Do you have four steel lines leaving the master cylinder? This will be a split-diagonal system meaning the left front and right rear brakes are on the same hydraulic circuit. You might try bleeding the two front brakes with a helper pressing the brake pedal so you can watch how much fluid comes out. Don't let them press the pedal more than half way to the floor. Doing so can tear the lip seals on crud and corrosion that build up in the lower halves of the bores the pistons travel through in the master cylinder. Normally if a seal gets damaged, the red warning light will turn on due to the unequal pressures, and the pedal will be lower than normal. If you get just a little fluid from one front caliper, suspect a problem in the master cylinder.
When only one front brake works, the car will pull real hard that way when braking, but because of that being a real good possibility with split-diagonal systems, manufacturers have modified "scrub radius" to counteract that. That's a designed-in geometric angle related to the angle of the strut. It can be measured with computerized alignment equipment. The values are of no significance. All that is important is they are very nearly the same on both sides. On cars that have front cross members that can be unbolted, (GMs in particular), they can be slid sideways to equalize scrub radius on both sides. It is common to screw it up too when replacing that cross member after reinstalling the engine or transmission. On other cars it can't be changed and will only be incorrect if the frame is bent. Chrysler vehicles are the only ones that have totally eliminated any hint of brake pull when half of the system isn't working. On other brands of cars, that source of brake pull is reduced enough to prevent loss of control but you can still detect some pull.
One observation that might help is to notice if the pull diminishes while holding steady pressure on the brake pedal for a period of time. If the pull remains constant, either there is less fluid pressure going to that wheel or something is causing those brake pads to have less friction than the other side. That's assuming worn parts causing a change in alignment has been ruled out.
If the pull gradually decreases and goes away in a couple of seconds when holding steady pressure on the pedal, it means the two brakes are applying equally but one is applying more slowly. In that case, look for a crushed steel line or for mismatched pistons in the calipers. If one is steel and the other is plastic, (phenolic) they will apply differently but once applied, they will develop the same force on the pads.
I know you already replaced the hoses but it's worth mentioning that they can cause a pull too. Hoses that have a bracket crimped around the center can build up rust inside the crimp that slowly constricts the hose. That will cause a slow-to-apply caliper, and often a real slow-to-release condition resulting in pulling in the other direction after the brake pedal is released.
Caradiodoc
Wednesday, November 24th, 2010 AT 9:41 PM