My 2001 Ram is having some breaking issues. Last month my ABS and Brake was lit up on the dash and now if I have to stop suddenly my back end slides, sometimes really bad. Any ideas on what I can do besides taking it in and spending a crap ton of money in a shop?

 

Check and see if your front brakes are working. The RWAL on these trucks is pretty much useless anyway. As yours is an 01, there is a better than average chance you have 4wal, have a look, let us know what ya got.

 

I believe it must be 4wal, I bled the brakes and added fresh brake fluid thinking it would help but the front brakes wouldn't bleed only the rear ones. The guys helping me out said the back brakes could be seen clinching down but the front brakes weren't.

 

Have a buddy pump the brakes up, and then hold firm pressure on the pedal, while you crack open one of the rear bleeders. (doesn't matter which one in this case.) Do that a couple times, and see if you start getting fluid out the fronts.

Do you have wheel speed sensors up front? (there will be a wire going to the sensor, if no wire, then you only have RWAL, which is the most common configuration.)

I suspect you have a blown brake line somewhere in the front braking circuit. Doing the bleed procedure outline above 'should' reset the proportioning valve (which is also a safety valve, to close off the failed circuit, it 'mostly' works....) and get flow to the front. See if you have a leak.

 

Also, try to bleed form the front left first, then fron right, then left rea and then right rear. You may want to download service manual from FAQ/DIY section and see what the procedure is to reset proportional valve that HeyYou referenced.

Front disk brakes should clamp before rear drums set.

 

Thanks for the info. I will definitely go and download the service manual and try the bleeding procedure you and HeyYou have mentioned.

 

on my 01 dodge ram my abs and e brake light are on and its because the abs pump motor is shot.. i hook it up to a machine a few weeks ago my buddy owns a repair shop and has this huge touch screen computer deal that monitors everything and thats what came back on my truck

 

That ought to cost a couple bucks - unless you can get one in a JY.

 

i found one at a junk yard for 100 bucks but i'm to lazy to get it right now

 

$100 is pretty pricey for JY part. But then again, I can't find anything for my Toyota from a JY - if they have it it seems to start at $100!