Possible Break Pad Rubbing?

[Kauf]

Hello, I have noticed a problem with the front drivers side tire on my 98 ranger. While driving, the truck vibrates and lurches. When I brake, the truck pulls left. I jacked the truck up after I noticed this and spun the tire. The tire will spin and then gradually stop at a certain point everytime. If I spin it slow enough, the tire itself completely stops at that certain point. Is something rubbing on my brake pads or calipers? I have no idea where to go from here, any help is appreciated

 

[ab_slack]

I am just a hack at this so...take my experience with a grain of salt.

From what you describe, I don't see anything really pointing at a bad bearing, but that isn't necessarily ruled out. When I have had a bad bearing they were BAD and turning the wheel made more sounds than a disk hitting a caliper.

Always possible the rotor has gotten warped. That would normally be felt when braking. Some vibration. When driving I wouldn't expect to note anything from a warped rotor unless really bad.

A problem with the caliper could be causing the brake to be sticking, that will overheat things and can warp rotor. While sticking you can experience vibration even when not pushing the brake. It will also grab differently when applying the brakes resulting in a pulling one way or the other.

It is also possible to have a collapsed brake cable. The inner layers of the rubber brake line delaminate. This causes a blockage sometimes. Other times it can act like a check valve allowing fluid in and not allowing it out. Thus it can seem much like a stuck caliper although sometimes it seems to come and go.

I recently dealt with collapsed brake line on my 87. It puzzled me as it seem perfectly fine at times, but on long trips it would start to act up.

 

[RonD]

The pads are always in contact with the rotor, just no pressure behind them, so wheel should slow down after spinning, the runout on the rotor, could be a slight warp or wheel bearing issue.
Pull and push on the top and bottom of the tire to see if bearing is getting loose.

Rotors should be "turned" when pads are replaced, this makes then true again, no runout, so constant slowing when you spin them.

Caliper could be sticking on that side, this creates constant pressure that will wear out brake pads faster, also causes a pulling to one side.
Or caliper on the other side is not working well, so check both sides.

 

[JoshT]

Hate to say this but I think you are chasing two separate issues.

The pull is likely to be your front caliper. Probably slide pins need to be greased combined with wear.

I think the vibration and lurching while driving are probably something else.