see.
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