ABS Brakes suck
ABS Brakes suck
Has anyone had this problem and got a solution?
I have owned a few 4wds without ABS brakes in the past and one of the great things about not haveing ABS is that on dirt, mud or sand you can lock the wheels and as the tyres skid the pile of dirt they build up in front of them stop the car reasonably fast.
This last weekend i have been on stockton beach playing as we do when i have hit the brakes expecting to stop only to find the ABS kicks in and causes the car to take a much longer time than expected to stop. This has also happened on dirt roads and mud in the past.
I have wondered if pulling the fuse would work but thought i should ask the question of those that have gone before me. So please realese your wisdom upon me before i fail to stop at the crest of the next cliff.
I have owned a few 4wds without ABS brakes in the past and one of the great things about not haveing ABS is that on dirt, mud or sand you can lock the wheels and as the tyres skid the pile of dirt they build up in front of them stop the car reasonably fast.
This last weekend i have been on stockton beach playing as we do when i have hit the brakes expecting to stop only to find the ABS kicks in and causes the car to take a much longer time than expected to stop. This has also happened on dirt roads and mud in the past.
I have wondered if pulling the fuse would work but thought i should ask the question of those that have gone before me. So please realese your wisdom upon me before i fail to stop at the crest of the next cliff.
I have been told that it works, the easiest way to test is to pull it and try, surely it wouldnt stop the breaks from working at all that would be a massive safety issue, just have the hand break ready just incase :P
2002 Impreza GX Hatch: Dents, Scratches, Missing inside wheel arch, Barely attached front bumper.
1983 Brumby: Currently being rebuilt.
1983 Brumby: Currently being rebuilt.
- subalex
- Junior Member
- Posts: 218
- Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2005 10:00 am
- Location: Kellyville Ridge, Sydney
Absolutely this is a necessary modification for off roading. In muddy (or indeed sandy) conditions the ABS doesn't allow the wheels to lock up when you actually need them to and hey presto, you can have you, your family and the family car loaded with all your belongings heading backwards fast down a steep muddy incline, with no grip, toward the car behind you waiting at the bottom.
Many people arrange an on/off switch for the ABS system that just interrupts the fuse. Either that or do what you suggested and just pull it out - that will disable it as well... not your brakes.. just the ABS system. I don't think the RTA would like it, still, it's either that or a crash. Plenty of 4WDers have done it to their bigger 4WDs as well.
Many people arrange an on/off switch for the ABS system that just interrupts the fuse. Either that or do what you suggested and just pull it out - that will disable it as well... not your brakes.. just the ABS system. I don't think the RTA would like it, still, it's either that or a crash. Plenty of 4WDers have done it to their bigger 4WDs as well.
'91 Sportswagon - 3" lifted, 14" speedys, 27" Nankangs + lots of small details improved. Wouldn't mind some extra grunt from an EJ.
why would it be a massive safety issue ?Prunes wrote:I have been told that it works, the easiest way to test is to pull it and try, surely it wouldnt stop the breaks from working at all that would be a massive safety issue, just have the hand break ready just incase :P
been driving cars long time - no abs brakes, cars still braked:p
I think its true about whats said about people's perceived risk factor....
its why it seems people apparently tail gate you more these days...they think
they can trust the damn brakes more instead of leaving a good margin:mad:
hmm i'll havta look at doing this switch on the OBW, anyone already done it?
- Ben
- Junior Member
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- Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2005 10:00 am
- Location: Coffs Harbour, North Coast NSW
Re read his post, it was said that if pulling the fuse made the brakes stop working altogether that it would be a massive safety issue, not that removing abs would be a massive safety issue.fredsub wrote:why would it be a massive safety issue ?
The ABS in the outback has not caused me any dramas whatsoever.
- subalex
- Junior Member
- Posts: 218
- Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2005 10:00 am
- Location: Kellyville Ridge, Sydney
If I were you, I'd check with the RTA and/or your insurer as to what would be approved (unless someone else here knows the real deal with it). Eg. you pull the fuse out and then forget to put it in again when you hit the tarmac again and you smash up the front so as not to be able to put the ABS fuse back in then you're stuffed... I think. Likewise with the switch. If the car is fitted with ABS then usually they insure it as being operational and, hence, reduce your premium because of it's recognised safety benefit. Disable it and the insurer may come back at your claim with a "...but you disabled the unit that could have prevented the accident." Still, it's no different when we consider installing a manual override switch for the thermofans when we want to rig up dual thermos and switch them off for river crossings. If we turn the fans off for a crossing then fail to watch the temp guage go through the roof afterwards and let the engine cook, our insurer can tell us to get stuffed. That would be fair too unless they've said they'll cover you with that modification.
