ABS Bypassed, Yes I said Bypassed!

[mmcan2]

I have been a member for a while and have found allot of useful information on here. I have a 1995 Taurus SHO Dk Grn, Auto, 158,000 miles. Things I have done all are basically maintenance items, crankshaft & camshaft position sensors, front and rear struts/springs nothing fancy.

I had an on and off problem with the ABS were a low speed the brakes would lock up on their own, say like when you are looking for a parking spot in a parking lot. So I pulled the main ABS fuse and that temporary solved that problem. Then about a year ago my right rear caliper would stick, and finally about 8 weeks ago it froze up!

I though ok no big deal replace both rear calipers and away I go right wrong! It turned into a huge mess rusty brake lines leaking, replacing rubber supply hoses and everything. With all that done now it’s time to bleed the brakes, let’s get the party started yeah right. What a nightmare it has been so in my frugal way I decided since I have been without ABS for over a year I didn’t need them. So I did some research into what might happen oh wait I forgot to do that and just cut the line and said the heck with it.

I have the brakes plumbed in a tradition front axle primary circuit and rear axle secondary circuit, so far it seems to be working I will keep all posted as winter approaches. And before you ask everything is bypassed I have lines going to the front and lines going to the back and nothing in between. I will see if I need to add a more traditional proportioning valve when the snow hits.

I could go into more detail if anyone wants, I drive the SHO everyday to work on the freeways and everything here in MI so it will be a good test.

 

[Racer X]

Well, that's great and all, but the car should really be a dual-diagonal setup. With what you've done, should a circuit fail you will have either front-only or rear-only brakes.

God help you if it's rear only.

 

[Shoaz]

Well, that's great and all, but the car should really be a dual-diagonal setup. With what you've done, should a circuit fail you will have either front-only or rear-only brakes.

God help you if it's rear only.

x2. Unless your car is primarily a track car and you intend to install a real-live brake bias valve, I see primarily disadvantages to splitting the system front-rear. Diagonal (i.e., the stock routing configuration) is far safer for the street.

I think it also means that you can't hook the ABS back up.

 

[89SHOMAN666]

I did the same thing about 2 years ago with my green 91+ but it is a pure track car. What the other members said is true for the street. Here is a pic:

 

[mmcan2]

I appreciated everyone taking the time to respond to my thread.

I read about the biased system in my shop manual and I felt that may have been a product of the ABS and wouldn’t work correctly with the ABS disabled or with what I have done.

I can change the way I have the lines routed to which wheel(s) if I encounter a problem. Nothing is permanent and the ABS will not be hooked back up by me. In my opinion it’s too costly a system as well as troublesome, being able to bleed the air from the system.

Mine is a street driven car and as for failure of one of the circuit, like a leak eventually your brakes will fail since there is only a single bowl reservoir not the dual type of days past.

 

[SuperHO]

Where in Michigan are you so I know to stay out from in front of you this winter...

 

[Eric VerValin]

If you went through all the trouble to pipe new lines... how hard would it have been to do it like it was before? I personally had the same rusty crap, and just replaced ALL the lines.

X2 on the diagonal setup! Its done that way for a reason.

 

[mmcan2]

Pile-on, attention good or bad is still attention.

It wasnt just a matter of replacing lines but expensive ABS components on a vehicle worth $2500 at best!

And I work for Ford so dont assume things are done for a good reason sometimes the dollars comes first.

And no worries I am all the way on the southeast side of the state so you are very safe, see now you can sleep tonight.

Did I type that in a defensive manner was my spelling correct LOL, Thanks everyone,

 

[Racer X]

I spent a grand total of $60 to replace my ABS HCU and ABS Control Unit. I now have properly functioning ABS. A simple post in the Wanted classifieds would have yielded at least 4 or 5 replies for whatever you needed.

Additionally, people on here do have ABS service tools also; I'm sure someone in your area has the bleeder tool. I know I help out local members who need to use mine, and I do loan it outside of the area with a refundable deposit to cover it's loss.

But, instead of properly repairing, or even properly bypassing the ABS system, you decided to git 'er done, and incorrectly plumb your braking system (because you work for Ford and know better than their braking system engineers ) for street use, because it cost less?

Really?

If, on your way to Darwining yourself, you have a choice between the back of a family's minivan, or a tree... choose the tree, please.

 

[Eric VerValin]

Have you ever been in a vehicle when the brakes fail?!?! If you have rusty rear calipers, that don't work very well, and you lose your fronts, I would hope for your sake you have a stick, and your p-brake cables are in good working order. Unknown to me, the person that owned my truck before me piped his brakes just like you did, and when that one line broke, the brake pedal just didn't cut it. It took some downshifting, and me jumping a curb to avoid the 15 cars infront of me stopped at the light. Trust me you don't want that experience.

Secondly how can piping your brakes that way be any different cost wise? 1 Less line going to the rear of the car? You saved $10 good job.

 

[SHO93OFF]

"In my opinion it’s too costly a system as well as troublesome, being able to bleed the air from the system."

Are you saying the abs system prevents you from bleeding the brakes some how?