HELP! First day of snow and ABS is doing funny things!

[udmsvt]

this is in regards to my '93 sport 4x4.

i had new drums, shoes, and pads put on 2 months ago as well as having my emergency brake cables fixed (since i have a 5-speed). i have had no problems until today...

when i was driving in snow, in 2 or 4 wheel drive (did it repeatedly), i would brake and, as expected, the ABS would kick in. but, instead of the normal vibrating pedal and hum from the ABS motor, i would get the hum and it felt like there was a gear grinding under the brake pedal. it has only done this since it started snowing, and some times it will not allow me to depress the brake pedal.

my girlfriend's 91 eddie bauer 4x4 has the ABS disabled and it brake better than mine because not only does mine lock, but the grinding makes it almost impossible to keep your foot on the pedal...i end up having to pump the brakes (even though i know you are not supposed to pump ABS) to stop.

now before somebody gets wise, yes i do have a stick but it is the brake pedal grinding NOT the tranny..i do know how to drive after all.

anybody experience this? know what it is? it really worries me!

i can be e-mailed at: udmsvt@yahoo.com or called at: (734) 765-9329. i think i need to get this fixed ASAP.

 

[Tatternuts]

Well all I can say is I have a 93 X and it has made that stupid grinding noise ever since i've had it. It gets really bad in the winter time when you are sliding on the snow, plus Ford ABS just sucks. My advise would be to remove the 2 fuses under the hood that go to the ABS. I removed mine a couple days ago and I love how much truck brakes in the snow now, it actually STOPS when I want it to.

 

[udmsvt]

which fuses did you remove? does it trigger any warning lights? i know my girlfriend's dad did something with her ABS sensors to disable it, but warning lights come on and i HATE warning lights.

 

[Tatternuts]

Go to the Fuse box thats under the hood, its on the passenger side of the truck right next to your air filter. Open the fuse box and on the under side of the fuse box lid there is a diagram of all the fuses and what they go to. Pull the Front and Rear ABS Fuses, I think they were 30amp green fuses. The only warning light you will get is the ABS light on your dash, it's not that bad. but if you don't like the light then take the light out. I plan on putting my fuses back in once summer time comes around, so i'm just leaving the light on.

 

[woodychitwn]

I've always had the grinding noise and the pedal has always stopped only part-way to the floor when the ABS kicks in. But given the choice of driving without or driving with, I'd rather have it. I've tried stopping on the snow with it on and then off, and my truck stops alot quicker with the ABS. It feels wierd, an definitely takes ALOT of getting used to, but it really works.

 

[udmsvt]

re: woody

i've tried putting mine against my lady's 91 without ABS, and not only does hers stop much sooner but mine it seems like i have no brakes. i have had ABS on other vehicles and i know it is supposed to pulse..and mine does, but on snow it grinds and prevents the pdeal from being pushed down. its almost dangerous.

 

[udmsvt]

re: tatternuts

i thought we only had rear abs? oh well, i'll remove them after i finish my paper and go for a test drive.

 

[hydroxy]

My understanding is that the ABS is suppose to make a grinding sound when its engaged like that. The only reason its so much worse in the snow is because there is less traction, thus forcing ABS to kick in for a longer period of time.

I would think that you might stop quicker in the snow w/out ABS because you'll freeze the wheels, thus start skidding, which will push all the snow out of the way infront of your tire, and cause it to touch the pavement. However, I would think that you would lose stearing capability while you were doing this.


This is just me thinking about it... I have no facts to back up what I say.

 

[DocVijay]

It's perfectly normal. THe ABS varie in intensity based on how much slip is occuring. In rain, the tires still have a decent amount of traction, so only a little correction is needed (slight pulsating). In snow, however, there is MUCH less traction, so as soon as the brakes are applied the whels try and lock up (slide), so the ABS has to be much more aggressive.

The noise and feel is perfectly normal in really slippery conditions.

