Just curious, how many of you guys are running ABS?
Poll Question
Ranger
#2
[quote=“mcmmotorsports” post=64423]Just curious, how many of you guys are running ABS?[/quote]You’re required to have ABS, but I don’t know that you’re required to make it functional tho.
When I first got my car ABS didn’t work. I figured “no big deal, I’ll be able to feel lockup and modulate pedal pressure such that it all works out.” What I found tho is that I couldn’t always feel a wheel locking up. Several ruined tires later I resolved to fix the ABS system. It required a new ABS relay and replacing the ABS light.
I learned an interesting impact of ABS in my crash. Locking up the brakes so that the car will slide in the chosen direction doesn’t necessarily work when ABS allows the wheels to keep spinning whether you want them to or not. That could put you right into car shopping.
kgobey
#6
In the Midwest it’s best to keep it for those rainy days IMO. And I am now back here in Chicago, so I am going to keep mine for as long as it lasts.
jtower
#8
[quote=“Steve D” post=64473]Mine doesn’t work.
From the looks of my rear bumper, neither does Tower’s. :whistle:[/quote]
and from the looks of my rear bumper, neither do walsh’s 
i’ve actually been considering installing a switch so i can turn abs off in the dry. on a couple of occasions i’m pretty sure abs lengthened my stopping distances by going into “ice mode” or whatever it’s called. in the wet i’m very happy to have it but in the dry it’s a toss up. having abs prevents flat spotting tires but may lengthen stopping distances. not having it puts the driver in complete control but requires each tire (per axle) to have equal force on it to work optimally which is often not the case. this is why the RF tire tends to lock first, it generally has less weight on than the LF. abs can theoretically reduce braking force on the RF without affecting the other three.
Laszlo
#9
and by the looks of my front(my fault) and rear bumper…neither does Tower’s. I agree with the ABS kicking in and lengthening brake zone.
ddavidv
#12
Mine works and I find it unobtrusive. Maybe I don’t use the brakes hard enough. :lol: My brother-in-law built an identical car to mine alongside and his ABS did not work. He flat spotted several tires and demanded it be fixed. Took me awhile, but I finally found all it’s faults. Count 2 cars more that have it.
PThibault
#13
Running without ABS from early last year. Not really that bad, just had to go back to the basics of braking. A big disadvantage in the rain.
I have had problems in the past where if i would get into abs with heavy braking, the abs would just release pressure and would loose all stoping power. Like i was driving on ice. I feel more confident in the pedal without abs. But i think that i may have solved the problem this winter… wont konw till a few weeks.
No ABS
theShoe
#14
[quote=“jtower” post=64487][quote=“Steve D” post=64473]Mine doesn’t work.
From the looks of my rear bumper, neither does Tower’s. :whistle:[/quote]
and from the looks of my rear bumper, neither do walsh’s
i’ve actually been considering installing a switch so i can turn abs off in the dry.[/quote]
Now that is a great idea!
When I did a Skip Barber school back in '99 they had their Neons set up that way so we could practice with ABS on or off. I think I will do that!
To answer OP question. I do have ABS. Was not working on car when first built. I could not seem to keep from flat spotting Front Right and would consistantly get rear lock up under hard braking. So I fixed the ABS. I have heard that certain models work fine with no ABS but earlier models create an imbalance when ABS not working. Dont know. I do agree with one poster who said it is nice to lock the car up and head in one direction. Again going back to my Skip Barber racing days, the formula cars were absent ABS and at times, at Laguna, it was nice to have the ability to lock it up and keep it going in one direction to stay off the wall. But,… we did have the advantage of seeing the tires!