Hey guys.

02 XLT FX4, 5 speed, pushing 80K.

I just put a brand new wheel bearing and caliper on the passenger side, new pads and rotors up front, bled the brakes, and I'm still having the same problem.

I hear a squealing noise on takeoff (not all the time but more often than not), a kind of rubbing sound at medium speeds (like 40 - 50 mph), and my ABS kicks in anytime I'm going under 5 mph. This doesn't always happen but sliding that extra couple inches forward is starting to get annoying. When this does happen, it jerks the steering wheel to the right.

Everything in the rear is completely brand new and the only thing I can replace in the front is the drivers side wheel bearing. On the passenger side, I can see where the rim was rubbing against the part above the wheel bearing but I'm assuming that's from the bad bearing (which is now replaced).

Above all, I REALLY want to know what is causing my ABS to kick in... and more importantly, how to fix it.

Anyone have any input here?

Thanks in advance.

 

So.... I guess no one knows.....

 

Hook it up to an ABS scanner and see what is happening. That would be the simplest

 

Now see, how hard was that?

I didn't even know there was such a thing.

The question remains, however, where do I get one of these scanners?

EDIT: N/M, and WTF?!!? How can "affordable" and "$99.99" be in the same ad?

 

thats not a bad price...could get a snap on scanner for 5 grand....

 

is the ABS light on or it just kicks in every once in a while? I dont think the scanner will help much if the light isn't on and there are no codes to read. Also is its jerking to the right it might be that the left front caliper is bad or even the brakes hose on the left front. If the hose has a blockage from the rubber breaking down or if the caliper is bad it wont "clamp" correctly and if the right front is working right it will pull to the right because that is the only side braking. Just a thought. And that could be whats causing the ABS to kick in because it's sensing the leftg front moving faster than the right front because the left front isnt braking correctly.

In my experience you should almost always replace calipers is pairs. and at 80,000 miles in the north it could definately be a brake hose breaking down. they are cheap to replace.

Let us know what you find.

 

We'll since I didn't see it until today there is no need to be a smart ***, it was thanksgiving, lots of guys are out and about.

You need to be able to see live sensor data, From what I gather that scanner just reads codes and doesn't show data. What's you location, maybe someone with a little better scanner can help you out.

EDIT I see your in PA, don't know if DJfillman could hook you up or not.

 

That wasn't directed towards you. It was directed towards 70+ views and ZERO replies.

Anyway, seeing as how I'm not up to par on how ABS works (I'd personally go w/out it any day), that's why I'm having so much difficulty with this. I *could* replace the left caliper. They aren't, however, cheap. $60+ core charge for one. It made sense what you said, though.

Now, as for the ABS light... it's NOT lit so no codes so I'm thrilled that I don't have to spend $100 on a friggin scanner that I'll use ONCE. The only other place I could see it coming in handy is to cycle the ABS cylinders to totally flush the brake fluid.

 

Your drivers side abs sensor is bad and maybe the wheel bearing. Here's how it works... The abs system thinks your drivers front tire is locked up so it blocks the brake pressure to the drivers side but the abs system doesn't block the pressure to the passengers side front so the wheel turns to the right because of the uneven braking...
BTW when this happens you won't get an abs light, the sensor is not shorted out.

 

Interesting. That does make sense, however, seeing as how I didn't replace anything on the drivers side except the pads and rotor.

I'm going to order another wheel bearing and another caliper set.

Then, it's on to figure out why I hear a rubbing sound and ever so SLIGHT vibration from somewhere in the front. It feels more on the passenger side than anything.

Thanks for the info so far.

 

if you want some help dude ill help you out

 

The rubbing is probably a bad bearing

 

I've seen brake hoses that collapsed internally. Then once you press the brakes, it pressurizes the system, and upon releasing the brake, the side with the bad hose stays pressurized (brake applied) because of the collapsed hose. Just thought I'd mention that....

As for a wheel actually rubbing on any other part, that seems almost impossible to me?


GB :)

 

York, huh?. They guy I bought my 76 Trans Am from lives in York.

Anyhow, my other wheel bearing came in today. That, and another caliper and this frikkin ABS problem should be solved.

That, and I'm going to take a pic of where I think the wheel is rubbing against part of the hub. There is also some kind of bushing there that looks bad.

This sucks. I have so much to do on Saturday/Sunday and it's supposed to rain like a bastard.

Oh well....

 

i know how you feel. my truck does the same thing with the abs kicking on under 5mph. its my right rear wheel that does it. it gets so annoying. my truck likes to do it after it sits for a while i have looked into it and replaced brakes and sensors and still does it..something with the rangers. ive hurd about this problem quite a bit. ive kinda learned just to adapt with it.

 

didnt read the whole thing so sorry if i repeat...ABS isnt monitored by the diagnostic system at under ~15mpg give or take. calipers usually wont cause an unwarranted ABS engagement which leaves the wheel speed sensors. if it is only at low speeds a sensor is bad or a tone ring is cracked...replace the ones that havent been replaced

 

whenever you replace suspension or axle components you need to do both sides evenly. you never replace brakes brakes or tires just on one side so you never replace just bearing or cylinders on just one side. common sense.

 

Yeah, but when you don't have the $$ to replace both at once, you do one at a time.

 

common sense if you want to spend $500 on hub bearings...i always replace stuff in sets too...except hub bearings like that

 

Well, gents, dead thread... I know... but I had to post the outcome of this panic attack induced thread.

I finally got the money up for another wheel bearing. So now I have new everything on the front end (brakes/ABS related, anyway).

I had the new bearing on in about 20 minutes. Took old sexy truck for a test drive and BINGO!! The ABS kicking in all the time is fixed! I did hit one patch of ice/snow on purpose and ABS kicked in for that but it's been working perfectly normal ever since.

Next, I need to find out what the Hell is causing the rubbing sound on the passenger side.

LoL.