So, this all started with a bad wheel bearing. My gf has a 2000 Ford Contour. The pass wheel bearing went bad so I changed that. The car started pulling left when braking. Then the driver side seemed to be bad so I changed that too. Noticed the driver axle boot ripped. Changed the axle. Changed driver lower control arm. Car still pulling. Noticed alot of engine movement. Changed all 3 motor mounts. Not seeing any movement in the steering. Tie rods etc. Thought the caliper. Changed the left. Didn't fix it. Took off the right and scraped the groves thinking it was getting stuck. That had an effect. Didn't seem quit as bad after. Just changed that caliper and brake hose. The pulling is still there. I'm about out of ideas as to what the issue is. Struts maybe? The car drives fine. It's just the braking. I had it on the lift and u can see the driver wheel move out maybe 1/2 inch when I hit the brake. It's been aligned a few times. Anyone ever experience anything like this? I'm sick of throwing parts at this car.

 

the problem is your brakes, either pass side sticking /not working or they haven't been bleed correctly

 

Is it only pulling while braking? It may not be the calipers but the slides in the caliper bracket. Make sure they move freely. Take them out of the bracket and clean the old grease off of them then re-grease them. You can also get a reman caliper bracket if you dont feel like fooling with it. Also make sure the pads are not getting hung up in the bracket. Apply brake grease anywhere that the pad touches the bracket.

 

I would start with checking brakes and alignment.

Go looking who has a brake test bench. In 1 minute you know for sure what your brakes are doing. Might cost you 10$.

Alignment is the same. When changing bad wheel bearings sometimes depending on geometry and how they sit it will change alignement.

Check your suspension as well as broken springs can have the same effect. Shocks can do that too, again depending on the suspension.
Your suspension shop should be able to check all that in one go, costs you some 45$.

Good luck

 

my rule of thumb on hub assemblies is that if it seems like the right replace the left. Just how it always works out for me. Also some places offer a deal for buying both in a set. Anytime time you are working with hydraulic systems i.e. brakes you want to replace things in pairs. calipers, brake hoses. Also you could have a severely warped rotor. Do you notice any pulse in the brake peddle? Try jacking up the front of the car place it in neutral and have someone apply and release the brake peddle you should be able to turn the wheel immediately. If it does not release crack the bleeder valve if it releases the pressure you most likely have a bad hose. Try this on both side. Also if your brake pads are worn way down you could be exceeding the working range of the caliper. don't mean to over think things just throwing my two cents in. good luck.

 

When bleeding, do you get approximately even pressure and flow from both front bleeders? This vehicle has two diagonal hydraulic circuits. Each front brake, and the opposite side rear brake, are on the same circuit. If one hydraulic circuit has a failure, the system shuts off the failed circuit. This will absolutely cause a pull when braking. If your right front/left rear system fails, the vehicle will pull left.

Another possibility for your pull could be a change in caster while braking. If the lower ball joint moves rearward during braking, caster will decrease causing a pull to the left. Could be worn out lower control arm bushings on the left front.

 

The diagonal circuit actually would make the most sense so far. As I said before, the lower driver front control arm I replaced. It comes with the ball joint and the bushings attached so they are new. And to the caliper suggestions further up I also have already replaced and greased both front calipers. The alignment seems totally fine also. How would it cut out the right rear and font left? Some kind of fuse or michanically? Athough I tried having someone hold the brake some and I spun each tire. They seemed to be grabbing about the same as far as I can tell with my hands.

Also, is anyone aware if this car has 3 or 4 mounts. I replaced the passenger top, the lower front and rear (sometimes called roll restrictors) but I'm not finding anything on the driver side. The engine still kind of torques forward when I hit the brake so I'm wondering if because there isn't one on the drivers side or there is and it's bad it's causing a forward and to the left push on everything. Why that would still be? As I said either I missed a mount or the after market ones aren't good enough. It's the 2.0 4 cyl btw. And i forgot to mention, it does have a bad sway bar link on the right but everyone I've talked to doesn't think that would cause that.

 

"If one hydraulic circuit has a failure, [massive fluid leak] the system [immediately upon failure] shuts off the failed circuit."
This is done in the proportioning, or combination valve. If you're pulling left while braking, the left rear/right front hydraulic circuit would be the circuit that is disabled. You'd most likely notice that the brake pedal has more free travel, (brakes don't grab close to the top when applying).

 

Don't think it's that then. Fluid level is fine. The pedal feels fine. And as is said, spun the wheel and the brakes seem to be working.

 

Alignment been checked with appropriate tooling or just so-so.

What wheels and tires do you mount?