ABS or no ABS...thats the question??
 

87 Bronco: 8.8 3.55 LS/w ABS Rear end. I'm considering purchasing a replacement rearend with same ratio and all, except its a non-ABS rearend. Should I do this? What are the problems I could incounter with this? I will install it myself and am not sure if useing a non- ABS rearend is a smart way to go. I'm having a problem finding an exact replacement. Any help or advice would really be appreciated. Thanks

With a non ABS rearend, your rear end will lock up if you stand on the brakes. I think it will also effect the way the vehicle handles when slamming on your brakes around tight corners. That's all I know about that. I think in my owner's manual for my 01 f150 I saw something about that. It shows a picture of how 2 different vehicle's, one with ABS, and one without, would react when the brakes are very heavily applied (in other words, when you slam on the brakes), while traversing a tight turn or corner. It showed the path of the vehicle equipped with ABS, and the path of the vehicle that wasn't equipped with ABS. Ok, picture this...you have two vehicles. One with ABS, and one without. They both slam on their brakes while going around a wavy S-turn road. The one with ABS makes the turn. The one without ABS doesn't. It goes off the road. Long story short, the ABS rearend will be better as far as safety during braking around corners is concerned. Hope I helped!:thumbsup:

RE: non-ABS rearend
 

Thanks Peacemaker for your opinion and remarks....I appreciate your concern....you make a convincing case for ABS. I will probably have to keep my ABS rear and rebuild (to hell with the core $$), but for now due to time and money constraints I will purchase the non-ABS rear and install it. From what I understand it should be a simple matter of just bolting it up except for the ABS sensor hookup....and the ABS light.....it will stay on, and on, and on,.....till I pull the bulb of maybe a fuse? Maybe I'll just blow my own fuse.......thanks Peacemaker.

I may be not thinking right, But I thought the ABS sensor reached into the rear end and sensed the ring gear in the diff. That would mean that the only diffrence I could see is that the pumpkin casting for the abs rear end is diffrent. could you take the other rear end and put the good replacement parts inside your existing ABS axle?

RABS Light
 

Bronco, I wouldn't worry about the rear abs light coming on. I disconnected mine from the rabs valve under the hood, only because I was troubleshooting a weak feeling brake pedal, and to my surprise the warning light didn't come on until 6 months later. I drove it everyday. No need to pull the bulb.