dodge rt anti-lock brakes

[RT-NY]

Does anyone know if any of the Dodge Roadtreks have anti-lock brakes on the front wheels? The Chevy model RTs had four-wheel ABS by the end of the 90s, I think, but, although I believe it was optional on the Dodge vans before Roadtrek stop using the Dodge vans around 2003, I don't think it was ever used in the Dodge Roadtreks at all. Can anyone confirm this?

 

[booster]

Rock auto shows ABS parts as far back as I checked back, which was 1990 so al least that far.

 

[RT-NY]

I am asking specifically about 4 wheel ABS on the Dodge Roadtreks. Rear wheel ABS on the Dodge vans was availalble earlier, and Dodge Roadtreks do have that. And I believe that the front wheel ABS was available as on option even while Roadtrek was still using the Dodge vans. What I am asking is whether Roadtrek ever included that optional front wheel ABS that Dodge offered in any of the Dodge Roadtreks?

 

[Mike Bee-ClassB]

The last Dodge Roadtreks were the 1994-2002 versions.
These came with rear anti-lock brakes only. No option for front wheel abs. Rear was drum brakes with disc brakes on the front.

Mike Bee
97 RT 170 P
Formerly 89 VW Westfalia

 

[Richard Cranium]

Does anyone know if any of the Dodge Roadtreks have anti-lock brakes on the front wheels? The Chevy model RTs had four-wheel ABS by the end of the 90s, I think, but, although I believe it was optional on the Dodge vans before Roadtrek stop using the Dodge vans around 2003, I don't think it was ever used in the Dodge Roadtreks at all. Can anyone confirm this?

Is it a Dodge/Mercedes or a Dodge/Dodge? My 06 "dodge" RT has 4 wheel anti-lock. But it is a rebadged Mercedes Sprinter.

 

[RT-NY]

Is it a Dodge/Mercedes or a Dodge/Dodge? My 06 "dodge" RT has 4 wheel anti-lock. But it is a rebadged Mercedes Sprinter.

It's an old Dodge Ram van -- as Mike Bee said they were used on the Roadtrek 170 and 190 until 2002, and, as I was asking about and he confirmed, none of these had front wheel ABS even though I do think that Dodge Ram vans had that as an option by that time.

I was asking because I was wondering how useful rear wheel only drum brake ABS is. I don't think mine has ever activated.

 

[Richard Cranium]

It's an old Dodge Ram van -- as Mike Bee said they were used on the Roadtrek 170 and 190 until 2002, and, as I was asking about and he confirmed, none of these had front wheel ABS even though I do think that Dodge Ram vans had that as an option by that time.

I was asking because I was wondering how useful rear wheel only drum brake ABS is. I don't think mine has ever activated.

I also have a '99 Ram 2500 pickup. It does have rear only antilock/ drum brakes. The sensor is on the pumpkin. With nothing in the bed the antilock does work but it feels funky as H. Like you all of a sudden let off the brakes. On the other hand when the sensor goes bad (twice for me) and the AL is disabled, the rears lock up all the time. I think with a better balanced vehicle like a van, the rear only antilock is pretty much useless. IMHO.

 

[RT-NY]

I also have a '99 Ram 2500 pickup. It does have rear only antilock/ drum brakes. The sensor is on the pumpkin. With nothing in the bed the antilock does work but it feels funky as H. Like you all of a sudden let off the brakes. On the other hand when the sensor goes bad (twice for me) and the AL is disabled, the rears lock up all the time. I think with a better balanced vehicle like a van, the rear only antilock is pretty much useless. IMHO.

When the sensor went bad did an "ABS" dash warning light come on? What do you mean that the rear brakes locked up--you would hit the brakes like normal while driving, but the rear drums would lock completely? What is that like?

 

[booster]

I also have a '99 Ram 2500 pickup. It does have rear only antilock/ drum brakes. The sensor is on the pumpkin. With nothing in the bed the antilock does work but it feels funky as H. Like you all of a sudden let off the brakes. On the other hand when the sensor goes bad (twice for me) and the AL is disabled, the rears lock up all the time. I think with a better balanced vehicle like a van, the rear only antilock is pretty much useless. IMHO.

 

[booster]

I also have a '99 Ram 2500 pickup. It does have rear only antilock/ drum brakes. The sensor is on the pumpkin. With nothing in the bed the antilock does work but it feels funky as H. Like you all of a sudden let off the brakes. On the other hand when the sensor goes bad (twice for me) and the AL is disabled, the rears lock up all the time. I think with a better balanced vehicle like a van, the rear only antilock is pretty much useless.

That is exactly why they have the antilock on the rear only, because drum brakes lock up very easily compared to discs that are in the front. I have had a rear only setup in a Blazer and of all the ABS vehicles I have had I liked it the best because it allowed me to control the front lockup or not which I find handy sometimes.

The whole thing is that empty vans or pickups are very light in the rear so they can't put much rear brake proportioning on them or they would lock up all the time without the ABS, just what you see with it shut off. But it gives more rear braking when there is more rear traction when you are loaded and it makes the vehicle more stoppable then. Rear only disc brake on drum brakes in the rear only always are set to activate in hard braking empty so you can actually stop the vehicle when it is heavy.

With your disabled setup, you need to have an adjustable proportioning valve for the rear brakes so you can turn down the rear braking force when empty and turn it up when loaded. That is what I put in my 96 Buick Roadmaster wagon that had all wheel ABS that I didn't like. It is a summer driver only so not in the slippery stuff we have here in the winter and rarely heavily loaded so I rarely have to change it.

It will feel like you lose stopping force because the pedal drops a bit and pulses so the front isn't doing as much so you need to step a bit harder.

 

[Richard Cranium]

When the sensor went bad did an "ABS" dash warning light come on? What do you mean that the rear brakes locked up--you would hit the brakes like normal while driving, but the rear drums would lock completely? What is that like?

ABS light, Brake light both went on and the Cruise control stopped working. And the back wheels with no real weight in the bed just locked up. Screeching smoke etc. rear end puckers..mine not the truck. As soon as I took my foot off the brake they started rolling like normal, just too much braking power and not enough traction.

 

[RT-NY]

This discussion is very interesting to me because I have often wondered how the front and rear brakes are proportioned on the Dodge Roadtreks. From what I am reading here, it sounds like it is less of an issue with a conversion because it is heavier in the back. I have never had a problem with the brakes at all, and the rears never locked, but I do notice that the drum brake shoes seem to be lasting a very long time. They are certainly working because I can see brake shoe dust in there when I check them (and the emergency brake works fine), but I have not had to change them in several years of having this van.

 

[booster]

This discussion is very interesting to me because I have often wondered how the front and rear brakes are proportioned on the Dodge Roadtreks. From what I am reading here, it sounds like it is less of an issue with a conversion because it is heavier in the back. I have never had a problem with the brakes at all, and the rears never locked, but I do notice that the drum brake shoes seem to be lasting a very long time. They are certainly working because I can see brake shoe dust in there when I check them (and the emergency brake works fine), but I have not had to change them in several years of having this van.

You are correct in your thinking, and the Chevy Roadtreks are same way, even with antilock brakes and disc rear.

With a drum brake setup, you probably have the master cylinder and perhaps right next to it or almost attached to it will probably be a "triple" valve. It might also be under the van. It would have proportioning valve in it that sets the amount of pressure that goes to rear wheels, and switch to tell if there no pressure in on circuit of the two, and a residual valve that hold slight pressure on the rear shoes to keep them from retracting too far and also to keep the wheel cylinder seals, which are lip seals, tight and not leaking.

The common change would be to gut the proportioning valve in the triple valve by removing the spring and piston, and then add a manual proportioning valve to the rear tubing line so you can adjust the now full pressure to the rear down to where you want it. There probably are instructions somewhere online for the Dodge system (pickups of the same design probably) that give detailed methods as this is a very common modification that folks do rather than replace the very expensive and/or hard to find ABS parts for older vehicles. My Buick had 3 zone ABS so fronts were in it also and I took it all out because the car is not driven on slippery stuff much at all, and only rain or sand, not ice or snow. Now I have a higher pedal and great rear braking with the adjustable valve to the rear.

 

[Richard Cranium]

This discussion is very interesting to me because I have often wondered how the front and rear brakes are proportioned on the Dodge Roadtreks. From what I am reading here, it sounds like it is less of an issue with a conversion because it is heavier in the back. I have never had a problem with the brakes at all, and the rears never locked, but I do notice that the drum brake shoes seem to be lasting a very long time. They are certainly working because I can see brake shoe dust in there when I check them (and the emergency brake works fine), but I have not had to change them in several years of having this van.

Rear brakes always last longer. When you step on the brakes the nose dives down and effective weight on the front is increased so proportionately more force can be applied to slowing the front wheels. On a motorcycle too much front brake is called a stoppy(opposite of a wheelie) and the rear wheel can come completely off the ground. Too much wieght too low down for that to happen to a car or van.