Soft brake pedal - ABS bleed

[aaron81006]

Hey all. I have been battling what I consider inadequate brakes for years. I've replaced everything except the ABS. I came across this article today from a guy that had the same issue.

How too bleed and ABS unit on a 1993 Explorer 4x4 HELP!!

He says that a anti-lock break adapter (T90P-50-ALA) and a Jumper (T93T-50-ALA) will bleed the ABS and hopefully be the fix.

Does anyone have this set that I can borrow or rent?

Thanks,
Aaron

 

[FR-425]

I don't know but........

 

[Rhett]

I don't know of anyone who has the specialized adapter/ tools needed. I also do not know where they can be rented or purchased...maybe nowhere anymore. If you find out anything post it up.

The only other method I have heard of would be the "gravel road" method, which if your linked thread is the one I'm thinking of, it mentions it...

i have not tested this yet, but have you read about bleeding at the rear proportioning valve on our 94's? You may want to look into that. I haven't had a chance to do it yet. I changed my master last November, and the pedal still doesn't feel right.

 

[FR-425]

My method is a "broken rotor".

What I mean is replacing one of the front rotors with one that has one or two of the signal generator vanes broken off via the hammer.

When you run a rotor with missing vanes you will cause the ABS pump to activate.

If you do this keep your speed low, 15mph or less and apply the brake gradually.

You'll get a "thump-thump-thump" as you brake.

This actuates the ABS pump pushing the air out. You will need a junk rotor, and then install the good rotor afterwards.

This is the best way to do it without special tools.

 

[massacre]

I bought one of those ABS tools years ago on ebay. It did work, i don't think i have it anymore though

 

[aaron81006]

Thanks Rhett. I will do some research on the proportioning valve and see if that is something I can do.

I did find these tools on Ebay but they are pretty expensive. I have considered just buying them and then reselling them on here if they worked. I think the network on here is pretty good and if people could afford the original $300, the tool could be sold back and forth then we would only be out the shipping.

 

[aaron81006]

Thanks Massacre. If you find them, let me know.

 

[aaron81006]

Hey FR. That's an interesting idea. I'll keep it in mind if I don't get the tools. Thanks

 

[massacre]

Thanks Massacre. If you find them, let me know.

10-4 will do
I think it was cheap because it needed a new pushbutton. I went to electronics store and bought a new button of the same type for a couple bucks and soldered it in.
This was not for explorer specifically it was for full size fords 93-94 i remember unplugging the abs module and plugging in the tool at that location. There were 2 buttons, one would cycle the valves and the other was something else i forget. Not much to it.
I'll see if i can find some pics of it

 

[Centaurious]

You could try an old Beemer trick, find an old soldering gun, the type with a transformer coil inside and a trigger and use it near one of the ABS pickups. It will induce a 60hz signal in one wheel and probably cause the ABS to cycle. An old, non electronic ballast for florescent lights will do the same.

 

[aaron81006]

Put the heat tip near the sensor and pull the trigger? Would a zerk need to be open?

 

[Centaurious]

Keep the tip away from anything. You are using the oscillating magnetic field created by the transformer inside the solder gun to affect the magnetic field created by the ABS sensor. It is a Hall effect type sensor that uses the teeth on the trigger ring to affect the magnetic field created by the ABS sensor, this in turn creates a variable voltage that the ABS unit uses to determine speed. With an ABS sensor on each wheel it can determine when one wheel starts locking up under braking.

With one person applying the brakes and another bringing the Solder Gun slowly near the sensor, it should think that it is traveling at speed with 3 wheels locked, thus triggering the ABS to release the brakes on the other 3 wheels.

When doing this on the bikes there are only 2 wheels so that may affect your results.