An injection of brake fluid into your vehicle's braking system calipers is necessary for effective braking to take place. This fluid is usually transmitted to a caliper through a brake hose.

If a hose that feeds fluid to a brake caliper collapses, it will have trouble moving fluid to the caliper. It may also have difficulty moving fluid away from the caliper. As a result, the affected wheel will always be out of sync – as far as braking effect is concerned – with the rest of the wheels. This mismatch in braking effect will cause the wheels to move at different speeds once the brakes are applied, something that then causes the vehicle to pull to one side. The following are ways through which a collapsed hose can cause the pull-to-one-side problem.

By acting like a restrictor

The collapsed section of a brake hose will be narrower than the open sections. It will therefore let in less fluid than it should. As a result, when you apply the brakes, the fluid from the master cylinder will have a hard time getting through. Filling the caliper will take longer. The rate at which the caliper pushes on the piston will also be slower. This will create a delayed braking effect on the wheels.

This will be a problem since the other wheels won't have this delayed effect. They will slow down or come to a complete stop faster than the wheel that is affected by the collapsed brake hose. The difference in the travelling speeds of these wheels is what causes the pull-to-one-side problem.

By acting like a check valve

When the brake pedal is released, fluid is supposed to flow from the calipers back into the master cylinder. This causes the calipers to push less on the piston. As a result, the brake pads press less against the disc and allow the wheels to rotate freely.

When dealing with a collapsed brake hose, the efficiency with which the caliper is emptied will be reduced. This is because the collapsed section may limit the flow of fluid back into the master cylinder. The caliper will therefore remain filled for a while, causing continued braking action even when the other wheels have been released. The brakes of the affected wheel will therefore remain engaged, causing it to move slower than the others. This is what may then be to blame for the pull-to-one-side effect that braking has on your vehicle.

The pull-to-one-side braking problem usually ruins the driving experience. It can also make handling your vehicle hard. Having the collapsed hose replaced as soon as possible is therefore recommended. For more information, contact a company that offers brake replacement and repair, like ABS Unlimited Auto Repair.

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