Lately my brake pedal has been inconsistent, one stop will feel ok, while the nest stop the pedal will travel farther.

The last couple of times I have driven it, the abs would come on sometimes when it was totally not needed.
Also, at least 3 times while stopped, or slowing to a stop, I would feel and hear a big thump, almost like someone had tapped my bumper from behind.

I know my rear brakes need attention, I tried to take the drums off, but they wouldn't budge. And I don't have parts yet, so I dont want to beat the drums too hard.

Any ideas on what the ABS problem is?

 

Need to check out your rear brakes first... and, do you have 4wal? or Rwal? ABS light coming on?

 

Could be bad brake fluid. Have you bleed the whole system with new fluid?


It won't help the pop, but I'm wondering if maybe the pop is in the pump or the rear brakes. Any leaks?

 

I have the 4wal

 

Oh.....

I think the system should do the wacky dance when you first start rolling... but, I may just be used to GM vehicles.... One sensor preparing to go belly up would give you those symptoms though.... trouble is, which one... you have three.

 

Ok, now I got all the parts. Gonna have a friend bring a puller over on thursday to try and get the drums off.
I did put on new pads and rotors today.
The problem has been a little different than I described earlier.
When slowing about 1/2 the time the pedal will fade, then as about 10 mph the brakes will grab very hard, and a big thump is felt. This was triggering the ABS. I would hear the whurr of the ABS module kicking in. But I pulled the fuse for the abs, but the brake problem makes the truck pretty much un-driveable.

 

It did just turn out to be the rear brakes. I cant believe that caused the problems I was having.I did replace pretty much the whole system.
I got a pretty good deal on these raybestos professional rotors, at $23 each. They were over $60 at rock auto.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RAYBESTOS-76...ht_1457wt_1165

 

When I first bought my truck, stepping on the brakes was like being in San Francisco during the earthquake.... It felt like the whole truck was going to shake itself apart. When I had it on the rack, front brakes were fine, rears were down to the rivets...... rebuilt the rear brakes, turned the drums, and things were MUCH better. I still have a bit of undesireable behavior from the brakes, all it should need to fix is turn the front rotors, however, on my truck, the rotors are staked to the wheel bearing from BEHIND.... so it's a major exercise to just get the crazy things off. Maybe when I do ball joints, and front U-joints...... not bad enough to warrant a fix just for the bit of vibration I get.