Archived Brakes

[msamarziya]

I have a brake problem that I have not seen any posts on. I have a early 1998 3500 quad cab 5 speed with rear wheel abs. When slowing down to stop and if I roll over a bump in the road the braking feels like it looses it's power and the truck feels like it will not stop. At this point I apply more pressure to the pedal and the truck does stop. It is very nerve racking to have the feeling that the truck will not stop.

 

[Extreme1]

Welcome to the World of RWAL Brakes

Great, aren't they?



The system is disengaged in 4x4 mode, the switch is on the t-case lever. I haven't done mine yet but rumor has it that you could use this switch access to disable in dry conditions.



Edit:

P. S. Welcome to the TDR!

 

[msamarziya]

Guess I did not add that my truck has two wheel drive. Wish I had a 4x4 but this one is not. Find I can get stuck in an inch of snow with brand new AT tires. Next truck will be a 4x4. Hope someone will have an answer for my braking problem.



thanks

 

[B.G. Smith]

I don't think you have a problem. If you do, I do too. Mine does the same thing, especially on rub-board roads or any time the rear wheels hit a good bump while braking (for the younger generation a rub-board is something your grandmother used to rub you grandfathers clothes on when washing them) grandfather was usually not in them at the time. On pavement they seem to work great and I think they have saved me from making an ass of my self about three or four times. My truck is 99 and has about 75,00 miles. bg

 

[JTBMC]

My 99 4x4 3500 does th same thing, and has scared the tar out of me on old wash boards like my drive way. But they stop real good on the blacktop.

TJ

 

[MDW]

2wd here and same problem

 

[illflem]

B. G. , sure you're not talking about a washboard?

 

[DHess]

I think this is a case where the tire is in the air and not making contact with the road. The wheel locks up and the ABS does it's thing. When the tire makes contact with the road again there is a lot less braking since the ABS corrected for the lock up. I believe your brakes are working as intended. Washboard roads are a killer.

 

[B.G. Smith]

washboard

Illflem, yeah it was a washboard, we lived waaay out in the country and the name just got skewed a little, they also called it a scrubboard but washboard it was. bg

 

[Batman]

My 2001 3500 does the same thing... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Dodge ABS brakes S^CK



Wish I knew of a way to disable them. :{

 

[pwknapp]

Mine rear ABS have been disabled for about 200k because I could'nt afford 285 for the new ABS controller. Dealer just took out the ABS relay and have had "regular" brakes ever since.

 

[CCBrady]

Batman,

I don't think you want to disable your ABS, there was a Gent on the site here looking for a left side fender and other parts because he had disabled his and when he had to do a panic stop, the front stoped and the rear end went across the centerline and another truck took him out. Yes they are a pain, but they work.



I think why we don't like them to much is because if your like me, we're use to ABS on a four wheeldisk system, and I don't think these work as smooth or as fast because they are a drum brake, also we are losing 4 tires of stoping power and not just two.



Just my 2 Cents,

Chris

 

[redramnc]

2WD 96 does same thing but only sporadically. There is one particular intersection that has a crest leading into it that has a bump about where max brakes are being applied that has almost ABSed me into the oncoming traffic several times. I don't mind feeling them from the start of a hard brake episode but when it catches me in the middle of the braking it gives me the willies.



Is it possible to bend the brake pedal on one of these trucks? I swear the last time it happened the seat cover almost disappeared and I tried to stomp the pedal into the cowl.



Gotta love 'em... ... .

 

[jsimpson]

I've noticed this phenomena only when unloaded. When I have 35090 pounds of Lance camper in the back, the problem never occurs. I tend to agree that the system is working properly, only it really sucks when lightly loaded!

 

[BK]

It doesnt sound like the rwabs... it sounds more like the load/level brake pressure valve. .



When going over a wash board and the rear axle travels down... the pressure will be reduced a lot to the rear brakes.



Might try disconnecting the rear load/level brake pressure valve.

There's a tsb for it , for those complaining of too much front brake pad wear and poor rear braking.