Please help! Brake trouble?

[Starfanfare]

Okay, so I am a girl that knows a TINY TINY bit about cars. I have a 89 Bronco 2 which just started giving me problems this afternoon. Please help to point me in the right direction at least.
-It started running "rough" on my way home from the store (less responsive to any gas pressure & actually shaking when reaching 30 mph). I made it home slowly on back roads. I can smell a burning medal smell (which I'm pretty sure is from the front left) and any time I step on the brakes (brakes are working) it pulls severely to the right.

I'm guessing its the brakes or rotor....? Would that cause rubbing while moving forward too? I'm currently waiting on a friend with a jack so we can take the wheel off to look.
Not only am I a girl with none of my own tools, I'm a college student who's pretty much broke. So please, any help or ideas if I'm on the right track would be greatly appreciated.

 

[rookieshooter]

May have some really bad wheel bearings and/or wheel nuts that backed off. But need to take of that wheel real quick. If it is the wheel bearings make sure your friend checks out the spindle, this is the part the wheel bearings ride on. I've seen wheel bearings so badly burned that they welded themselves to the spindle.

 

[Starfanfare]

Thank you. Though my friend with the jack and tools can't make it today. I have it parked from earlier and am not moving it until its fixed. Hopefully I can get some help tomorrow, and will deffinitly look at the wheel bearings too.
If I have to replace the wheel bearings ( or brakes/rotors) do I have to replace both sides at the same time? Or can I replace just the side that went bad?

 

[rookieshooter]

One side

 

[WNYBroncoBill]

Starefan are,

Not sure where you live, you should post it on your identity. It is important as to what is wrong with your Bronco II. If it is not in "salt" territory (Northeast), it may be something else. Also, post the odometer reading so we know how to help you.

Could be a front wheel bearing, but someone who knows needs to take a look. Could also be a defective brake caliper, I have seen many of these.

Good luck!

Bill

 

[rusty7983]

or bad brake hose? I had a buddy a few years back with a similar issue. When we pulled the wheel, the hose had rolled over itself. The caliper had been stuck with pressure in it. It would not release.

 

[blindtoe]

Try Bleeding them.