01 Ranger brakes

[donphelps]

I tried looking but didn't find this.
My Ranger started a new trick. The brakes work great until I get below around5 mph. Then they appear to get out of whack. The pedal feels mushy and seems to have some catch no catch feel. I checked and changed the front rotors and pads and examined the calipers and all is good to go but the same thing happens. (yeah they didn't actually need replacing but you know) I checked the rears and they're good as well. Decided to bleed the system and no help.
I've had a suggestion that it may be a master cylinder but though I'd see if there may be someone here that has had the same thing or an idea.

 

[Bronco638]

If the Master is "by-passing", you can check it by simply pushing on the brake pedal and holding it (while the engine is running). If the pedal slowly sinks to the floor, the internal seals are allowing brake fluid to by-pass. Time to rebuild the Master. If it holds, then the Master should be OK. I've never heard of this problem before.

 

[Blueox]

Check the ABS sensors on the front hubs. Same problem. I could not figure it out. Went out with the dealer and his computer hooked up. You could see the pulse tone disappear below 5mph. First one failed which resulted in the truck pulling left since one sensor was functioning correctly and the failed sensed a lockup so the brake was pulsed. Felt mushy. What happens is rust gets around the sensor area and they don't sense the tone ring at low speeds. The sensors are not cheap. A new hub from Rock Auto was something like $7 more. So I replaced the hub with a Timkin. The other failed shortly there after.

 

[donphelps]

Thanks guys. Going to go out in the garage today and take a look at sensors and tone rings first. Hopefully that's where the problem lays because I don't cherish the idea of a master cylinder rebuild. Been doing all my winter repair projects and this is the last one, along with a non functional 4 wheel drive on it.

 

[donphelps]

Back at it on my Ranger.

Been several months and didn't get to the ABS issue. Got lazy and pulled the fuse which took care of the symptom, well it doesn't have ABS now since I did that and the dash light is on constant now. Figure I'd just deal with it until I got time to take a good look at it, which is now since I work construction and off in the winter.
Got the 4 wheel drive issue taken care of, ordered and new 4 wheel drive control module and 15 minutes later got 4 wheel drive back.
Going to start at the front wheels and see if it may be a speed sensor or a tone ring issue. Figure I can just put a meter on the wiring and give em a spin. Anyone who happens to have any ideas are welcome to chime in anytime and give me an idea or five. Still hoping and thinking it doesn't have anything to do with the master since it works great without the ABS fuse. No idea if the may be something outside of the sensors or tone rings that would cause that issue. I'll keep you (or maybe just me here) posted on any progress or issues I encounter.

 

[gw33gp]

If it is the master, you would have problems at all speeds. I have heard of the ABS sensor causing this kind of problem. Removing the fuse and getting better braking very much supports the bad ABS sensor idea. I don't think you have to be concerned about the master.

 

[donphelps]

Thanks gw, trying to get the snow out of the back of it so I don't flood the garage. Going to get it in there yet today and give the sensors a check. Guess the tone rings will be checked at the same time. Don't know how to change this stuff on this yet but if they come up bad I guess I will.

 

[pjtoledo]

the tone ring is part of the bearing/hub, it cannot be replaced separately.
to test the sensors pull the plug up by the bumper and use volts setting. spin the wheel, the sensor acts like a small generator and will produce a voltage. it's a very low voltage, compare both sides.
I was able to replace just the sensor in my 2000, yours should be the same.

Perry

 

[adsm08]

The symptom described is one very familiar to anyone who has spent any time working on Escapes.

It's more than likely a damaged tone ring. That's exactly what they do and when they do it.

 

[donphelps]

Well hell. Used the method to check which side as described to me and it pulled to the drivers side. Pulled the passenger side apart and when I was pulling the sensor of course the plastic snapped. Like an idiot I never checked the tone ring while I had it apart and did get what I thought was all of the old sensor out but the cap may still be in there because when I put it all back together the brakes are worse. Guess I get to pull it apart again and this time check the tone ring but if that is good there must be a piece of the sensor still in the hub. In reading these posts I am imagining there is no way to get inside the hub to check it? I hate the idea of replacing a hub just because of this.