Disable the ABS?

Why not just pull the fuse and see?

You can disable it, but the real question is, "what is wrong?". Rather than take what seems to be an easy way out, be sure it is a malfunctioning ABS and not some other brake or suspension problem causing the ABS to kick in.

well don't want to be suprised what I lose and may not know right away yes no?

Chicken.

Should be a failsafe system, no?

I have a Teves system, and before I buy a new master cylinder I will certainly look as de-Teveing.

Pulling the fuse will likely cause your Brake light in the dash to illuminate, but will not affect the operation of your primary brake system.

Dave

Only thing I know for sure is that disabling the ABS on a truck with Kelsey-Hayes ABS is a bad idea because some of them have "dynamic rear proportioning" through the ABS controller.

nate

Left turn or right turn? Sounds like you have a faulty ABS sensor cable or the connector on the frame rail is crudded up. Neither is hard to repair. You need to have the ABS codes pulled and it will point you toward which side is dropping out.

As to how many channels. 4. One for each wheel on the car. Most of the trucks with ABS have 3 channel systems (2 front wheels and 1 rear sensor)

The big question is what does your insurance company have on your policy? Disabling ABS could cost you in court if you ever hit someone and have disabled it. 25-30 bucks for a sensor. Or, losing your house, cars, and garnished wages for the rest of your life is the possible option with pulling the fuse.

I haven't gotten under the car yet. Were do the wires run that attach to the wheel sensors? Not too long ago I broke the drivers side rear-trailing arm and had both the right and left then replaced. I don't remember where the brake lines were before the repair but now they have them attached to each arm with wire ties. Would the wire be running alone with the hoses now attached to each arm? I just stuck my head under the car and the hoses are in protective corrugated jackets are the wires to the sensor maybe also running along with the hoses? As far as dirty wheel sensors. Can I blow out the wheel sensor without removing anything? Is there an online diagram where the sensors are in relation to the hub? The car is very rusty under it. That rust, age and a pothole is why I broke a trailing arm. When the arm broke may it have pulled on the wire enough to loosen it at the sensor and or break inside the insulation and thus be shorted somewhere its run near the trailing arm? I know it is hard to guess at your end but I am thinking the broken trailing arm and its repair may have something to do with this. I am correct in assuming that a 1996 Lumina auto (sedan) with optional ABS is a four-channel system with its sensors at each wheel?

Normally the wires are run through a clip on the A arm and back to a connection located just behind the splash shield above the suspension. On the rear they run them along the trailing arm on some, to the upper link on others. Depends on the model. Either way the wires coming out of the hub are easy to find.

It depends on what they did. If they just worked on that area then I would suspect that they may have damaged the wire itself.

The usual problem requires you to pull the wheel/tire, Then remove the speed sensor from the hub and clean the area that it mounts to the hub. What happens is, rust forms on the hub under the sensor and pushes it away from the tone ring. The sensor sees a slightly different frequency because of the distance change and the computer decides that it means that tire is locking up. That triggers the ABS.

Is there an online diagram where the sensors are in

Easy to find, they are bolted into the hub assy. Just follow the wires to them.

Sounds VERY likely that the suspension moved enough to damage the wiring. They are only set up to deal with steering and suspension travel. Much past that and you have trouble.

I would pull the codes, they will give you a real good pointer toward the problem. I would suspect

Yep, 4 sensors. Live axle vehicles can get away with three because they just assume that if one rear wheel is on a slick surface they both are, Not really good in some instances off road but for the most part it works well.

HLS,

I feel your pain my friend. Every part on those old Teves systems has an obscene price tag on it. Last ABS repair I did on the '87 Olds

98 was the pump - even with trade discounts that pump cost $863 + tax AND had to wait 3 weeks while G.M. got the part from Teves in Germany (and on those if you lose the pump you not only lose power boost but you have NO rear brakes as well).

In 1993 the master cylinder was priced at $1700.00 - Lord knows how much it lists for these days (thankfully G.M. bought that one).

Regards, Bill Bowen Sacramento, CA

I pulled the fuse on my 98 Jimmy and drove most of last summer. I knew the problem I had was the sensor on a wheel bearing hub. Never had a problem. When fall came around and I had the money to fix the hub I changed it and put the fuse back in for the winter. Living in MI I would not drive a winter without ABS

The loss of ABS will in no way effect normal braking.

Thanks, Bill...Last time I checked, you could get a remanufactured master cylinder for around a grand, but a new one was $1800.

The windshield on this car is also $1800, if you can find a new one. There are some used ones still around.

I believe that GM dropped the Teves soon after my car, which might indicate I could retrofit a later model system, if fan and feces ever become intimate.

Or, maybe just part this thing out and buy some cheap beater.

Not always true- see my post. On some vehicles this can cause the brake system to become dangerously rear-biased.

nate

Get real, federal law requires loss of ABS to have no effect normal brake operation LOL

nate

Mike,

I beg to disagree. On the old Teves systems (used in GM "C", "H", "E" and "K" bodys from 86~90) loss of the pump kills power assist to both ends and drops rear brakes to about 5% of normal. On these systems the pump also supplies power assist (there is no vacuum booster).

Regards, Bill Bowen Sacramento, CA

"Mike hunt" wrote: