Been lurking for a while, meant to post sooner with an intro. I have an 89 Cherokee 4.0 which is fitted with the Bendix 9 abs system. I've searched and read related threads recommending removal of this system, as it's expensive to maintain. I drove my Jeep to Atlanta this week and noticed the ABS pump seemed much quieter than normal through-out the week but functioned as expected (cycled normally). As I was making my way through Charlotte on the way back, the "Brake" light illuminated (although they still functioned normal), I stopped at a rest area, the pump was on, but sounded weak. I checked for fluid leaks or any obvious anomalies but couldn't find any. As I left the parking lot, the power assist was gone and the pedal seemed to pulse as if they were in anti-lock mode (I believe the pulsing was due to the continuous running ABS pump; after I pulled the breaker for the pump the pulsing was gone and I was left with very poor brakes). I've read over recall 702; are there any easy checks I can do in my garage to determine if this was caused by a faulty actuator (master cylinder) or pump? Just wondering if I'll get screwed by Chrysler, the actuator is 500 and the pump is 699 (re-man). I can swap over to the newer system, as there are many in the local salvage yard. On a side note, the pump sounds as if its been failing all week (possibly the culprit or the result of a failing mc. Sorry for the long first post, but I'm frustrated; it's a great one owner jeep (immaculate) with excellent maintenance records, I looked for over a year until I settled on this one.

 

I would swap over to a vacuum booster and master cylinder, from a 96+ according to memory.