Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) How To Disable ABS

[MMcCallie]

I am asking for a buddy how to disconnect the ABS system on a 2002 24 valve 4x4. On my Ford I can either pull the fuse or disconnect a sensor plug near the wheel. He tried pulling his fuse and likes having full control of his brakes despite the ABS light now being on, but lost the function of his speedometer.



He can't stand the ABS, the truck has a lot of small issues and he wants to simply disable the ABS and have full control of his brakes so they will stop surging erratically. How do we disable the ABS without affecting any other systems?



Thanks,

Matt

 

[AEdelheit]

I know on my 3rd gems and friends 12v pulling the abs pump fuse will disable the abs but not the speedometer , there is another abs fuse that I leave alone, he might want to see if there are 2 abs fuses and try the other one if it has it, good luck though I pull my fuse if I'm off road at all, it can be dangerous !

 

[MMcCallie]

I will have him check for a second ABS related fuse. Is there an easily accessible plug wire going to any of the hubs that could also disable the ABS but might not affect his speedometer? I don't think he's comfortable hacking anything electrical on his truck. But in case he is, where would he find those wires and what colors would they be?

 

[Road Dog]

He can't stand the ABS, the truck has a lot of small issues and he wants to simply disable the ABS and have full control of his brakes so they will stop surging erratically. How do we disable the ABS without affecting any other systems?

The ABS shouldn't be an issue until you're having and "OMG I going to die" moment. Your friend could try fixing the ABS instead of disabling it. I had issues with the simple rear wheel ABS on my '98. The sensor (on top of the rear diff) can have a dirty connection, not be seated properly, or be faulty. It all results in ABS mischief.

 

[fox]

I am asking for a buddy how to disconnect the ABS system on a 2002 24 valve 4x4. On my Ford I can either pull the fuse or disconnect a sensor plug near the wheel. He tried pulling his fuse and likes having full control of his brakes despite the ABS light now being on, but lost the function of his speedometer.



He can't stand the ABS, the truck has a lot of small issues and he wants to simply disable the ABS and have full control of his brakes so they will stop surging erratically. How do we disable the ABS without affecting any other systems?



Thanks,

Matt

Did you get my PM?

 

[fox]

The ABS shouldn't be an issue until you're having and "OMG I going to die" moment. Your friend could try fixing the ABS instead of disabling it. I had issues with the simple rear wheel ABS on my '98. The sensor (on top of the rear diff) can have a dirty connection, not be seated properly, or be faulty. It all results in ABS mischief.

The OMG I'm going to die' is what he is concerned about.

My truck had been stuck ONCE.

All because of the great ABS drove it into the ditch.

I can out drive that piece of dog poop.

Yes mine works fine, or as it was designed.

What happens when you are going around a curve on ice, slightly braking as a cautionary act? A tire slides, ABS kicks in and slides all 4 wheels sideways into the D#$@#$ ditch. Lucky It didn't roll over.

ABS so you can steer it RIGHT!!!!!

I was idling aroung an icey curve when this happened.

May you never learn like i did.

 

[AEdelheit]

I learned the same way you did, totaled my mega cab, really succks and you won't see it coming

 

[cerberusiam]

What happens when you are going around a curve on ice, slightly braking as a cautionary act? A tire slides, ABS kicks in and slides all 4 wheels sideways into the D#$@#$ ditch.

The ABS did NOT cause that, the ABS is specifically designed to stop just that scenario. Over driving the conditions caused the truck to slide into the ditch. In other words, operator error.



ABS cannot correct for driver error. ABS simply sees a wheel stop turning and pulse the brakes which keeps the wheel turning and maintains control instead of a skid.



ABS will not stop a sideways slide when intertial force over comes traction, wasn't meant to. The ABS will many more times allow control where lack of it will not. FYI, that is not an opinion it is a fact.



There are situations to disable ABS, normal driving is not one of them.

 

[AEdelheit]

I pull my fuse as soon as I go off pavment, there are times on wet bumpy roads it does some weird stuff too but fully admit my 37" tires don't help that part.

Cerberusiam: the problem ive noticed is the ABS sees one wheel with low traction then it reduces brake pressure to all wheels, including the ones with traction and thats when it can be very bad.

 

[fox]

You were not in the truck, so you cannot claim what happened.



Here again for you.



I was entering the turn at about 5-7 mph. Knowing it wa slick, I was careful. I did have my foot on the brake very lightly.

As a tire slid, the ABS kicked in. This caused the other 3 corners to pulsate which broke traction. The ABS stays on for 2-4 seconds after you lift the pedal. By then I was stopped and stuck nose down and sideways. This complete loss of traction put the truck in the ditch. A fried came and pulled me out as he was sitting on the curve, so it wasn't that awfully slick.

