ABS Brake Components

Toll Free: 877-525-5233

ABS systems were designed to increase stopping performance.  Skidding wheels have less traction and therefore take longer to stop than non-skidding wheels.  Skidding wheels also put the vehicle in more danger of accident due to the lack of control.  By monitoring and controlling the rate of deceleration of each wheel anti lock brake systems avoid this skidding.

ABS systems consist of 4 primary components:

ABS Controller; the brains of the system.  ABS Controllers are a computer that reads the inputs and then controls the system to keep the wheels from locking up and skidding.

 ABS Speed Sensors; there are generally one on each wheel (sometimes they are located on the differential).  They let the ABS Controller know a wheel has locked up.

ABS Modulator/Valves; some system have separate valves for each wheel with a modulator to control them.  Other systems they are combined.  In either case they work with the controller and the pump to add or release pressure from the individual wheels brakes to control the braking.

ABS Pumps; since the ABS modulator/valves can release pressure from the individual wheels brakes there needs to be a way to restore the pressure when required.  That is what the ABS pumps job is. When the pump is cycling the driver may experience a slight pedal vibration.  This cycling is happening many times per second and this slight vibration is natural.