By way of explanation: Many people do indeed disconnect the RWAL valve, and it often makes the pedal feel better. But... if you find yourself with no load on a slippery surface, the rears will go to lock long before the fronts with full pressure and no RWAL to dump it, and if the fronts are not on the same surface side to side (EG: one front wheel on ice, one on pavement), the truck will rotate around the front wheel with traction a lot faster than you can catch it. Of course, this will only happen under extreme circuimstances and when you don't expect it. A solution, if you want to eliminate the RWAL is to get an adjustable prop valve and install it in the rear brake line. Find a wet parking lot or some gravel and do some stops empty, adjust the valve so that the fronts lock slightly ahead of the rears. This is your light load setting. When hauling heavy or towing, you can adjust the valve to a higher setting to get more out of the rears. Bottom line is that you always want the fronts to lock first under all conditions. This way you avoid that really scary unexpected direction change at the worst possible time.

It's really worth a little time to try and diagnose the problem. On mine it turned out to be just an accumulation of shavings on the sensor in the rear diff. Wiped it off, all was good. Another fellow found a bad ground wire, also an easy fix. Even if you have to buy a valve, they are less than $200.00 at most parts places.

 

Right on. The RWAL system is pretty dang simple to troubleshoot, and not real expensive to fix.

 

Would a standard high-pressure (5000psi) needle or ball valve used in hydraulic systems serve as an adequate proportioning valve? My abs ring gear got all messed up when my diff exploded and I never replaced it, just bypassed the valve... there are pressure compensating, adjustable flow controls available with a 3000 psi rating as well..

 

I also found an 'adjustable line throttle valve' with a 5000psi working pressure capable of full flow in the reverse direction...(used to control cylinder stroke speed)..can anybody tell me if any of these would make a good pv?

 

Why not just buy a a proportioning valve? They aren't that expensive.

 

yea i know, I've priced one out at about $60, I was actually going to be putting one in this weekend..I was trying to figure if there was much difference, cause the applications seem silimiar..,and hydraulics are ..whats a good estimate of working system pressure in our units?

 

So I was driving down a hill the other day in the rain and tried to stop quickly and I ind out that mine doesnt work. Is there a warning light that is supposed to go on or where should I start the diagnosis.

 

There should be light on the dash that lights up. In the sticky their is info on how diagnose the problem, but if your light isn't working you may have issue's with that. Before you try to diagnose it, look behing your glove box, and see if the black box is plugged in, it's the abs computer.

My abs is non functional at the moment. It really sucks on gravel, if it's raining and my brakes are wet, they lock with almost no pedal movement.
I can't remember what code mine gave me, but I really should fix it. The thought of instant rear wheel lock up at freeway speeds is kinda scary.

I just checked it again and it gave me the, 4-Closed RWAL valve switch, code? Any body know what that means ?

 

Huh, guess the ABS on my 96 has never worked since I got the truck in 2001. I always wondered why the backs locked up so easy in wet, ice, and dry for that matter, guess I have my next project of figuring out why it doesn't work, because like a few of you have said the backs do lock up very easily. I have scared myself a few times and if I was scared imagine the compact car in front of me, lol,

 

I removed my RWAL and haven't had a problem with my rears locking up at all. Even with pushing my pedal to the floor right before i almost rear end someone.

The rain I haven't had a problem with them at all. I actually tried to get it to slide in the rain the one night and it wouldn't

Is there possibly something else wrong with my brake system making it not lock up?

 

about the time mine gets ready to stop hard, the brakes go away, the truck jumps about a length and then slams on the brakes again. lovely. only caused me one collision so far. wish i'd never seen this worhtless antique abs system. my esperience only. tc.

 

Don't think mine has ever worked, can drag the rear brakes, no ABS light has ever come on. Computer behind glove box is pluged in and wire to sensor is hooked up.

 

Never seen a light come on in the dash information center, but the whole truck shudders if I lock it up on ice or a panic stop.... so I assume its working?

 

The RWAL on these trucks may be simple and inexpensive to repair, but I'd rather not have to worry about what the brakes are doing. Mine showed a brake fault light on the dash two years ago and no amount of troubleshooting ever turned up a problem. That included running through the TSB instuctions on it. Evidently they had issues when they rolled off the factory floor. A year later with the computer plugged in after a one year hiatus, light was gone, and no the bulb's not burnt out. But I suspect the system is not functioning. Can't wait until it snows to see if it is actually working again or not.

 

I hate antilock brakes. I had a real pucker power moment one morning going to school in the Dakota. Some Lame brain pulled out in front of me and sat there, accelerating like Mr Magoo, and I slammed the brakes. Had good braking for 1/2sec, then NOTHING- they had let off completely. I thought I was going to hit the idiot. I pumped the pedal, brakes again, for 1/2 sec. Third pumping gave me brakes, and thankfully, I got slowed down with 30ft to spare. Had I been in my dually, it would have stopped faster. I'd rather lock up the rears and keep my steering than lock up the fronts and lose all control. Just my opinion- I grew up with non-ABS/RWAL vehicles (72-75 Ford trucks), and am more accustomed to them.

To answer the original question- no my ABS doesnt work, and never will again. I prefer to know ahead of time what my brakes are going to do, and know the limits of when I can stop vs when they will lock up. Put a computer controlling the rear brake pressure in that mix, and I never know. If people had the ability to acutally DRIVE, there would be no need for ABS.