what's your take on antilock breaks?

[JeepcoMJ]

I HATE ABS. my company van has had the brakes pulsating from left to right in slippery conditions. they actually choose to pulsate and lock the side that's slipping, and so I end up sliding with no control. and they're very touchy...you start slipping because they don't work properly, so you let up on the breaks...to no avail. doesn't do any good whatsoever.

 

 

so, I've vowed that, from now on, I intend to remove ABS on each and every vehicle that I ever own.

 

and yeah, I'm about as much a fan of abs as I am of air bags. air bags are 110mph of killing power that wasn't necessary in a low speed crash. the bruises are better than broken bones (only time an air bag went off on me, I was a passenger in a car and it broke two ribs and a thumb...that was into a tree at 45mph in snowy conditions. similar condition, air bags failed to go off, I had a few bruises)

[Automan2164]

 

Rob L.

[ComancheKid45]

I hate em! I wanna be in control of my actions, not vise versa..... I have them in my delivery trucks at work and can't stand em in the snow

[watchamakalit]

Make the driver smarter not the vehicle. I know some make the argument that humans can't pump the pedal as fast as abs can. But I still maintain that if you educate the driver on how to control the vehicle they will be less likely to get into a skid and if you teach them how to handle a skid they will be less likely to panic and lose control. ABS, Traction Control, anti-roll stability, throw all that crap in the trash and just teach people to drive.

[JeepcoMJ]

rob, that's great and all, but the simplest thing to do WITHOUT abs is to not stomp the brakes. slight pressure will slow you down to a point where you're able to still steer, and will enable you to get to lower speeds where you CAN stomp on the brakes.

[jimoshel]

ABS , Just another way to cover over poor driver skills.

[64 Cheyenne]

I like the brains of my vehicle behind the wheel where they belong.

Don't really care for "smart" cars either, too much techno. It's already to the point that big brother can download the computer in your "smart" car use it against you. No thank you, I'll keep my non talking, non thinking MJ any day. I know the MJ has a computer but I'm sure you all know what I mean.

[Pete M]

I hate them. Although, I've made my piece with the more intelligent versions.

 

Related story, the ABS and stability control systems in the Libby suddenly died just the other day. I was ECSTATIC to finally be able to drive the dang thing as cars were meant to be driven. :banana: Then it dawned on me that it's not actually my Jeep and I'd need to fix it for dad. :( Also the cruise won't work and that's a bit of a bummer.

[MJ is dead]

Go ahead and flame. But here's my take. Yes, a smarter driver is always better than a smarter car. But in reality there isn't really that many smart drivers anymore. In reality, the automakers need these things, call it an opiate for the masses if you will. Modern drivers need traction control, abs, and airbags. And as far as safety is considered, the statistics will show that modern vehicles are much safer than that 81 honda your aunt mable drives.

 

Sure, they can be a PITA, but I for one, have no qualms with these safety features

[Pete M]

My problem is that ABS doesn't help you stop faster in every situation. It merely helps you steer. Sometimes I just want to friggin' stop. :headpop: Not roll past the stop sign because one tire locked up. :fs1: After the ABS died, I drove around the neighborhood just so I could prove to myself how hard it was to skid through a stop sign. :shake:

[Eagle]

I've driven ABS once, in a rental car in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in winter. It was one of the more frightening experiences of my 60+ years of life.

 

Think about it -- what does ABS do? It releases the brakes when you are trying to apply them. There is simply no way they can make a vehicle stop any faster than the driving conditions allow, but because people who buy them have been brainwashed into thinking that ABS magically makes the brakes work as well on ice as they do on dry pavement ... they drive accordingly. It's like 4WD -- on any given snow storm morning, it's rare in my half hour commute not to pass at least two SUVs in a ditch because they thought having 4WD (or AWD) meant they didn't need to slow down in slippery conditions.

 

I want no part of them.

[Automan2164]

ABS not only lets those who can't pump the brakes from dead-skidding into the object from not being able to turn... It also reduces the distance taken to stop.

 

When skidding, you do not have optimal friction on the pavement. ABS allows the car to pulse the brakes and keep the wheelspeed closer to the point just before friction is lost.

 

Bosch makes a good video explaining everything.

 

Rob L.

[freakjeep93]

my dads truck has abs and it seriously freaks me out. its extremly sensitive and ive had it activate on me on dry pavement with a little bit of gravel on it. it just seems as if that truck does not want to stop

[Pete M]

ABS not only lets those who can't pump the brakes from dead-skidding into the object from not being able to turn... It also reduces the distance taken to stop.

 

When skidding, you do not have optimal friction on the pavement. ABS allows the car to pulse the brakes and keep the wheelspeed closer to the point just before friction is lost.

 

Bosch makes a good video explaining everything.

 

Rob L.

 

 

That's a fascinating theory put out by the makers of ABS systems, but it doesn't apply to all conditions.

 

And I gotta point out that all of those "non abs" cars skidded out instantly, as if the drivers hammered the undersized brakes with all their might. There is such a thing as moderate brake pressure. it's not an all-or-nothing proposition. If ABS was truly the be-all-end-all (or whatever that phrase is), I gotta imagine you'd see it in competition.

[Automan2164]

But thats who its made for. People with knee-jerk reactions who just slam the pedal. Few people have the foresight and poise in an immediate decision to not apply full pressure.

 

Rob L.

[64 Cheyenne]

Chalk up another to the insurance industry, I'm surprised we aren't wearing crash helmets in our cars yet. :rotf:

[jimoshel]

Hush up guy. They'll think of it sooner or later without you mentioning it.

[Oizarod115]

say what you will but i for one love abs. my 1990 volvo will outstop ANYTHING in a panic, and the abs works wonderfully especially on ice.

 

it's kind-of like automatic transmissions, you may be able to shift your 1990 jeep 5spd faster than a 1990 AW4 can... but its impossible to shift a stick ferrari better than an automatic ferrari can do it.

[89eliminator]

how did you break antilocks?

[james750]

say what you will but i for one love abs. my 1990 volvo will outstop ANYTHING in a panic, and the abs works wonderfully especially on ice.

 

it's kind-of like automatic transmissions, you may be able to shift your 1990 jeep 5spd faster than a 1990 AW4 can... but its impossible to shift a stick ferrari better than an automatic ferrari can do it.

The ferrari can shift faster, but the torque converter slippage more than makes up for the gained time in shifting. Manual trans FTW.

 

 

 

Also, ABS is unnecessary if you can threshold brake. BUT most people don't know how to threshold brake. I can, and I don't have ABS in any of my vehicles. :D

[Geonovast]

I can't stand ABS. None of my Jeeps have had it... except my new 99 does. I'm starting to think the vibration during braking is being cause by it.

[Pete M]

BUT most people don't know how to threshold brake.

 

 

If they never have to learn, they will never know. :(

 

how many generations before no one remembers how to manually parallel park?

[Eagle]

how many generations before no one remembers how to manually parallel park?

They already can't. Drive down any street that has parallel parking and pay attention to the way cars are (allegedly) "parked."

 

Seen the new Lincoln ads? Automatic parallel parking! Where's that :barf: icon when you need it?

[dasbulliwagen]

how did you break antilocks?

 

He said his Cruise control also didnt work, so I assume some kind of speed sensor.

[Pete M]

I'm in favor of broken antilocks. :D

 

In my case there are 5 different sensors, 10 different wires with possible continuity breaks, and maybe even a failed clockspring that could all cause this. yippee. oh, and most code scanners don't pick up ABS faults so I might have to go to a dealership for a scan. hurray.

 

:rant: