Destroyed sway bar bushing - cause of pulling during braking?

[Stephonovich]

Yesterday my '75 280 started pulling to the right under braking.  This morning I did some troubleshooting.  No wheel appears to be not contributing to braking, although it's possible there's a blockage not permitting full force on a wheel - my crude method was just to jam the brake pedal and turn the wheel.  Increased effort = OK.

 

When I looked at the suspension, though (suspecting tension control rod), I found this on the right sway bar.  It has some play in it.  Could a blown sway bar bushing cause a braking pull?  Googling was ambiguous; some said yes, some no.

 

 

I plan on replacing it in any case; they're only $16

 

EDIT: Sway bar end link, to be precise.  My mistake.

Edited March 9, 2013 by Stephonovich

[Stephonovich]

For what it's worth, I replaced the broken set, and took apart and re-greased the other.  The other side appeared to be massive over-torqued, severely squishing the bushings.  I read 15 ft lbf as a torque spec somewhere.  Unfortunately, I was unable to get a torque wrench up there and see it, so I went with the "feels about right" method.  

 

The pulling is diminished.  I think after re-checking torque (one side seems a little low based on thread protrusion through the nut) and letting everything settle, it might disappear entirely.

[johnc]

If someone installed the anti-roll bar so it was preloaded or asymmetrically loaded then it could have some affect on braking.  But a properly installed anti-roll bar will have no effect on braking unless the braking area is very bumpy.

[Stephonovich]

Thanks for the answer, John.

 

I definitely need to get it up in the air and take a good look.  I crawled under it a couple days ago and it looks like maybe there's brake fluid, or at least something shiny around the right rear wheel cylinder.  I haven't had the time this week to do more than slightly educated guessing.