ABS eliminated

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12/14/2010, 11:06 PM
djvx

ABS eliminated

I eliminated my ABS brakes when I did my rotors this summer (by mistake). But I decided to try it through the beginning of winter to see If I like it better without the annoying chattering on the pedal and the unwanted gliding through intersections I experienced last winter. So far it has been much better. Solid Braking on icy, snowy, deeply frozen snow pack, and slushy areas.
I actually couldn't get it to stop with ABS sometimes;ooy;. I'm still worried about the time when I'll have to slam them on out of sheer reaction, I think that's where they pay off.
12/15/2010, 05:58 AM
Ebenezr

My VX has been working fine without ABS as long as I have had it -4 months. The mechanic that was employed by the used car lot that sold it to me tore the ABS sensor wire out of the rt front when "she" did the ball joints. A 200 dollar loss I have not delt with yet.
12/15/2010, 06:25 AM
JAMAS

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ebenezr

when "she"

probably not the reason it got broke. A bad mechanic is a bad mechanic.
12/15/2010, 06:31 AM
tom4bren

Quote:

Originally Posted by djvx

I'm still worried about the time when I'll have to slam them on out of sheer reaction, I think that's where they pay off.

I highly recommend that you find an empty parking lot or a deserted road to test it out. It's always better to 'know by experience' how your vehicle will react.
12/15/2010, 06:53 AM
deermagnet

Quote:

Originally Posted by djvx

I actually couldn't get it to stop with ABS sometimes.

That's just what a lot of us have found out. Our ABS is just too sensitive. It can get you killed! I disabled mine permanently and before that I installed a cut-off switch that I used during slippery conditions.

It's no fun when you need to stop and the ABS won't let it happen. There's times when you just need to stop ASAP and there's no place to steer around. In that case, ABS will cause an accident. Hopefully, no one will be killed or injured.

Mark Griffin
12/15/2010, 06:58 AM
atilla_the_fun

Jeez guys, I was just about to make a thread on this. My ABS starts working again when its freeze your balls off cold, which it always is here in Minneapolis. My diagnostics and the ABS light tell me that the module needs to be replaced, but it comes alive when its really cold.

I've been driving with the ABS on sometimes, and with it OFF sometimes and I was freaking out last night thinking one of my calipers had detached. I couldn't stop at lights without going 50ft past them, what the hell?? All the streets are snow-packed, but I never had these issues when the car warms up and the ABS light comes back on. I don't usually skid either.

I've never owned a car with ABS before, I knew about he pulsing (which is NOISY) but not about the ****ty brake distances.

Does anyone have a broken ABS module? I'd like to take it apart and see why mine re-activated when it gets cold, but shuts off after running the car for more than an hour (heat)

Its 4 degrees F in minneapolis right now
12/15/2010, 07:04 AM
deermagnet

Atilla, you're seeing the same thing as many of us. Do you really wanna fix it and make sure the ABS is on all the time? One day you may end up in the middle of an intersection and get t-boned by a big rig. That would suck!

Mark
12/15/2010, 07:05 AM
WormGod

By habit, I always keep quite a bit of distance between me and the car forward anyways. Think it comes from living in DC with a manual tranny and just not wanting to sit on my brakes all the timer. Easier to just coast and torque brake, using that space to slow stop. I adopted this with my VX naturally. Different in an auto however, so at speed, I stay quite a ways away from folks.... in traffic, I tend to stay in a lower gear and keep some distance. Needless to say, I never go through brakes. I will probably go through a tranny first, heh.

Because of this, I have never had to put it to the test with a hard brake. In any weather. I never was happy with the operation of the VX ABS system. It always seemed a step behind me and fought me no matter what I wanted to do. Can't say I miss it.
12/15/2010, 09:50 AM
Ebenezr

So I guess I DON"T want to fix my ABS.?
12/15/2010, 09:57 AM
Ebenezr

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAMAS

probably not the reason it got broke. A bad mechanic is a bad mechanic.

I knew I was walking on eggshells when I spoke of gender. But she is a bad mechanic. She also reworked the brakes and tied off the rear brake line to the lateral rod which connects the axle to the frame. So with every bounce the brake line bends up and down. Nice. Then she was given a kia van to fix the water pump on and placed the timeing belt on wrong and bent the valves.
12/15/2010, 11:20 AM
rowhard

Quote:

Originally Posted by atilla_the_fun

My ABS starts working again when its freeze your balls off cold, which it always is here in Minneapolis.

Mine did the same exact thing when it got down into the 20's here but after the engine compartment warmed, the light came on.
12/15/2010, 11:53 AM
vt_maverick

So how do you disable the ABS? Pull all the ABS fuses?
12/15/2010, 12:49 PM
JAMAS

Quote:

Originally Posted by vt_maverick

So how do you disable the ABS? Pull all the ABS fuses?

wait patiently until it disables itself....

