[dmw_4814]

Wow, that's a freaking rip off if I've seen one and I've gotten gipped a couple times. This problem seems to be inherent to T-birds and Cougars (pulling to the right). Many people have that problem. I do too! I just haven't gotten around to getting that damn caliper off. I meant to do it tonight but got lazy... Bleh...

I have noticed a small amount of rust on my brake pad, so I think if I sand that off it will help.

I have a 1997 Thunderbird and it doesn't pull at all to either side when I brake. Of course, it has 156,000 miles on the odometer and I've replaced ALL the brake parts (at all 4 wheels) as well as ALL the front suspension components within the last year! It had a number of brake/suspension problems when I bought it, but it still braked without pulling to either side even with the original parts that were on it. I even have cheapo strut-rod bushings on the car right now that I'm getting ready to replace with Ford OE parts, but it still brakes straight & true. I guess my point is not ALL T-Birds/Cougars pull to the side when braking!

Any number of issues could cause your car to pull to the side when braking: worn ball-joints, loose wheel bearings, alignment issues, a sticking brake caliper, loose suspension mounting hardware, etc. You need to check not only the brakes, but the entire front suspension for loose, worn or mis-aligned parts.

Dennis

 

[dmw_4814]

Wow! Just noticed this thread is like, EIGHT years old!!! Sorry, haven't had enough coffee yet!

Moderators, please feel free to delete this post.

Dennis

 

[chris]

I am having a hell of a time getting the front caliper off of my 94 cougar. I car remove the first bolt on the lower side of the caliper, but I cannot remove the bolt that is located on the upper end of the caliper the bottom bolt is a torx and the top one is a weird style of a bolt it almost looks like a round drill bit style of head. This bit was located under a rubber boot. The lower torx had no boot. I had to rip the boot to get to the weird shaped bolt

 

[seabass]

When I do it I just take off the two 15mm (I think) bolts. There's a little bit more meat with a 15mm bolt where you don't have to worry about hurting anything. They are on there pretty tight due to the lok-tite...but they will come off (cheater bar even).

Good luck...sorry about the boot

Seabass

 

[chris]

yeah but don't you have to remove the other torx bolts eventually to get the caliper off of the spidel. I just want to check how the caliper is. My car is pulling to the right when I brake

 

[Blake-vortech]

Just did it last friday like Sebass said two bolt it pop right off. If you need to rebuild the caliper you will have to remove the funky torx

Blake

 

[94birdnj]

Same here,......just replaced brakes and rotors in 'bout a little over an hour.....

Just take off the top and bottom 15MM bolts and you're done (unless you need to take out the line for some reason).......My top bolt took me like 20mins 'cause it was on so tight....just spray a lot of penetrant and use a breaker bar and you should be set. Oh and turn the wheel so you can reach it more easily...

 

[seabass]

Exactly..no need to touch the torx bit at all if your just doing pads and/or rotors. I did all 4 pads and rotors on the Cougar before I traded it in with no problems. Then did the same thing on the Bird on the front when i was dropping the k-member.

<img src="http://members.tccoa.com/seabass55/carup.jpg">

Seabass

 

[chris]

i can't figure out why my car would be pulling to the right. the only thing i can think of is the left caliper. is there any easier way of attempting this. I think that the left caliper is holding i can hear something like the brake pad squeek a little when i apply the brakes and when I let go. PS what do I do with the torn boot I have do I have to replace it. I just replaced the strut rod bushings that is what Midas told me the problem was and the idiots were wrong. Any other suggestions

 

[94birdnj]

well at least you didn't let them do it....here's what minaeke told me it would cost for rod bushings.

<img src="http://members.tccoa.com/94birdnj/crazy.jpg">

 

[JJanney]

Wow, that's a freaking rip off if I've seen one and I've gotten gipped a couple times. This problem seems to be inherent to T-birds and Cougars (pulling to the right). Many people have that problem. I do too! I just haven't gotten around to getting that damn caliper off. I meant to do it tonight but got lazy... Bleh...

I have noticed a small amount of rust on my brake pad, so I think if I sand that off it will help.