new rotors and pads and now abs is kicking in at slow speeds and pulling left

[spark-z]

Been a while but I am back.

Well guys I know this is a popular topic since I have gone through a bunch of threads about it but I feel my situation is a little different and I need help diagnosing the problem before I start throwing money at new parts.

Firstly I have a 2004 2WD 3.0L. I replaced the front rotors and pads on both sides. I repacked the bearings with high temp grease. I did alot of reading and watched a great youtube video on the exact same brakes as mine. So I feel confident I did everything right especially since I didn't have any problems doing the job but of course that means nothing

No sooner that I start driving I notice that when at really low speeds, such as braking during those last 5 feet at the red light or stop sign the ABS kicks in and I get the feed back on the pedal and also the steering pulls to the left. I was thinking that the the right side caliper is stuck. Maybe because when I pushed the piston all the way back in it messed up the caliper seal. But after some reading on this forum I am wondering if it is the ABS sensor in one of the front wheels.

So the question is how do I determine which it could be before I spend money on parts. I know a seal kit is cheap but in Canada I cannot order one from a Canadian supplier, I have to buy a whole new caliper. I have to order the seals online from the US and shipping is $50.00 and all those online parts ordering companies are the same company so there is no competition for shipping costs.

Anyway you help is always great appreciated.

Spark-z

 

[martin]

There must be a car-quest near you. Ask them for a price on re-built callipers. If you have one with a damaged seal it needs fixing anyway. Fix the known problems first.

 

[spark-z]

Hi Martin,

I am cheap. Why spend $121.00 on a rebuilt caliper (plus exchange fees) when I can probably ship the rebuild kit to my NYC office (I thought about this after I posted last night) and do a slightly more labour intensive job and do both sides for the hell of it for a fraction of the cost.

Plus how do I know it is the caliper for sure before I spend that kind of money if I were to buy a rebuilt caliper? How do I know for sure what the problem is without going to a shop? The way I see it for the price of the rebuild kit it is still worth it, cost wise, if it doesn't fully fix my problem.

 

[hondaxr650]

You may want to jack it up and watch the abs tone rings while you spin the wheels to check for wobbles. We get Motorcraft rotors right out of the box with bent/misinstalled tone rings all the time. Not to mention the guys who smack them with a hammer when installing the grease seals. Wobbling rings with too much gap in places can cause false ABS activation.

 

[spark-z]

hondaxr650, I think I will look at that first. Tell you what I find on saturday. Also I will probably take off the caliper and give it an inspection. See if I notice anything.

 

[spark-z]

damn super crappy weather all weekend. I need a place with a garage. Anyway I picked up a new caliper. Will install it this weekend hopefully. See if that helps.

 

[barrys]

I can only respond to one part:
> all those online parts ordering companies are the same company so there is no competition for shipping costs.

You gotta go through "Tousley Ford Parts Depot." They're a dealer selling at cost + 10% and the people on the phone are experienced Ford parts technicians, not RockAuto customer service staff. I've always found them reasonable on shipping, but who knows about Canada. The good part is their in South Dakota which is close to Canada.

I don't work at Tousley. I just always buy from them and they have never screwed up an order.