Hey guys i need some help. I can't figure out whats going on with my brakes on my 96 ranger 4.0 5spd ext cab 2wd w/ 6" lift and 31's.

When i'm driving at any speed and slam on the brakes, it pulls super hard to the left (worse at higher speeds obviously). I bled both of the front brakes. Then I jacked up the front and spun the tires while someone pressed the brake pedal to make sure both calipers were working. A shop said it could be a cracked brake disc. So I took the wheels off but could not find a crack anywhere. Brake pads still have a lot of life left. Rotors are not warped. It has 100k mi on it and hasn't been driven very often in the last few years.

So with the calipers and discs ruled out, i'm thinking it may be the master cylinder. Does anyone know which way the bias is split? Is it Front/Rear or LF-RR/RF-LR, because if its the latter i'm thinking the RF-LR half is not working anymore.

Can anybody help me out?

I had a similar issue when I had my Tundra. I think it's usually suspension related esp since you've checked all the obvious things.

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Mike
'08 Sport 4.0 4x2 5AT
'06 Acura TL 6MT
'96 XL 3.0 4x2 4AT (Sold 9/3/12)

gonna say its a seized piston on the right side. only takes 1 to be seized. they seem to work on the ground, but at high speed makes a big difference.

Make sure your right caliper is working correctly, meaning the right preasure.

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2011 XLT 2WD Ext. Cab. 2.3 5 speed
chrome wheels, spray-in bedliner, Extang RT Tonneau cover, tinted glass, tailgate lock, pin stripe. :

I would think if it was the caliper it would be the left caliper since he said it pulls to the left. If it was the right side caliper it would pull to the right when braking.

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2000 Ford Ranger XLT EXT Cab, 3.0 V6 Flex Fuel, Automatic, Drop in Spectre Airfilter, 1 Catalytic Converter, SI/SO Flo Pro Original Muffler with dual exhaust, dual chrome tips at 45 degree angles and more

I'm very interested in this, as my truck does the same thing, but to the right. To the point, that if I am rolling to a stop light, and I give a solid brake, you can see the wheel turn right. Kinda sketchy.

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2002 F-250 "Big Truck"

Still looking for my ranger

My first car did that after some good offroading...turned out the bolt holding the A arm to the frame snapped lol. This was a 79 Toyota cressida. Needless to say I've wisened up lol. being 17 and making 2 grand a paycheck means doing stupid things and impressing friends. Didn't help that I knew little about cars. 6 months later my dad made me work for free at a body shop/garage to learn. I did...

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96 Xlt 2wd
4in rough country lift
31's

For the record I still worked and went to school, I was just thinking fuck it, I learned a lot

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96 Xlt 2wd
4in rough country lift
31's

hey get the wheels off the ground and spin them to see if one is locked up,probably a bad caliper.it could also be a brake hose not letting the fluid pressure to return after you let off the pedal.

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95 ford ranger xl 4x2 16 inch mustang aluminum wheels. jvc head unit,kool vue door mirrors,aluminum diamond grill,euro tail lights,, .dixie air horn.3.0l.projector headlights,clear corner lights,cowl induction hood.front bumper valance and fog lights.

The vehicle will pull to the opposite side of the stuck caliper because you have less or no brake on the side with the stuck caliper.

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George

2011 Ranger Sport 4 door SuperCab 4X4 Oxford White, 4.0 Auto Mods: XLT Carpet, Pin Stripes, Clear Corners, Extang Revolution Tonno, LineX, Pre Key mod, tailgate lightbar, cab lights, Muth heated signal mirrors
2008 Ranger Reg Cab 4X2 Redfire Vulcan Auto Mods:FX4 body color grille, Sport aluminum wheels, Extang Revolutioin Tonno, color matched bed liner, tailgate lightbar TRADED

No one mentioned rear drums? And this is in the classifieds...

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2006 Ford Ranger FX4 Level II
torsion bar crank, 32x11.50R15's, DSG Alcoa's, S10 Blazer short OHC, black interior, Sonar projector headlights, taillight mod, Nightshades, hood/grille blackout, glasspack and resonator tip side exhaust, Xtang Blackmagic tonneau cover, THE original STX swap.
1986 Ford Bronco XLT
2013 Ford Focus SE

^^could be a funky drum...never know!

I'm betting on a caliper piston that has gone bad. 16 year-old trucks are gonna need new calipers anyway, so it would be good to get some rebuilt calipers eventually.

another fun option is to find a caliper piston rebuild kit (they are cheap - consists of seals and dust boots).

seems like i'd seen bad tie-rode ends do similar things. not sayin it's that, just sayin.

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1999 xlt 2.5l 5-speed Supercab 159k
83 diesel 2.2l na
06 F250 6.0l psd
{click for lol}

If the right caliper is bad it will pull left. The right caliper is prob not releasing because it is locked up, there is crap in the caliper or the brake lines inner liner is coming apart acting like a one way valve. Assuming u have rear drums also check the rear drums if they are not working properly they will put more stress on the front brakes. Letting the good left side brakes do all if the stoping creating a bad pull.

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2011 Ranger 2.3L XLT black
Stock for now.

The weird thing outside of a post not being moved or being in the wrong spotbaltogether is that noone mentioned a warped rotor. Sometimes a warped rotor can cause some weird problems other than the typical shaking because if it catches at higher speeds then it will cause that side to pull. And a pretty good indication of a locked caliper is usually the smell of burnt brakes or the ease of your non locked caliper to lock that wheel up since the pressure can sometimes be over applied to the one side. Just my two cents though

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2001 Ranger xl 2wd 2DR with a 3.0.

Mods: CAI, exhaust, tune, ported/polished heads,, ported/honed intake manifold, 3.73 Limited slip differential, Pyle double din head unit, kicker TSV10 subwoofer, Hifonics 800W amplifier, 18'' Forged Ravage series wheels, Kumho tires, blue colored cluster, under dash interior lighting, Rhino liner, tow hitch and Pioneer door speakers. Hopes and dreams.

Still think its caliper. usually warped rotors cause bad vibrations under braking. Drove my granddads ''82 chevy ( 1982 6.2l diesel heavy half tun long bed )
Form Missouri to Dallas with it doing the same thing. Replaced the brake rotors, pads and calipers and rubber brake lines and it stops straight now.

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2011 Ranger 2.3L XLT black
Stock for now.