Pulls to the right....

[2001ExpSport]

A while back I installed 33's and noticed that when braking my truck would pull to the right. I did notice it when I had my 31's on, but not as much. I thought it was maybe the torsion twist, but I lowered the bars back to stock and swapped my shackles back to stock and it still pulls to the right. It is starting to get worse and I am not sure what could be causing it. I haven't had an alignment since I bought it, but I have been doing my own alignments with a tape measure.

Anyone have this problem before on 95+ explorers? If so I am interested in hearing what you think it might be. Just trying to save a trip to the dealer, they always work at a snails pace.

 

[BoatsRcool]

take it somewhere besides the dealer and have it aligned.

 

[bigtigexplorer]

I just put on 30x9.50x15 and did a torsion twist and I've got the same problem with my 99, but I haven't done an alignment either. I was worried it was something with the brakes since it really only pulls when I'm braking. Why shouldn't we have the dealer do an alignment?

 

[2001ExpSport]

Well, the dealer uses a computer with the alignment numbers already in it, so if you have a torsion twist they will align it as if it were stock which is wrong. I am not sure how an alignment process works with the computers. I think they already have limits for the alignment or maybe they use the computer to align it. Not really sure how that works. Maybe someone could explain it for us.

But, yes, mine only pulls to the right when braking too. I doubt it would be the brakes.

 

[bigtigexplorer]

I took my X to Sears for the alignment , and it was only off a little bit. They also said they could not adjust the camber because it had some square thing from the factory that is not adjustable. After the alignment it still pulls to the right but it is no where near as bad as it was. I also had them check the brakes, after I had already done my own inspection and they told me the brakes looked brand new. I also rotated the front tires (they are BRAND NEW tires < 500 miles).

So what is this square thing which is preventing the camber from being adjusted and what else could cause the pulling?

 

[PLRBEAR]

How about the road itself. In places where there's not a whole lot of rain, the only drainage that the roads have are little "drainlets" on the side of the road. In order for them to be effective, the tar is laid such that it is slanted to the right to some degree. You probably won't notice the slant with a car shod with small tires (eg. 195/60/14?), but with tires like 255/70/16s, you're gonna feel every nook and cranny.....and, last but not least, slant.
I don't know, but as straight as my X is, it still pulls to the right after the alignment....so i can only conclude it's due to external factors. BTW, i've had my front end checked over and over and over again and it's not it. My tires wear normally.
The ONLY other explanation, would be a bad tire. I used to have a VW Jetta that had 17s on it. It pulled to the right as well. I switched the front tires from left to right, and then it pulled to the left. Wheels were brand new Mille Miglia (which are not lousy wheels), so i could only conclude that it was the tire (Yokohama Avid H4s). Upone replacing the tire, my car tracked straight and narrow.

 

[JDraper]

I've got a 2"tt and 31's on mine, and after alignment, I don't have any pull. I do notice that the crown on the road does affect it. If I straddle the centerline, it tracks straight, but on either side of the centerline, it heads for the side of the road. It definintely does it more with the 31's. I did the tt before I upgraded the tires, and I didn't notice a change after the tt on regular tires. I only noticed it after the 31's went on.

 

[2001ExpSport]

DOH!

I just talked to one of the service reps at my local dealer. He said that they have had explorers come in for the pull to the right problem. They said it could be brakes, alignment or the camber blocks. He told me that if the camber blocks are of by just a half a degree it will pull. He also said that these blocks are adjustable, but a very small amount. If it's not enough or they are worn, they have to be replaced.

Here's where we get to the good part. A regular alignment is $50, to do the whole thing with the camber replacement is $300. I just about fell out of my chair.Dead Link Removed

You know, it really doesn't pull to the right that bad after all....LOL

I'll get an alignment and go from there.

 

[ACBlessing]

Mine also pulls to the right...and it began right after new tires, torsion twist and allignment...all done at the same time. I even worked with the guy and he showed me on the computer allignment machine how everything spec'd up but I'm still pulling.

One thing stuck in my mind though was that he said he was glad he didn't have to order camber bolts for my X. He said they're special bolts with some kind of cam on them and they're used to adjust camber when the stock setup can't adjust any further.

I think I'm going to take it back in for a reallignment and have those put on to see if it cures the pull. In the meantime, I can't stand the pull to the right.

-AC

 

[PLRBEAR]

Hey 2001, you're spot on there......for $300 bucks...i think i can live with it!! LOL!

 

[LLSTRIKES96]

My understanding is that most cars are desgined to pull to the right to insure that when someone falls asleep on the highway the car will pull into the shoulder instead of crossing the median and running into oncoming traffic. Maybe by adding larger tires, and changing the geometry of the suspension this is amplified. Anyone ever heard of that? I hope that doesn't sound like complete gibberish.

 

[ACBlessing]

Well I don't think it's COMPLETE gibberish. If anyone fell asleep around here, the only thing to the right is a 6000ft fall off a mountain.

;-) AC

 

[BajaXplorer]

swap your tires from side to side see if that solves it. Sometimes A/T tires have this issue and ive solved pulls many a time by swapping sides.

good luck,
Doug

 

[2001ExpSport]

I cleaned the brakes up and that solved it. I also realized that I have a few thousand miles before I need new pads.

 

[ok89]

That whole pull to the right thing so if you fall asleep you go off the road to the right is not working. On New Year's Eve I fell asleep at the wheel and drifted across the road and into the ditch on the other side. Thank God no one was coming in the oncoming lane.