Disable ABS for Winter Driving (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Nov 30, 2004
Threads
59
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Location
Moncton, NB
Hello all,

My wife has requested to have the ABS disabled in the LX because of unpredictabe behaviour when stopping in snowy conditions.

Unfortunately the engineer that designed ABS did not live in a place where it snows. It takes twice the distance to stop and the truck is all over the place.

With the CDL installed the ABS is disabled, but the centre diff is locked. Does anyone know how to easily disable the ABS without using the CDL? Is there and ABS fuse?
 
I noticed the same thing when driving my 80 around the other day. Sometimes you go a LOT farther out into the intersection than you planned on.

Didn't think about disabling ABS though. Shouldn't ABS be stopping these bricks sooner, rather than later... what's the flaw here?
 
Doc said:
I noticed the same thing when driving my 80 around the other day. Sometimes you go a LOT farther out into the intersection than you planned on.

Didn't think about disabling ABS though. Shouldn't ABS be stopping these bricks sooner, rather than later... what's the flaw here?[/QUOTE]

michelin ltx m&s's???

if you've got them and you drive in snow, then you're asking for serious difficulties.
 
no way I'd disable my ABS. It's saved me a few times. Like the time I was heading down a steep grade into 2 piles of previous cars at 60 mph. By the time I got there I was doing 15 mph and drove on past in complete control. The biggest problem with ABS is drivers don't know how to use it. They tend to only add enough pedal pressure that avoids it engaging. So a little ABS noise and they let off the brake or stop pusshing there and only 1 wheel is activated, the other three could take more. Wrong, if need be both feet on the brakes and as hard as you can push.
 
I like the ABS too, especially on the steep-ish downhill section that ends at a stop light right after I get out of my driveway. It gives me control (steering) as well as effective braking in icy/snow conditions, which really happens just a couple weeks out of the year. But over several bad ice storms it has done well.
 
WHY in God's name would you want to disable one of the best saftey features on your truck? Are you too young to remember what stopping on snow and ice was like before ABS? DON'T DO IT! Shouting intended. And yes, even tho I'm in SoCal now, I learned to drive on snow and mostly ice in Illinois and Colorado. Born and raised Californian's don't know how to drive on rain slick roads, much less snow and ice (mountain dwellers exempt from last comment). Just MHO.
 
You can't compare the braking when you have the CDL and when you don't. The engine braking is different when it is locked and unlocked. Personally I wouldn't do it. We have snow here too. Not as bad as what you have in the great white north but we still have crappy roads. If you put the pedal to the floor the rig will stop. You just have to push hard.
 
ABS will not necessarily reduce your stopping distances. In some cases it will increase your stopping distances. Like some have stated above.

The main benefit from ABS is to allow you to steer while braking during an emergency stop. ABS also helps to keep your truck straight and stable on a patchy road road surface, e.g. ice, snow and clear asphalt.

The best way to use ABS is when your wheels start to slip hit the brake pedal as hard as you can and don't forget to steer around anything you might hit. Disclaimer: Only start to steer if you are going relatively slow.
 
This reminds me of a thread in the 40 section about the best way to replace TBI with a carb. Why would you want to? When the ABS kicks in you stop longer than you would normally BECAUSE YOU ARE ON ICE.

Besides, as stated above you can steer.

You probably oughtta disable the airbag as well because it could go off in an accident, smudging your wife's lipstick.

I am probably coming off as a dick, but don't disable the safety equipment on your vehicle.
 
If you've never had ABS, and you try to do an emergency stop in an ABS equipped vehicle, things get a little scarey. I know that I can control my non-ABS vehicle in an emergency evasive situation, if I was in an ABS'd vehicle, my instincts would kick in and I'd screw over the system. If I had ABS, I would also disable it durring winter, just what I'd do. If you don't have the skill to handle it, then don't take the chance, that chance might be your life.
 
Hmmmm. Disabling the ABS sounds like a great way to convert ordinary negligence into gross negligence. That way when you ram someone and they sue you, they can get punitive damages too! Oh nevermind--you're in Canada.
 
Dude,

Tell your wife to PUSH hard on the brake pedal! My wife drives her SUV for work and it has saved her bacon a few times on ice.
 
The only skill abs takes is to push the pedal hard, go to an empty parking lot, make sure you don't have any loose boxes in the back and then have her practice stomping on it.
 
no ABS here....I like the way it stops...of course...not much snow/ice either.
 
I've driven my 91' 80 in ice when it froze here in TX a few years back and it took the truck forever to stop, and the FJ80s don't have ABS, my mom's car when driving in front of me stopped much faster than mine did. Luckily there was no one in front of me or in the intersection at the time.
 
I have to chime in. My 96 LX is a delight on slippery-as-snot roads. With GOOD snow tires. I hate it with mud or all seasons. Aamigia - what tires are you running in winter?

Maybe you have a problem like a bad sensor or controller. Have you checked the system out?

We get plenty of ice and packed snow in Spokane and I am always on the ABS - it flat works great for me. One technique that is very useful in these conditions is to learn to use the parking brake to steer the back end of the truck in turns - it really helps when your brake pedal starts pulsing and the front end is not going exactly where you want it to. It's also a lot of fun, and a valuable skill for navigating around a potential collision. Pick an empty parking lot without any curbs and practice practice practice.

John Davies
 
Now I had an 89 Nissan Maxima with ABS that was scary in the snow. If the ABS engaged it would not disengage until the car came to a complete stop; even if i took my foot off the brake. Other than this fault the ABS was nice. :D

I don't have to much experience with the 80 on ice, but I'm sure it doesn't have this quality.
 
Thanks for all the comments, even from the DICKS :D

Unfortunately, I'm not going to pay much attention to the one from people that don't live with snow on a regular basis.

I admit the tires are stock LTX m&s and "All Season" tires are for all season in the Southern US. They do not handle snow or ice at all.

I think that it's a known fact that ABS is not designed for snow & ice. A competent driver (which my wife is) can easily stop better in snow than the best ABS system. Threshold Braking will do wonders in the snow. The only thing that ABS does well is preventing the back end from locking up and spinning the vehicle.

If you're used to just stomping on the brakes with 2 feet you will skid in snow for a very far distance. The secret is to apply the brakes gradually, staying above the threshold of locking the wheels and/or pump the brakes. The ABS will pump for you, but too quickly and constantly locking the wheels because you are applying too much pressure and you can tell because everything is vibrating.

This is from the CANADIAN Government:

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Is the stopping distance shorter with ABS?

No! From early commercials, it may have looked like you could stop on a dime. That instantaneous stop is not realistic. When braking on dry or wet roads your stopping distance will be about the same as with conventional brakes.

You should allow for a longer stopping distance with ABS than for conventional brakes when driving on gravel, slush, and snow. This is because the rotating tire will stay on top of this low traction road surface covering, and effectively "float" on this boundary layer.

A non ABS braked vehicle can lock its tires and create a snow plow effect in front of the tires which helps slow the vehicle. These locked tires can often find more traction below this boundary layer.

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Another:

If I live in the Snow Belt, how can I benefit from ABS? Even in fresh snow conditions, you gain the advantages of better steerability and stability with four-wheel ABS than with a conventional system that could result in locked wheels.

In exchange for an increased stopping distance, the vehicle will remain stable and maintain full steering since the wheels won't be locked. The gain in stability makes a potential increase in stopping distances an acceptable compromise for most drivers. All in all, these benefits outweigh the rare instances where the ABS system increases distances over non-ABS equipped vehicles.

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I don't doubt the stability, but if you have to stop and have no where to go... Guess what? You have to stop.
 

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