Sterling Wheel Center?

Hey guys, if you could watch the video and tell me your thoughts? I just had ball joints, axle, Ujoints, brakes, and alignment done. After all that when I go to stop the truck stops perfectly straight no pull at all, but when you first hit the brakes there is just a slight jerk in the wheel, always to the right, it’s as if the wheel is trying to center itself but it pulls off center!!?? If it means anything, when you push the brake slowly you can hear 2 separate clicks in the pedal, I assume these are gate switches for ABS, cruise control, etc. anyways, the wheels does this just after the 2nd click. Thanks!!
https://youtu.be/yjN9R0May9w

 

I thought that was when one caliper was gripping more than the other or the other not gripping as tight. Dunno about the clicks.

 

My initial thought as well only it stops perfectly straight and smooth so it seems that if one brake was grabbing first it would pull to one side right??

 

Tell us more about the front end work and parts used.
Also, did you inspect all the bushings that weren't touched?
Finally, specs on the truck as far as lift is concerned?

I'm not sure if the clicks have anything to do with thing inside the truck as it may be things you're hearing through the firewall. If you've never replaced your steering shaft seal, there's a solid chance yours is disintegrating, and you're starting to hear engine bay stuff through it.

Every time I've experienced this in the past it was brakes or alignment related. Given you just had front-end work done, if this is new and you're 100% positive it wasn't happening prior, it's likely something the shop did while knocking out the work. If LBJs were replaced, I hope they used OEM to keep your ass off the wall of shame.

 

I’m going to go with something the shop did. I wonder if a brake bleed wasn’t done right and one caliper is engaging earlier than the other.
@shifty` asked some pertinent questions that could either affirm my guess, or make me look stupid. Let’s see…

 

Thanks all, so the work that was done is as follows and all by a very reputable ASE shop that I’ve used for years…

- Upper and Lower Ball Joints
- Axle seals
- Front Rotors
- Front Calipers
- Front Pads
- Adjusted improperly adjusted Read Drums
- Alignment

 

Honestly, as much as I and I'm sure other folks on here would love to solve the prob for you, this is one of those cases where I'd be marching back to the shop. This started after their work, and appears directly related (it's both suspension and braking, two systems they overhauled and tweaked) and ask them to inspect and fix. Sharing the video with them should clearly show the issue.

We could sit here and lob guesses at the issue, but IMO, there's no silver bullet on this one, and too many unknowns regarding the work done and parts used.

For your truck's sake, and possibly your life's sake, I sure as fuck hope they used OEM lower balljoints. There's a wall of shame with hundreds of 1st gen drivers who used aftermarket lower balljoints on these trucks and within a few thousand miles, found their wheel laying paralell to the pavement or shoved up into the firewall. Doesn't matter the brand. And Moog had a major recall on LBJs for 1st gens less than 24 months ago. Seems like a new one pops up every week on the FB group, and we have our fair share here for people honest enough to talk about it.

 

He was aware and used these NAPA OEM spec, said they were good and pricey as can be so….

Anybody have experience with them?

 

Someone here shared a story, a local dealership ran to a NAPA to get LBJs for their vehicle when they had theirs done, and service agent told them, "Eh, we do this all the time" (or something to that effect) but ... I can't speak to it.

 

Might have found the issue. In the notes from the big job that was done it said the passenger side rack bushing was bad, but they did not replace it at the time because the part was out of stock and they forgot to note that to have me come back in. Think this could be it?

 

I could see that causing it. I mean, symptom is in the steering.

You comfortable doing the rack bushings on your own? Someone posted an awesome video on it recently, how to do it w/o removing the rack.

 

I wonder if these are re-boxed OEM (as in Napa bought from Toyota and put it in their box). They are pricey.

If they are NOT actual OEM lowers, I would be leery of them.

I remember that as well but I think they went somewhere else for OEM ones?

 

Yeah I saw that video and I probably could, but it's a timing thing for me. Plus, because the shop owner said his guys were supposed to do that and didn't he's doing it no charge. Hopefully this is it!

 

That was my recollection as well, but my memory gets wires crossed often.