dpuckett

I have had the ABS activate in my girlfriend's Dakota when some idiot (of which there is a diproportionately large number here) pulled out in front of me. I was slowing down.... then not slowing down. It was a pucker power moment, if you get my drift. I'd rather lock them up and let her rip. The ABS I've had experience with cuts the pressure quite short of lockup. ANd why in the WOLRD did they not put the antilock in the front, where it may actually do some good? Front wheels lock, and whup, there goes your steering control. Maybe if people could drive, and paid attention when doing so, we wouldnt need ABS, RWAL, and mushy brakes when it poops out.

Daniel

wheelo90

dpuckett, you must have been reading my mind exactly!
I feel that if people would get the Bigmac out of their face and the phone off their head, they might be able to pay attention and not pull out in front of people.

I dont think they put it in the front because when people Jam on the brakes, they never try to steer out of an accident. They just slam on it and hit the guy without swerving to miss him.

My 2 cents!

Begle1

I usually end up swerving around people (that's what shoulders are for).

And every once in a while, I swerve intentionally.
I don't think these trucks ever stopped straight, did they?

KRB

dpuckett, I'll be glad when you finally get to move out of your neighborhood. Sounds like the natives (or the new transplants?) are a constant source of irritation to you .

For the ABS "fix", heres a post from the TDR site by a Wise One thats been there done that (not me of course ):

ANd not just any part numbers. These 2 numbers will ensure dependable consistent stopping for your 1st gen CTD Ram for many years to come. I got the fittings to bypass the useless RWAL valve on these rigs today. I will install them tomorrow as it is raining now, but here are the NAPA numbers-

WEA 7917 & WEA 7828.

Total came to $8.56 with tax. Well worth it, IMO. And I didnt have to buy any lines or do any flaring. Simply unhook and install the fittings in place of the RWAL module/ solenoid. I will try to remember to take pics tomorrow as I do it.

I got the parts but havn't done the install yet. For now its unplugged behind the glove box, and the brakes feel exactly the same...

firewalker

hey fellas,hows all? i am not trying to highjack the thread ,but my abs and break light came on this morning.does not seem to be performing any different though.i think my rear pads are gone, allowing cylinder to open all the way.stopping distance seem to have increased past 3 or 4 months squeaky sound also.replaced fronts last year but not the back.neighbor had same problem with his 93 ctd last summer and brakes fixed problem. what do you all think,TIA

kc8ksg

I have disconnected the ABS on every vehicle I have ever owned which have all been rear wheel only systems, if I had a 4 wheel system I might consider leaving it hooked up. My main problem with rear wheel ABS is you have to hold the pedal down to get the rear brakes to work but if you do that you lose your steering like somebody previosly said, so if you pump your brakes to get steering you lose back brakes so on icy roads they suck in my opinion. I'd rather just pump my brakes and be in control the old fashioned way.


Chris

woodrat

Couldn't find those numbers in the napa website, I will try the local store tomorrow...

GIT-R-DONE

A long time ago, I about wiped out some college kids that crossed in front of me. The ABS locked up, let go, and didnt engage for another 15-20 feet. I had to take evasive action to keep from hitting them. I havent had a set that worked right on any of my trucks.

I suppose if they worked as they are supposed to it would be fine, but keep the module disconnected.

dpuckett

KRB, that quote looks awfully familiar

DP

Boatnik

When rubber tires slide on asphalt under extreme braking they melt at the point of contact reducing the cooefficent of friction significantly, according to the experts. Empty Pick ups because of their uneven wieght distrobution tend to lock up the rear more quickly. Since the front doesn't lock up as soon, it upsets the balance and they tend to swap ends during a typical panic stop. The RWAL system was supposed to remedy that. Unfortunitly for us, MOPAR went cheap on the R&D and didn't get it right. That is, they didn't design the system to last 250,000 miles. I think they only did it to sell vehicles. I try to keep mine working because I beleive in the principles of the system and have had experience that tells me the computer can make a clean stop quicker than I. My newer vehicles with ABS work great. My truck systems worked most of the time but sometimes it made me wonder. With the 1 3/16 in. wheel cyclinders it seems to work very well.

andyr354

What exactly are these parts? I don't have a Napa anywhere close to me but if I knew what they were I could get them at the local carquest I bet.
Are they in a bag that describes what they are?

wedgepower

I would guess they are some sort of couplings for brake lines.I'm gonna get them tomorrow and fix my soggy pedal.I haul a Cat skidsteer with my truck....I like brakes.

andyr354

If you wouldn't mind could you have napa write down the specs of what they are. most likely "something to 3/16 flare" and "something to something"

Or It might just say it on the little plastic bag they usually come in.

Even with my rears adjusted up tight they do very little when pulling my jeep. Got me worried a few times hualing down I70 in Colorado this past summer.

Rampage1967

I you have a soft pedal, bleed the hydraulic portion of the system well & adjust the rear brakes . . . this should get you a solid pedal. Don't just remove the abs, first time you do a 180 trying to stop you will regret you're decision.

woodrat

But if the thing is broken or malfunctioning, then I don't want to rely on it and a little electrical box made by Chrysler to keep me safe. I drove a lot of old pickups back in the dark ages before electrically controlled brakes, and I never swapped ends in one of those. I'm not eager to rip the thing out, but I want it to work and not interfere with normal braking.

I crawled under there and if I'm looking at the right widget, it has it's own bleeder valve. Where in the order of bleeding would this valve come? after rears and before fronts?