 

[Tatternuts]

Well you should have 4 wheel ABS on a 1993, I'm pretty sure they didn't offer an option where you could only get rear ABS, but I could be wrong.....

As for the 1st Gen. Ford Explorer ABS in snow, all I can say is it sucks. I have drove in the snow for many years and it is the worst possible design, it's almost dangerous in my opinion. I would take regular brakes any day over ABS in an Explorer. The ABS on an Explorer still does not work for steering in the snow when turning, you still lose all steering, but now it takes longer to stop. It is just a horrible braking system!!!! I'm not saying it's bad on all cars, just the explorer

 

[udmsvt]

re: tatternuts

i agree. it is dangerous. i lost contol because the brake pedal wouldn't go down and almost hit a sign. thats what i get for driving in 2-wheel in the snow before i take the abs fuses out. i need to do that today. i loved my abs in my 97 contour, but the explorer abs blows.

ps. i just put the pics of my truck up on my website...what does everybody think of them?

www.gccorn.8k.com

 

[Tatternuts]

Website's lookin good, but I don't see the pictures of you truck on there???

Let me know how your brakes turn out..... hopefully it works better for ya then the ABS

 

[Henry]

I also have ABS on a 94, and the system is very noisy when it's working (the "grinding" noise you hear). It is rather unnerving when it kicks in and you just can't seem to stop at all, but last night I was playing with it a little in an empty parking lot (got snow!) and I found that it gets worse as you press harder on the pedal. I suppose that the extra pressure makes the wheels stop sooner, and then the ABS has to kick the pressure off more often and harder. I then tried regulating the brake pressure and found that using less pressure on the brake pedal made the ABS not work quite as hard and the truck could stop faster. I guess this means that in slippery conditions just press on the brake pedal hard enough to make the ABS activate, and no harder.

Go play in an empty parking lot for a while!

 

[udmsvt]

re: henry

this was my experience too..the harder you press, the more the brakes fail you. but, in the event of an emergency, natural tendency is to put it to the floor and then you don't stop at all.

 

[udmsvt]

re: tatternuts

near the topof the page, there is a link that says"Explorer Pics" that will show some pics of my truck. i still have to get some of the eddie bauer, but my girlfriend hit a sign so that one (the eddie bauer 4-dr '91) has some damage. luckily, she can't drive a stick so mine is safe!

 

[Tatternuts]

Ohhh I see it now, I didn't look close enough I guess

 

[unclemeat]

I dont understand why any of you are engaging the ABS braking. When driving in the snow you need to use little or no brakes. To engage the ABS you have to lock up the brakes. This causes you to lose control ABS or not.

 

[Henry]

Originally posted by unclemeat
I dont understand why any of you are engaging the ABS braking. When driving in the snow you need to use little or no brakes. To engage the ABS you have to lock up the brakes. This causes you to lose control ABS or not.

Hmm, kinda sounds like you don't understand what ABS is about (although, maybe I'm not understanding you...). ABS automatically activates when you are stepping on the brakes and you are on a slippery surface. Basically the ABS prevents your wheels from locking up so you don't lose control (steering). If you are on ice, for example, its pretty much impossible to use the brakes without the ABS activating.

 

[Tatternuts]

I quess anyone who has driven on snow knows that at some point you will lock the brakes up, it just happens. And ABS on 1st gen. Explorer's is no good on snow and ice for stopping, most people will agree with that. ABS will not help you steer on ice or snow, its to slippery of a surface, so I would rather have full braking ability rather than having my brakes pulse with ABS which will do nothing for you. Once I disactivated my ABS I can stop on snow and ice much sooner than with ABS, thats just a proven fact.

 

[udmsvt]

finally

took a break on the term paper because brakes were driving me nuts!

i removed one of the two ABS fuses under the hood ( i took the one on the outside) and, as expected, my ABS light is now on. its nothing a little piece of electrical tape can't fix til spring, but it brakes 200 percent better! thanx tatternuts!

now, my next query...my gear ratio. and next week, a billet grille arrives!