It is that simple.

defend the poorly designed junk all you want!!!!

If the ABS wasn't working, or wasn't on the truck there was plenty of time to goose it and bring the back end around.

ABS works for inexperienced drivers or those who are texting--maybe.

I've been driving for 45 years.

 

[fox]

I pull my fuse as soon as I go off pavment, there are times on wet bumpy roads it does some weird stuff too but fully admit my 37" tires don't help that part.



Cerberusiam: the problem ive noticed is the ABS sees one wheel with low traction then it reduces brake pressure to all wheels, including the ones with traction and thats when it can be very bad.

Good description of what happened.

 

[cerberusiam]

Cerberusiam: the problem ive noticed is the ABS sees one wheel with low traction then it reduces brake pressure to all wheels, including the ones with traction and thats when it can be very bad.

Yep, thats the part of ABS that is bad in certain cases. The positive side of that is you won't loose steering control.



I have run the truck into the dirt because it would not stop when I thought it should have, but, I drove it there with full control not an uncontrollable skid like has happened with non-ABS vehicles.



The big difference is the truck did not become and uncontrollable juggernaut spinning down the middle of a busy road, like a lot of vehicles. It is what it is and cannot compensate for all possible situations. Thats up to the driver.

 

[cerberusiam]

As a tire slid, the ABS kicked in. This caused the other 3 corners to pulsate which broke traction.

ABS activation does not change the amount of traction availble. The truck would have broken traction with or without ABS. ABS is specifally designed to keep the tires turning while reducing BRAKING force which maintains traction. With the front tires turning the vehicle will steer instead of skid, GIVEN the tires can maintain traction against the centripetal acceleration. ABS or not, given the exact conditons you will still drive into the ditch because the laws of physics won't change.



I understand exactly the situation you were in, I have been there many times. I have had the vehicle take off UP a 5% incline in a corner due to exactly what I am saying, loss of traction. 90% of the time I have used the whole road and judicious steering to avoid the ditch, the rest of the time the outcome is obvious. :-laf



You can stand by your opinions, as is your right. I will stand by mine, point out the misconceptions, and let the readership determine what they want to believe.

 

[fox]

Since we are on this topic, here is another event.



last year I was driving on a clean dry road ( or so I thought), going 25 in a 30 zone. 3 car lengths behind a suv.

I watched as everyone was stopping.

I applied the brakes with both feet, not going to get it stopped!!!

I hit the suv.

A cop was getting in his car and saw this happen. He knew me.

He came over and asked why I didn't stop. !!!

I told what I did.

He said it looked like I let off the brake pedal!

We found sand on the pavement and realized it was ABS failure to stop my Durango.

He waited and told the ticket writing officer. They see it quite often.



i could of stopped a dump truck in that situation.

Incomplete design.

 

[PBJ2500CTD]

It has been a while since playing with this stuff, but IIRC:

1. CAB (Controller Anti-lock Brake) unit doesn't get battery power until the vehicle speed equals or exceeds 15 MPH;
2. The ABS has three pressure zones: Front Left, Front Right, and Rear (rear works in tandem);
3. The ABS is not operational in 4WD.

Sooo... at slow speeds and 4WD the laws of physics are the ruling factors; followed by Murphy's law.

 

[AEdelheit]

The 4WD and speed limits very with manufacturer, on my 3rd gens it works in 4wd and at very low speeds, I don't know if there is a speed at which it deactivates

 

[Road Dog]

The OMG I'm going to die' is what he is concerned about.

My truck had been stuck ONCE.

All because of the great ABS drove it into the ditch.

I can out drive that piece of dog poop.

Yes mine works fine, or as it was designed.

What happens when you are going around a curve on ice, slightly braking as a cautionary act? A tire slides, ABS kicks in and slides all 4 wheels sideways into the D#$@#$ ditch. Lucky It didn't roll over.

ABS so you can steer it RIGHT!!!!!

I was idling aroung an icey curve when this happened.

May you never learn like i did.

If the rear locked then you would have spun and slid into the ditch backwards. Hard braking in a corner can be exciting with or without ABS. My '98 single circuit rear wheel ABS did exactly what you described -- when the rear locked it popped the pressure on all four wheels. It was a poor design. My '02 is a three circuit ABS and seems to be fine because the front never slips with a Cummins on top.

 

[cerberusiam]

The single biggest problem with the systems is they are not smart enough to control only the axles that have locked the tires. With the bulk of the braking done on the front it rarely locks but the rears locking will effect the whole system.



Expecting any vehicle to emergency stop on sand, dirt, leaves, pine needles, etc, on a hard surface road is a delusion. Maintaining the ABS caused the problem is just a way to avoid responsibility for lack of attention.



There is no substitue for using the old Mark I and expecting the unexpected.