Non ABS Explorer disk swap

[85_Ranger4x4]

Lots of confusion out there on this, after pages of reading posts I can't find any mention of what works with a non ABS truck. For as common of a question as it is its kinda wierd nothing solid has ever made its way into the tech library...

Mine is sans ABS and for some reason has the later plastic reservoir master cylinder.

I have drove it off and on between its various major surgeries over the summer and really the brakes felt pretty good. The pedal felt good and it stopped nice during normal driving. Maybe about three weeks total all said it was drivable (not driven full time but able to be) so testing wasn’t really extensive. It is slick out now, I can really tell it favors the front brakes bad. You can feel it wanting to trade ends with the brakes on at times which I don‘t like. I put it in reverse to back it in its hole yesterday, the rear wheels started spinning backwards the instant it went into gear and I really had to mash the brake pedal to get it to stop. Goofing around on slick smooth ice today I noticed it took an abnormal amount of pedal pressure to lock up the rear wheels, the fronts locked up easily and what I would consider normal.

People say if you have factory ABS you are ok, is it the ABS itself that makes up for it or is just the MC?

 

[adsm08]

The ABS module has the prop valve in it. It will make a bit of a difference.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I looked up the module for a 1990 Ranger which is just a black box with a connector but it also showed the hydraulic control unit (which I think you meant) and thought "hey, I have one of those"

Not quite, a little different but the same basic idea...

So rather than the poor MC that everybody picks on is the proportioning valve more to blame?

 

[adsm08]

Well, I'm sure there is some fault on the part of the MC. I used an Explorer MC in my swap and have had no similar issues. My truck is not equipped with ABS.

I was going to install the proper prop valve from the year of my axle and found that the base number for a prop valve brings up the ABS HCU.

I've also heard of guys adjusting the MC rod to fix lockup issues.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

What year Explorer?

 

[adsm08]

96 or 97, don't remember, but they should both be the same.
The biggest problem I had was that the line fittings changed and I had to round up some adapters.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

96 or 97, don't remember, but they should both be the same.
The biggest problem I had was that the line fittings changed and I had to round up some adapters.

Did you have to adjust the pushrod? Still the stock booster?