Do All 4x4's Have Abls?

PHOEBISIS · 10-15-2005, 01:22 PM

Do all 4x4's come with ABLS-the 4wd positraction like setup?Thanks.Charlie
PS Are those the correct letters,and what do they stand for?

skyhammer · 10-15-2005, 02:21 PM

My 04 4x4 BT had ABLS and my 05 4x4 with BT,OR has ABLS.
ABLS, Active Brake Limited Slip.IMO it works... sort of. The wheels have to spin to much before it engages.
I bet that I have engaged my ABLS more than a 1000 times in 9000 miles.In the summer on the way to the upper ranch in engages around 4 or 5 times in an 8 miles trip.Up hill most of the way. In the winter time the ABLS engages 8-10 times. The only problem I have had is that the ABLS didn't work when I bought it. They had to replace the abs system. It works fine now, although it does make a racket when it engages. If you don't know what the sound is you may think something is broken.

PHOEBISIS · 10-15-2005, 03:45 PM

SKYHAMMER,THANKS. Some folks have suggested that the ABLS might have something to do with the rear differential failures since most of the failures have been 4x4's(9 of 10 posters with failures have been 4x4's-all failures have been the 3.36 gears).Of course,a 4x4 is likely to get harder use than a 4x2,so no surprise that 4x4 fail more often.The failures happening at such low mileage and 5 of the 10 having multiple failures is certainly odd.The folks with failures seem like sober types who are paying for their trucks with their own $$,so I'm certain they aren't dogging them.A truck should be able to take a pretty good beating anyway-especially the rear end-nothing new tech about a rear end.
My brother and I dogged my dads 1965 Plymouth Fury station wagon-we revved it up and slammed it into drive-auto trans-many times running 1/4 miles and regularily drove it wide open 111 mph for 50 miles at a time- somehow it still ran after 150,000 miles.I am really careful with equipment I pay for-I bet everyone is.
Interesting that you say it makes a racket when it engages??!!Noise usually isn't a good thing?Maybe the ABLS folks are onto something?

Thanks.Charlie

skyhammer · 10-15-2005, 03:59 PM

The noise is just the ABS kicking in. You should get the same noise when you 2wd abs kicks in. For example, if you are going 5 mph and you hit the brakes in mud or gravel you will hear and feel the abs kicking in on one wheel and then the other. Usually when you brake your foot is off the throttle. With ABLS you foot is on the throttle, and the brakes are applied under power to stop the slipping wheel. You would think that it has to hard on the brakes/drive train when the ABLS suddenly stops one wheel when it is under power.

PHOEBISIS · 10-15-2005, 04:42 PM

Skyhammer,I never considered that it is the equivalent of braking under power.I learned on a stick shift,so now I'm a right foot only driver-off throttle,on brake.This ABLS brakes while on throttle-might bang things around a bit.
Now this ABLS works on just the rear wheels when the 4x4 is just in 2wd,right?It isn't completely inactivated just because you are only using 2wd?
I'm curious because the 4x4's that are failing are probably in 4x4 mode maybe 1% of the time.Your ranch is such that you might be in 4x4 a large percent of the time,but the majority of 4x4 folks get it for snow,or occasional dirt road-crummy unimproved road use,so they probably use it very little.
There really aren't huge numbers of failures;I would guess well under 30 folks here have reported a failure-5000+ members,I think.
You are giving you ABLS a good workout,if it is "bad" it probably would have broken already(9000 miles,right?).The failures have been a pitifully low miles 3000,4000,4500,6000,7800.
Well,we'll see.Thanks.Charlie

skyhammer · 10-15-2005, 06:08 PM

Charlie, the ABLS works in 2wd mode as well. By the way, in 4wd the ABLS works on all 4 wheels. The ABLS sensor really has it work cut out for it when you are spinning all 4 tires.
You would think that the ABLS (when engaged frequently) would increase the wear on the brakes. But, this is my second Titan and I have never had a brake problem even though I am in rather steep hill country. I never was one for using the brakes much, I always try to use the gears to slow down. I just put in a few ounces of brake fluid today. This tells me that the pads have been worn a little.