Bleeding ABS System

[RiverDog]

I have a 96 Ranger SC, 4.0, automatic, with four wheel ABS. The truck has 90,000 miles and hasn't been driven since 2007. I am putting it back on the road and when I looked over it, the brake lines had rusted out, all of them. I put new lines the whole way around including the flex lines and two new rear wheel cylinders. The lines from the master cylinder to the ABS control were very rusted so I replaced them as well. When I try to bleed it, the fluid is coming out all the wheel cylinders as well as the front calipers but the pedal still goes to the floor. I have one small leak on top of ABS control that I'm going to fix tonight. According to the Haynes manual the ABS control can't be done at home and has to be taken to a dealer. I have rebuilt everything from engines to transmissions all my life. I have only taken a vehicle to the daeler twice in my life (they didn't do a good job either time). Does anybody know to bleed this control at home?

 

[Earl43P]

http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_bleeding_abs.shtml


I've personally bled ABS brake-equipped cars several times, different makes.

The LAST thing I did, after I was happy with the fluid clarity at each wheel and pedal firmness, is drive it and activate the ABS. You pretty much need to do that regardless whether it has ABS or not, to properly bed in the new pads/shoes.

I've NEVER (yet) encountered an ABS equipped vehicle that didn't work out perfectly following that method. But you HAVE replaced a lot of lines. Most I've had to do is wheel cylinders, master cylinders, calipers and flex lines (all on different occasions, not all on the same car).

If you DO encounter a problem, I recommend using a power bleeder, like the HandyVac or similar. Basically it pushes the fluid backward from each bleeder.

I don't think you'll have any problem using conventional bleeding methods. Use a piece of tubing and a jar on each bleeder to make it much more visible (air pockets).

Good luck!

 

[MountainMike]

I just bled the brakes on a Ford Edge not too long ago. I did it the normal 2-person way pump up the pedal to build pressure, hold it to the floor, open a bleeder, push the pedal to the floor, close the same bleeder, and repeat.

Started from the farthest from the master cylinder and worked around: RR, LR, RF, LF

The brakes went to the floor before and now they work great with tons of feel. And we did do the old stomp test afterwards in the snow.

 

[RiverDog]

Still no luck. I bought a vacume bleeder and can get a jar full of fluid out of each wheel and itdoesn't seem to have any air in it. I've tried the two person bleed, and I even opened the line and let it gravity feed from the open master cylinder (parts guy said that's how he does it). I haven't replaced the master cylinder but wonder if this could be the problem?