eliminating the ABS from my truck

[Derrick1970]

Ok guys I need some advice here. I found a Dana 30 front axle out of a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee for my SAS in my 2000 Ranger. My main question is can I take the ABS off my truck without affecting the VSS in my truck. When I did the 5.0L swap I found out the VSS is in the rear end, but is the ABS still tied into it or is the ABS a stand alone system?

 

[Derrick1970]

does anyone have any knowledge on this?

 

[adsm08]

You will have to do something for the speedo. The signal is relayed by the ABS module.

 

[Derrick1970]

so does the speedometer use both a signal from the VSS and the ABS or just the ABS

 

[adsm08]

The VSS signal wires run straight to the ABS module, which then relays the signal to the PCM and the instrument cluster to use for the things they need it for like trans shifting and speedometer/odometer.

If you have an auto trans a full ABS delete will cause other concerns as well.

It is possible to simply remove the ABS unit from the hydraulic system but leave the module present and electronically active without causing yourself undue issues. You just run your brake lines around the module, instead of through it, and then remove the bulb from the dash.

 

[Derrick1970]

Alright that would work great for what I am doing. I read another thread on here where you said you were having issues with your ABS and you disabled it, and that before you disable it when the light came on that your brakes actually worked better than with the system working right. I am seeing the same thing with my truck.....when the light comes on my brakes actually work better for me. I was also brought up in the age before ABS and personally i hate the crap. Hence part of my reason for wanting it gone off my truck. If all i have to do is bypass it threw where the piping is running then that works fine for me. Thank you very much adsm08 for the information on that and kinda mapping out how that system works for me. I do have one other question now though. I am putting a Dana 30 from a 2001 grand cherokee under the front of my truck.....it does have ABS on it but I plan on swapping out the knuckles for some that will allow me to run the older Dana 44 spindles from like a square body chevy on it along with locking hubs. I'm doin this because I want to be able to completely disable that front axle when it isn't needed. What comes into question is this then. Since I won't have any signal coming from my front hubs anymore, because the stock hubs won't even be on the truck any more, how much of a fit is that ABS controller gonna throw?

 

[ab_slack]

I don't know what year vehicle you are dealing with...or if full 4 wheel ABS or just rear ABS.

the RABS don't bother me so much as long as I am able to lock the front ones. On dry pavement, even wet regular ABS seem okay to me, but in the snow, dirt, mud one can stop much faster locking them up and only release as needed to control direction.

I had looked into how to disable on my 02 explorer and I saw someone opening up one of the front speed sensor lines. That would cause the diagnostic to fail and the ABS would disable itself. I was thinking of putting a switch in there so I could disable ABS for things like snow. I don't know if that disables the full system or just the front wheels. I would take either for my explorer.

Haven't tried it yet so can't say if it works or not but it seemed a relatively simple means to achieve the result.

The one concern I would have about disabling ABS in the rear is I thought vehicles were relying on that these days rather than any other mechanism to keep rear from locking prematurely. Remembering an old Nissan pickup I had that had some load sensing valve to adjust rear brakes depending on load.

 

[RangerSVT]

You can disable (ie remove) the front sensors, and you will still hsve your speedo, as long as your rear sensor is still hooked up. Your speedo will actually work as long as one of the three sensors is functioning correctly. I've removed the front sensors on my truck, bypassed the abs module/pump of my hydraulic lines, and I still have a functiining speedo...

SVT

 

[Derrick1970]

Thanks guys for the help there. Sorry that I didn't put a little more info about my truck on in the thread. My truck is a 2000 Ranger XLT supercab. The rear ABS sensor is that the one in the top of the pumpkin on the rear axle or is that the VSS? The 8.8 that I will be replacing mine with is from a 99 Explorer Eddie Bauer....it was also the donor vehicle that I got my 5.0L from.

 

[adsm08]

Yes, the sensor in the top of the diff is the VSS. The way Ford set the system up that rear sensor is what is preferred for the signal to the speedo, and if the signals disagree but all show movement (say the front wheels say 5 MPH and the rear says 25 because you are slipping) it goes with the rear. If the rear dies it will sub in the fastest front wheel as the speedo info. But yes, only one sensor has to be present and working for the speedo to keep operating.

Even if you did throw the Jeep axle in and wire up the WSS on it it would probably be the wrong tooth-count/diameter and just confuse the piss out of the system.

 

[Derrick1970]

so with that said if i eliminate the front sensors my speedo will still work provided that one in the rear doesn't go out on me

 

[RangerSVT]

Correct. The rear center top mounted plug is the abs sensor, which doubles as the vss. As long as you connect this up to the replacement axle you're good to go...

SVT

 

[Derrick1970]

AWESOME! Teh replacement axle has that same sensor in it so it will be connected. If need be is there a right and a wrong way to make the wire going to that sensor longer?

 

[RangerSVT]

Take one from a junkyard or donor so you only have one connection to make instead of two (for each wire). Colors should match between ranger and explorer...

SVT

 

[Derrick1970]

Awesome....Thank you for all the help guys....this has really cleared up a lot of questions for me. After I et my pile of parts I need to do theSAS I hope to post some pictures of the build in progress. Also hoping to give her a face lift to a newer Ranger if i can. But thank you again for the help.