ABS??

[TJ Baker]

Across the web I come across posts where owners have pulled the fuse for the ABS system for one reason or another. Most often seems to be they are unable or unwilling to repair it.

I wonder how many have experienced a full on, stand on the brake pedal emergency stop situation where there is undeniably no way they would have avoided impact without the computerized system.

I learned to drive long before there were ABS systems so I'm quite familiar with techniques for emergency stops without ABS. I also have experienced a single event where I needed the ABS to avoid a collision. In my case it was a moonless night in New Mexico in open range country at 65 mph. Tooling along when you get that first glimpse ahead in the distance. Cattle. Totally black cattle. Nail the brakes, the instinct is to start playing the pedal to not stay locked up, but just as suddenly I realized the system is made for this. Stand on that pedal and let it work!! The truck made a good deal of noise but it wasn't the usual tire squeal, indeed the next day in the light I could scarcely find the skid marks. I came to a stop less than 2 foot from the group that were crossing the 2 lane highway. They didn't even look my way.

After that experience there is no way I am ever disabling an ABS system. Of course tires make a difference as well. I run Michelins on my personal vehicles. The cattle event was in a rental pickup. Just a few thousand miles on it. Either a Ford F250 or equivalent Dodge Ram.

Comments/thoughts?

 

[Jason in DLH]

Interestingly enough I just did a post regarding this with thoughts on how to disable it. Low and behold I will be pulling the fuse to disable it tonight as I’ve had quite opposite results with ABS during snowy roads here in MN where I simply needed the wheels to lock and they didn’t. I personally want to be able to lock the wheels and relieve brake pressure a bit when needed to regain steering again. I like having full control.

 

[Doubeleive]

abs works as it was designed, it can also handicap you in certain situations

 

[TJ Baker]

Interestingly enough I just did a post regarding this with thoughts on how to disable it. Low and behold I will be pulling the fuse to disable it tonight as I’ve had quite opposite results with ABS during snowy roads here in MN where I simply needed the wheels to lock and they didn’t. I personally want to be able to lock the wheels and relieve brake pressure a bit when needed to regain steering again. I like having full control.

This is exactly what I was looking for. I wasn't considering snowy conditions. Before getting my 02 TrailBlazer and then my 05 Yukon, my vehicles were,,, 67 Mustangs (3), an 82, an 86 and an 87 Trans Am. These were in the suburbs of NYC where travel in snow was commonplace. I used to carry a couple hundred pounds of sand bags in the rear so I could get anywhere at all in those sleds.

 

[TJ Baker]

abs works as it was designed, it can also handicap you in certain situations

I guess all things are a compromise of sorts.

In the event I described there would have meat on the highway for sure.

I remember reading about how Stabilitrak was supposed to work and thinking I would rather handle those situations myself.

 

[Jason in DLH]

I just remembered another reason I want the wheels to lock....to throw it in reverse and pound the gas. This technique saved me from running into something once!

 

[drakon543]

I just remembered another reason I want the wheels to lock....to throw it in reverse and pound the gas. This technique saved me from running into something once!

haha only in vehicles I didn't care about and i was trying to smoke the tires. smoked the transmission instead. ive never run into a situation where locking the wheels up was a good choice. opting to allow the vehicle lose control so you can feel more in control just sounds counter productive to me. however im a firm believer that people should be able to do what they want to thier vehicles. well some things are just completely unsafe but thats a different discussion. good defensive driving and not being distracted are your best methods of avoidance. unless everything is just a sheet of ice my abs is never used because i always leave enough distance for reaction.

 

[TJ Baker]

haha only in vehicles I didn't care about and i was trying to smoke the tires. smoked the transmission instead. ive never run into a situation where locking the wheels up was a good choice. opting to allow the vehicle lose control so you can feel more in control just sounds counter productive to me. however im a firm believer that people should be able to do what they want to thier vehicles. well some things are just completely unsafe but thats a different discussion. good defensive driving and not being distracted are your best methods of avoidance. unless everything is just a sheet of ice my abs is never used because i always leave enough distance for reaction.

Agreed. In the cattle event I should have been travelling a little slower. I knew the area and where the cattle generally crossed although I usually traversed there in daylight hours. My single passenger and I were both keeping a sharp eye out but my speed really should have been a bit less that the posted limit.

If I were ever to consider an ABS disable it would have to be enabled by default with a switch or button of sorts to disable for a short timeframe only.

 

[drakon543]

Agreed. In the cattle event I should have been travelling a little slower. I knew the area and where the cattle generally crossed although I usually traversed there in daylight hours. My single passenger and I were both keeping a sharp eye out but my speed really should have been a bit less that the posted limit.

If I were ever to consider an ABS disable it would have to be enabled by default with a switch or button of sorts to disable for a short timeframe only.

technically you could do that but i dont think most abs systems would appreciate being turned on and off like that.

 

[Jason in DLH]

haha only in vehicles I didn't care about and i was trying to smoke the tires. smoked the transmission instead. ive never run into a situation where locking the wheels up was a good choice. opting to allow the vehicle lose control so you can feel more in control just sounds counter productive to me. however im a firm believer that people should be able to do what they want to thier vehicles. well some things are just completely unsafe but thats a different discussion. good defensive driving and not being distracted are your best methods of avoidance. unless everything is just a sheet of ice my abs is never used because i always leave enough distance for reaction.

Just curious if you’ve ever driven on icy or snowy roads with the addition of hills?