Ford brakes

rmill35 · 04-12-2011, 08:08 PM

I have a Class A Ford 1999 Southwind. The ABS light has come on and the brakes seem to stick when I come to a complete stop and then they release when I give it the gas and it seems normal. It feels like it is the front brake but not sure. What could be causing this and are the ABS light and sticking the same problem or two separate issues?
Thanks,
Bob Miller

burmashave · 04-13-2011, 06:00 AM

Are you sure it's the ABS light? Could it just be the brake warning light and you are assuming it's ABS? do you have a tag axle?

The light on the dash might be unrelated to the hanging brake caliper up front. Not uncommon. There is a separate sensor and vacuum cylinder for the tag axle. You can locate the vacuum cylinder and disconnect the sensor to see if the light no longer comes on. Does it come on and off as you accelerate and decelerate? It's possible you have a leaky tag axle cylinder and it could be responsible for the light and would be associated solely with the tag axle brakes. Doesn't mean they are failing either, just means there is a vacuum leak that may or may not get worse. Apparently, they can't be rebuilt and a new one, along with replacement vacuum line parts for it is about $1500 installed in my neck of the woods. The part is $1150 new. The cylinder was designed to be under the hood but in the mh application, it is under the coach and subject to road and weather corrosion.

The caliper hanging up front could be frozen closed and wouldn't necessarily systematically pull when braking.

How's your mpg? You can get a temp gun from Harbor Freight. After driving, check the temp of the wheels for comparison. If you have a disparity of great proportion between the wheels, you can bet the hot one is hanging.

Mike Canter · 04-13-2011, 07:12 AM

It sounds to me like you have never flushed the brake fluid out and put in fresh fluid. Brake fluid is hydroscopic meaning that it attracts and holds water. So after a period of time you have water settling in the master cylinder and the brake calipers and ABS valving. It sounds like it may have already settled in your front calipers and rusted up the cylinders so the brakes are hanging up. I would get the front calipers rebuilt or replaced with rebuilt ones and flush the entire brake system and install new fluid. The other thing that happens because on a MH the brakes last for many years because it is mostly highway miles the caliper slides get rusty so the brakes have a hard time releasing. About every two years the caliper slides should be cleaned and greased with a small amount of synthetic high temp caliper grease.

mmathias3 · 04-13-2011, 12:45 PM

I also have a 01 Southwind Ford that has the ABS light on. I was assuming that the sensors needed cleaning but maybe not. Mine also a whistling noise when braking...any idea of what that could be?