Worked for me:):)
12/15/2010, 12:50 PM
JAMAS

Quote:

Originally Posted by rowhard

Mine did the same exact thing when it got down into the 20's here but after the engine compartment warmed, the light came on.

Mine too.....wierd.
12/15/2010, 01:09 PM
deermagnet

Quote:

Originally Posted by vt_maverick

So how do you disable the ABS? Pull all the ABS fuses?

Yes, it's just that simple. There's only one ABS fuse in the box under the hood. Then you can try to put out the ABS light if you want to.

A long time ago when I first realized the danger my ABS presented, I would pull the fuse the night before an expected snow storm, and replace it a day or two later. Then I figured an easier way would be to install an ABS cut-off switch. I could turn it off instantly from in the cab. I put the switch in the blank next to the mirror heater switch.

http://www.wtv-zone.com/markg/switch.html

If you replace the fuse or turn the switch back on, the light will not go out and the ABS will not work again until the ignition is turned off and on again.

That worked great for years until I developed an ABS problem. I never tried to fix it. I pulled the fuse, put out the light, and never looked back.

The repair manual says that ABS uses a large amount of electricity. Without ABS, there'll be less strain on your alternator and battery.

Mark Griffin
12/15/2010, 01:09 PM
Gussie2000

Quote:

Originally Posted by WormGod

By habit, I always keep quite a bit of distance between me and the car forward anyways. Think it comes from living in DC with a manual tranny and just not wanting to sit on my brakes all the timer. Easier to just coast and torque brake, using that space to slow stop. I adopted this with my VX naturally. Different in an auto however, so at speed, I stay quite a ways away from folks.... in traffic, I tend to stay in a lower gear and keep some distance. Needless to say, I never go through brakes. I will probably go through a tranny first, heh.

Because of this, I have never had to put it to the test with a hard brake. In any weather. I never was happy with the operation of the VX ABS system. It always seemed a step behind me and fought me no matter what I wanted to do. Can't say I miss it.

X2

The braking distance of the VX is a bit freaky,i also make sure to stay away from the vehicule ahead of me. For a 4000 + pounds truck the brakes aren't the best.

My ABS stoped working couple of months ago.
12/15/2010, 01:36 PM
SilverBullet75

Question... If you disable the ABS while the controller is "good", would this halt further wear and pause the wear-timeframe, or would it continue to wear and possibly "go out" while electrically disconnected?
12/15/2010, 06:15 PM
djvx

Quote:

Originally Posted by vt_maverick

So how do you disable the ABS? Pull all the ABS fuses?

I accidently didnt remove the rows of teeth on the back of the old rotors and swap them onto the new rotors. Somehow that rendered the ABS to stop working. My light stays on but I'm used to it.
12/16/2010, 06:23 AM
WormGod

Quote:

Originally Posted by djvx

I accidently didnt remove the rows of teeth on the back of the old rotors and swap them onto the new rotors. Somehow that rendered the ABS to stop working. My light stays on but I'm used to it.

Ya, my tone rings are NON existent on my new rotors. When I had my new rotors, pads, and lines put on some months back, they called and told me my ABS was on, before they started. I said I knew and I was not concerned. When I picked it up, they asked if I wanted my old rotors and I said no. Sadly, I didnt realize until a few days later, that I had noticed my rings were still on the old rotors. If I thought about it, I should have had them at least give me those, but whatever. Not like the ABS failure was the rings anyways.
12/16/2010, 10:21 AM
vt_maverick

Quote:

Originally Posted by deermagnet

...There's only one ABS fuse in the box under the hood.

What does the second ABS fuse do? (EB-17 40A AND EB-13 20A are both labeled as ABS)

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/da...01123-1637.jpg
12/16/2010, 01:33 PM
deermagnet

Yeah, you're right, there is two fuses there. I haven't been in there in so long I thought that larger one was a relay. I always pulled just the small 20A fuse to disable. I guess either one would do it. If the light comes on it's disabled. I can't even remember now which one I cut the wire to for my ABS cut-off switch. I know it was a heavy white wire, so it probably was the larger 40A fuse.

Mark
12/16/2010, 09:35 PM
LittleBeast

My VX stops WAY better without the ABS. I am not sure why though. This should not be the case. Driving my old RX-8 without the ABS was like a suicide mission, but the VX seems to be way different. I almost rear ended people when my ABS was actually working and since it broke and I removed the annoying light bulb, nothing but quick stops for me. Just this past week it saved me rear ending someone on Kirby.