Important: If the vehicle pulls to one side during braking, do not assume the cause
is a brake system malfunction. Ensure that the front end alignment is correct
before diagnosing the brake system.
Test the brakes at different speeds with light pedal pressure and with
heavy pedal pressure. Avoid locking the wheels. Avoid sliding the tires on
the roadway. Locked wheels and sliding tires do not show brake efficiency.
A locked wheel and a sliding tire reduce the tire friction on the roadway.
Heavily braked, turning wheels will stop the vehicle in less distance.
Test the brakes on a dry, clean, reasonably smooth and level roadway.
You cannot accurately test brake performance without these conditions. The
tires will not grip the roadway equally if the roadway is wet or greasy or
covered with loose dirt. A crowned roadway causes the weight of the vehicle
to shift toward one side. The wheels bounce on a rough roadway.
The following conditions also affect brake performance:
| • | Tires with unequal contact and unequal grip on the road will cause
unequal braking. |
| - | The tires must be equally inflated. |
| - | The tread pattern of the right tires and the left tires must be
about equal. |
| • | When the vehicle is loaded unequally, the most heavily loaded
wheels require more braking power than the other wheels. |
| • | Loose front wheel bearings may cause the following: |
| - | Spotty contact with the brake linings |
| • | The brakes will pull the vehicle to one side if the front suspension
is not aligned correctly. This will be very noticeable if the caster and the
camber are not within specifications. |