Since we 4WDers recognise advantage of disabling the ABS system there should some 4WD insurers that do likewise. For instance, my insurance policy was not offered to me direct from Allianz (they told me that they don't cover modified vehicles) when I tried shopping around but a 4WD Insurance Broker found a product offered by them that covers me for every square inch of the land and sea in my Subie including all of its modifications.
Since we 4WDers recognise advantage of disabling the ABS system there should some 4WD insurers that do likewise. For instance, my insurance policy was not offered to me direct from Allianz (they told me that they don't cover modified vehicles) when I tried shopping around but a 4WD Insurance Broker found a product offered by them that covers me for every square inch of the land and sea in my Subie including all of its modifications.
'91 Sportswagon - 3" lifted, 14" speedys, 27" Nankangs + lots of small details improved. Wouldn't mind some extra grunt from an EJ.
so u want to remove ABS braking...when its a tried and tested safety feature shown to improve car stopping distances...ok.
on sand rip the handbrake. that will lock the wheels. and if u want more sand getting stuck up infront the the tyres. spin the steering wheel to the left or right as u stop.
until i drive one with ABS on sand...i probly wont no why u wuld want to seriously do it. ive never needed to slam the brakes on to stop...dunno wt ur doing wrong
and even if i do drive with ABS. not sayin ill be wanting to remove the fuse neway. it will more than likely stay there
on sand rip the handbrake. that will lock the wheels. and if u want more sand getting stuck up infront the the tyres. spin the steering wheel to the left or right as u stop.
until i drive one with ABS on sand...i probly wont no why u wuld want to seriously do it. ive never needed to slam the brakes on to stop...dunno wt ur doing wrong
and even if i do drive with ABS. not sayin ill be wanting to remove the fuse neway. it will more than likely stay there
Wagon is no longer....
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Hey Matatak you come for a drive with me sometime and see how freaky it is to have your foot hard on the brakes trying to stop and the car is going forward like you have a light break application. It.s not that i want to always stop fast but just stopping would be nice.
as you may know when you try and stop on sand you only need a light break aplication to get the car to stop very fast because the wheels lock into the sand , but with the ABS as soon as this happens the ABS releases the the breakes and the wheel then rolls over the mound of sand it has built up increasing the stoping distance.
The only time i have found ABS to be an excellent feature is when i'm on a bitumin road other than that i have found it to be less effective than open breaks with me using the cadence braking system as i needed to.
Anyway one day you may get the chance to drive with abs
as you may know when you try and stop on sand you only need a light break aplication to get the car to stop very fast because the wheels lock into the sand , but with the ABS as soon as this happens the ABS releases the the breakes and the wheel then rolls over the mound of sand it has built up increasing the stoping distance.
The only time i have found ABS to be an excellent feature is when i'm on a bitumin road other than that i have found it to be less effective than open breaks with me using the cadence braking system as i needed to.
Anyway one day you may get the chance to drive with abs
on loose gravel roads crawling down a steep driveway i could push the brake pedal all the way to floor and the car would not stop at all because of the ABS. Its really good for emergencies on the road. But it can be dangerous offroad. I would also say once you have lifted your car and put bigger tires on it that it would be very unlikely to operate at the correct point.
- Gannon
- Senior Member
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- Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2005 10:00 am
- Location: Bowraville, Mid Nth Coast, NSW
How about a push button switch, so you have to be pushing the switch to disable the ABS, that way you cant forget it when you are back on the road.
Current rides: 2016 Mitsubishi Triton GLS & 2004 Forester X
Ongoing Project/Toy: 1987 RX Turbo EA82T, Speeduino ECU, Coil-pack ignition, 440cc Injectors, KONI adjustale front struts, Hybrid L Series/ Liberty AWD 5sp
Past rides: 92 L series turbo converted wagon, 83 Leone GL Sedan, 2004 Liberty GT Sedan & 2001 Outback
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Ongoing Project/Toy: 1987 RX Turbo EA82T, Speeduino ECU, Coil-pack ignition, 440cc Injectors, KONI adjustale front struts, Hybrid L Series/ Liberty AWD 5sp
Past rides: 92 L series turbo converted wagon, 83 Leone GL Sedan, 2004 Liberty GT Sedan & 2001 Outback
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trouble is you'd have to push the button while braking...you should have both hands on the wheel.
you could set it up with a latching relay so that pushing the button activates the relay, and it then holds the relay on, until you either turn it off (with another switch) or it resets when you turn the car off.
you could set it up with a latching relay so that pushing the button activates the relay, and it then holds the relay on, until you either turn it off (with another switch) or it resets when you turn the car off.
Hmmm good point i am usually focused on stoping rather than looking for a switch.Point wrote:trouble is you'd have to push the button while braking...you should have both hands on the wheel.
you could set it up with a latching relay so that pushing the button activates the relay, and it then holds the relay on, until you either turn it off (with another switch) or it resets when you turn the car off.