I have a 95 F150 2wd with the 4.9 in it. It needs new brake pads. How do I know if I have ABS? I think I have ABS in the front but I am not sure.

Thanks for the help!

 

Hmmm, the bronco'w were four wheel ABS in 93, and the 94 F150s were still only rear ABS. Not sure if the 150s went to four wheel ABS on the 95s.

Adrianspeeder

 

My '95 has rear wheel ABS only. I'm not positive, but I don't think it was an option. I'll see if I can remember to check in my owners manual.

 

95 had rear ABS only, AFAIK. Easiest way to check is to look at the brake lines going to the front caliper, you don't even need to take the wheel off. If you see one hose going to the caliper, no ABS. If there is a hose and a second black line clipped to it, that goes to the ABS sensor.

 

I will check it out tomorrow...

Thanks!

 

One more quick question. Why would you have ABS on only the rear? It seems to me that you would want ABS on the front so when you have to brake hard you will still be able to steer.

 

Rear-only ABS is a half-assed compromise, at best, between cost and some measure of safety.

The logic of the rear-only ABS is that, since the rear end is so light, there will be a greater tendency for the rear brakes to lock up first, causing a likely skid and the attendant loss of control inherent in skids.

By preventing the skid from a rear brake lockup, some measure of steering control is retained, at least until the front brakes lock.

Did I mention it was a half-assed compromise?


Steve

 

Yes and no.
On a truck there is such a huge difference in the loaded and unloaded weight on the rear wheels that rear-only ABS is simply a way of compensating for the difference. It doesn't really have much to do with the "normal" ABS function of retaining steering control under too-heavy braking.

If I'm going to have the brakes on only one end of the vehicle lock up, I sure as hell want it to be the front. If the front locks up you're going to go more or less straight in the direction you're pointed; if the rear locks up, the one direction you're not going to go is straight.

 

Yeah, been rear abs since 87 (88 has em) on the pickups and broncos. Easier to know if the fronts are locked and can pump accordingly. Also, prolly didn't perfect the front wheel ABS untill 93 with that being the first year on the bronco. Still wonder why not on the F150s.

Adrianspeeder

 

1987 was the year that had had them come on the raer my 2000 had them in front and back but if you got a lower model truck like an XL in 2000 you just had it in the rear. I think it was when they came out with the new style truck in 04 that they made it standard on all models