[noworriespete]

I've searched the other forums and nothing comes close to the types of problem my '97 taurus.

Problem 1) Twice now while driving, not even applying the brakes, the car starts to subtly jerk in sync with the rotating front right tire. I could feel it in the steering wheel and hear it coming from the front, passenger side. When I took off the crazy hot tire, the brake is stuck on (of course). The pad is getting pretty worn down, which is may be due to Problem 3. It eventually released and worked just fine today. What is going on there?

Problem 2) When I hit the brakes, the rear passenger drum brake "ticks". I can feel it in the pedal and hear it. The last time I had brake work done, a time crunch caused us not to replace the parking brake cable (it was just removed instead). Someone mentioned that it is that cable that keeps the drum brakes adjusted, could they just be out of adjustment? How do I check?

Problem 3) Whenever I am going 30+ mph and hit the brakes, the car sorta dogtracks and feels like its getting pushed sideways. I live in WI and it know what it feels like to be losing control on snow... its like that, without the skidding.

I have a distinct feeling that this thing will be a deathtrap come winter if I dont solve some of these problems. Deathtraps = bad.

 

[brokie]

Dogtracking is caused by the brakes being out of adjustment / in need of bleeding, or both. Is the ticking accompanied by a loss in pedal height? sounds like back brakes are not in sync with each other.
as for the front caliper sticking, proportioning valve is causing this, from the shoe in rear brakes getting jammed in the drum (You will hear a moan, and the pedal will come up slightly, unless you don't have ABS brakes. In that case, you will only feel the pedal retract toward your foot slightly)

Replace the springs, and auto adjuster and cable on both rears, to get them in sync with each other, as well as the shoes. Dont keep driving it like that, when / if the brake snatches up, you will be jerked violently to one side (Toward the right, due to the passenger rear issue)

 

[noworriespete]

Dogtracking is caused by the brakes being out of adjustment / in need of bleeding, or both. Is the ticking accompanied by a loss in pedal height? sounds like back brakes are not in sync with each other.
as for the front caliper sticking, proportioning valve is causing this, from the shoe in rear brakes getting jammed in the drum (You will hear a moan, and the pedal will come up slightly, unless you don't have ABS brakes. In that case, you will only feel the pedal retract toward your foot slightly)

Replace the springs, and auto adjuster and cable on both rears, to get them in sync with each other, as well as the shoes. Dont keep driving it like that, when / if the brake snatches up, you will be jerked violently to one side (Toward the right, due to the passenger rear issue)

Yes, the back pedal feels like it moves downward during the ticks. I am looking into replacing the car now, I am starting student teaching and NEED a car that will not fail, ever. Thank you for the reply... Its been slowly getting worse.

Any ideas with the sticky brake?

It released itself while I was waiting for it to cool down last night and drove fine today.... but that doesn't inspire confidence. the tire started to melt away from the rim. Again, deathtraps = bad (especially on frozen WI highways).

No worries though, right?

 

[brokie]

Replace the caliper on passenger side, plan on replacing the caliper on the driver side soon. Replace both shoes in rear, and replace the parking brake cable.
What engine, and milage do you have?