Totally cooked wheel bearings! NEED HELP

[Alec]

Yes, I did.

 

[Hokie]

What exactly were your symptoms when your wheel bearing was dying? I think my gf's '96 X is doing the same thing (kind of a thumping noise but almost no pulse in the wheel). Want to catch it before it fries if all possible

 

[Alec]

It would thump at certain speeds. Also if you lifted the truck up and rotated the wheel by hand there was a lot of resistance. Most symtoms pointed to sticking or very worn brakes, I guess since there was basically no grease in the bearings.

UPDATE ON ABS: It kept engaging at low speeds, so I disabled it again. For now I have "the electrical tape mod" over the ABS dummy light. I'll probably take the bulb out at some point in time.

Anyone know if I can fail inspection for a malfunctioning ABS system? Here we have stringent emissions and CEL code checks. I guess I'll just ask my inspection guy.

 

[james t]

i know in east Texas ABS doesnt matter on inspection... ive got several friends that have permanently deleted the ABS. i dont see why it would be different in south Texas.

 

[Nate1]

Mabey its a GEM problem the dealer needs to look at? A reflash or something? You can take it to the dealer and threated that you want AWA compensation (to help pay for it if its costly) because its making your vehicle unsafe to drive. Then again, you are nowhere near stock. Still, it may be worth a try.
-----Nate

 

[Alec]

Well, I've only had ABS kick in 4 or 5 times I've really needed it since I've owned the truck, and that was all with stock tires. I haven't ever had the brakes try to lock up with the 33"s, even in numerous tropical storms and on the muddy and/or oily port roads around here. Last week just to be sure I went out in the rain and tried for about an hour to make the brakes lock up without ABS and I couldn't.

I just disabled the system by unplugging a sensor. I'm going to leave everything installed except possibly the dummy light, so I can reenable the system whenever I want.

So how much of a PITA is it really gonna be to take out that dash bulb? Right now I have some tape over the lamp and it's not that bad, should I just leave it like that?

 

[Nate1]

I would take an exacto knife and cut the PCB lead on the back that goes to the light. For some reason I think its soldered on a PCB (or a paper like PCB). If you cut it just enough to break the connection, you can always jumper it later with a silver-trace pen from radio shack. If I remember right, I was looking at my bulbs while installing my guages and they seemed like a PITA to get removed.
-----Nate

 

[PicoG4]

u may pass inspection with a faulty abs system but if the bulb is "out" they could probly require the bulb to be fixed to pass

 

[scorgnetic]

Alec,

This is tripping me out. I think this is the first time that I have ever seen you post anything other than answering someone else's questions. What a crazy world we live in

 

[Alec]

I do occasionally start thread and even post a question or 2 every once in a while

But you are right, I haven't been asking many questions lately because my truck is only getting minor mods now and then right now. Also I answer most of my questions by searching. And sometimes I just ask the experts directly, such as questions about my upcoming head swap.

 

[mrboyle]

I was thinking about this earlier today, and I think I may know where the problem is. You stated that you had the rotors replaced! Do the new rotors have tone rings for the ABS? If they do, inspect the tone rings (you may need to remove the rotor) for any irregularities that might effect the sensor.

 

[Alec]

Greek to me

I may have that looked at in May when it goes in for it's "Summer Service": inspection, oil change, etc. Thanks for the suggestion.