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wakely
GenIII
 
1/06/2005
21:35:13
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 Subject: ABS on rear only!
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Message:
I just found out (since it snowed) that my 2004 QC 4X4 has ABS only on the rear! So as a test i got on the brakes going slow and the front locked up and produced about a 4 foot solid lockup skid. The rear brakes produced only about a 6 inch skid. I have 4 wheel disk brakes. My truck also did not stop in a straight line. The front went towards the downward slope with no steering control.
This may be a dumb question, but can you add ABS to the front (where you need it also) ?
2004 QC 4X4 4.7L auto Sport
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no
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/07/2005
10:46:57
|  RE: ABS on rear only!
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Message:
Better off trading yours for a truck that has 4wheel abs.
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Me too
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/07/2005
14:50:18
| RE: ABS on rear only!
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Mine does that too. I'm thinking about getting rid of the useless RWAL and replacing it with a simple, adjustable proportioning valve. I'll probably then have to go to the Dodge Service Dept so they can use the scan tool to lie to the PCU so it won't generate a fault light.
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LK
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/07/2005
22:53:57
| RE: ABS on rear only!
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Message:
Yes I am about to get rid of the ABS myself..
I have proved that ABS is worse for stopping than actually locking up the tires to get stopped like the good old days...
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Kowalski
GenIII
1/08/2005
08:04:06
|  RE: ABS on rear only!
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Message:
I'm not so sure you've proved that. With just a proportioning valve, you could have too much rear braking when bed is empty; or too little with a loaded bed. Most pickups now have some way to adjust rear brakes for this; think it all the way through...
Lead, follow, or get out of the way
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GB2000
GenIII
1/08/2005
11:46:25
| RE: ABS on rear only!
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Message:
LK,
Could you post your reasoning on that? Not saying you're wrong...just curious. I hate ABS, but then again, it's all I've ever had...well rear-wheel ABS. Never driven anything with 4wheel ABS.
Josh
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Me Too 2
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/08/2005
12:22:36
| RE: ABS on rear only!
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Message:
Kowalski is right about variable rear brake proportioning. My '98 Tacoma has this simple setup.
Finally got some snow, so this morning, I tested my 2004 Dakota's Rear Wheel Anitlock Brakes (RWAL) for the first time. SCARY. The fronts locked up, which as you might imagine causes loss of steering. Rear wheels didn't lock up - didn't even trip the RWAL system. No brake pedal pulsations, just loss of vehicle control. Again, SCARY. I'll try again later.
I want my rear brakes to want to lock up just before the fronts, so the RWAL will perform properly, and I can still steer the vehicle. Unfortunately, I have disk brakes all around, so no adjustment is possible in the rear, as with drum brakes.
Hey. That's it. I need a rear drum brake upgrade.
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Lemmers
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/08/2005
14:50:08
| RE: ABS on rear only!
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Message:
Locking the back brakes up before the front is
going to cause your truck to spin.
Try going out and stomping the parking brake
(on snow or ice) and see what happens.
I don't like anti lock fronts in the snow and ice.
I'm with Kowalski on this one, think it through...
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Or
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/08/2005
15:21:47
| RE: ABS on rear only!
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Message:
Get a set of good snow tires. I used to have the same problem until I got a good set of snows. I put a set of Dayton Winterforce tires on and no longer lock the front and slide in snow. They're a little noisy on clear pavement but they have stud holes molded in and they bite like hell in snow.
Lemmers and Kowalski are right about the RWABS. If you lock the rears the ass of your truck is going to be passing you at the worst possible moment. And not to sound paranoid, but I sell insurance, if you modify your truck and get into an accident you could be royally screwed. /paternal speech.
Buying good tires is cheaper and easier than modifying something really important like brakes. It too bad that the engineers at Dodge designed a good safety system but the bean counters stuck a set of suck ass tires on from the factory.
Think this one through. You don't have the same problem on hot dry asphalt as you do on cold snowy asphalt so is it the barke system of the tires? My vote goes with tires.
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Me Too 2
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/08/2005
15:30:45
| RE: ABS on rear only!
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Message:
I have thought it through.
This has only come to light with the first snowfall, bringing opportunities to safely test the RWAL operation. In a dozen or so attempts, it has never activated.
Right now, my concern is too much front bias in my present braking system to activate the RWAL. This heavy front bias causes the front brakes to lock up first, then I have to modulate the brake pedal to regain steering control.
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caulk04
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/08/2005
15:53:53
| RE: ABS on rear only!
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Message:
I have RW only on my '02 and am very happy with it. I would rather have this than 4W ABS like my old Jimmy.
Try putting your truck in 4WD and stomp the brakes, you'll lock up all four and slide everywhere. We had some slippy roads a while back and I found that out while messing around and testing my truck's limits.
I like having the control over front wheel slide, but want the computer to control rear wheel slide.
Locking up the brakes is the best way to stop on deformable surfaces like gravel, mud, dirt etc.
Pulsation/ABS is the best tactict on snow, ice and other slippery surfaces.
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.boB
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/08/2005
17:02:36
| RE: ABS on rear only!
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Message:
The ABS system is on it's own circuit. If you pull the fuse, it won't work. Next time the weather is nasty, pull the fuse and try a few panic stops. Now put the fuse back in and try the same thing.
If you're towing or hauling, it probably won't make a lot of differance (assuming you know how to stop in snow). But if the bed is empty, you'll find it's a lot harder to modulate the brakes and prevent the dreaded spins. That's why most (all?) new pickups come with rear ABS as standard; the back end is just too light.
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