My 94' 4dr Sidekick's RWAL is not working

onestoptakeaway · 06-29-2009, 10:09 PM

Hi,

My 94' 4dr Sidekick is driving and stopping properly and no warning lights shown up on the panel but I'm pretty sure the RWAL is not working because the Rear wheels locked up on me afew times when I jammed my brakes during emergency.

I checked the RWAL fuse is OK so anything else should I be checking?

jtgh · 06-29-2009, 11:45 PM

did you inspect the shoes and springs for damage.
oil soaked pads (axle seals bad)
brake fluid soaked pads? (they will swell up)

is it brake lamp , on with hand brake application, and then off after releasing it?

cheers.

onestoptakeaway · 06-30-2009, 02:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtgh

did you inspect the shoes and springs for damage.
oil soaked pads (axle seals bad)
brake fluid soaked pads? (they will swell up)

is it brake lamp , on with hand brake application, and then off after releasing it?

cheers.

Basically, brake lamp and normal stopping is functioning OK is only during hard braking the rear wheels lock as the ABS is not kicking in.... maybe is the front wheels that are the ones locking ha.....ha. since the sidekick is not fully ABS.

I have not take down the rear brake hubs to see if any mechanic faults yet. Probably will do it this weekend and clean them.

jtgh · 06-30-2009, 02:55 PM

ah, rear brakes skidding can be front brakes dead. and prev. post too.

1: inspect rotor, always look for crack in rotors first. (a real man killer that)
imagine locking a rotor at 65.

2: then inspect the Mastercyclinder for leaks. below it on both sides of fire wall.
both !

3: then inspect all slave cylinders for leaks. F/R.
on a new car to the barn , every inch of brake line end to end for rust or impact damage, after all it is off road vehicle.

4: next inspect the pads and shoes.

those are the basics.

there are many more. inspection points and tests.

you could have sticking pistions in the calipers or cylinders.

missing or broken springs or caliper parts.

always compare left to right side carefully.
see if something differs. oops missing shoe spring.

oops , broken caliper pin.

the car is old. keep an open mind and a careful eye.

jtgh · 06-30-2009, 02:57 PM

THE RWAL
works like this.

it watches the ring gear (rear) rpm.
the senor clicks at the rate of the ring gear speed.

the RWAL puter, looks at this signal and many more.
and determines that the rear wheels are locking.
it then activates the dump valve.

releasing pressure to the rear lines.

it can IN NO WAY ,compensate for bad brakes.

not at all , in fact it might do the wrong thing.

onestoptakeaway · 07-01-2009, 04:00 AM

Gee... no easy way out huh. Thanks for the info and will check it out over the weekends

TheZuke! · 07-01-2009, 11:49 AM

Gee,
in a 130+ Kmiles, I'm not sure if the RWAL has ever activated!
I certainly have never heard or felt the stuttering brake action
I've experienced on other ABS vehicles.

But it stops okay (alright, I have rear ended a couple cars in
the past 3 years).

jtgh · 07-01-2009, 01:01 PM

he wants an easy way out.?
sure , take it to the man who wears the Star. (the brake man)

hand him wallet and you watch CNN.

easy , painless.

there are 2 ways. Hard DYI, or easy.

hahahahahahahahah

truth is , it will get worse.

do you purge all fluid out ever year?
do you inspect the brakes , at least that often.

linings down to rivets or worse , hitting shoes.
wheel cylinders corroded inside that they are sticking ( can cause brakes to lock )

ignore the GO
but never ignore the Whoa.