ChrisLib

Well, add me to the list of folks who have eliminated the "anti-stop" function of the brake system. Last week we had a small snow, I had taken the beater wagon to work only to realize that 4-5 inches of snow render that vehicle all but useless. Went back home to get the truck only to be greeted by a sudden lack of brakes . Drove it anyhow as at least it went forward, just STOPPING was a little dicey. So, today (on the coldest day of the year yet in my parts) I performed a dump valve-ectomy and was rewarded with a nice high/firm FUNCTIONAL brake pedal. Yeah, yeah I know all about the liability aspects but I figure the ability to actually APPLY the rear brakes is more important than the anti-lock function...that and we are slated for another 12 inch blizzard deal sometime Tues (in other words I needed rear brakes now ). Perhaps when the winter breaks I`ll look into repairing it the "proper" way but for now I`m happy as a pig in poo. FWIW, even after replacing all the calipers/pads/shoes/drums, a 1 1/18 wheel cyl deal and new hoses all around this is hands down the BEST pedal the truck has had since I`ve owned it. As a side note on diag for the dump valve, I ck`ed the fluid in the master and found the small resivior about 2/3 empty but no visible leaks, no leak from the rear master seal either, so where did that fluid go? I believe it is lying in the accumulator portion of the dump valve. I`ll probably take it off the frame and do a post-morterm on it as I`d like to see if my theory is correct and I`d also like to see how the durn thing works inside. Many many thanks to ALL on this forum as the all the searching I have done here in the past 48 hours was greatly helpful.

maybe368

Just because the valve is full of fluid goes not mean that it is bad. The control module also has the ability to open that valve and could be the problem, although the smart money says that dirt or debris in the system is keeping the valve from closing all the way...Mark