Thread: Switch to turn off ABS for off-road use???

Originally Posted by chosen

G'day all,

I am just wondering if anyone has ever had any experience with modifying the ABS on Land rovers?

In particular I am thinking of an on/off switch for the ABS so that when you go off the black stuff you can turn it off to make driving conditions safer.

Anyone got any ideas about how to do it or if it has been done before, etc?

Cheers,

chosen

Just curious why would it be safer

Me too. Why do you want wheels to lock up under braking?

Its the theory that ABS by braking and releasing and braking induces a slide in gravel or on wet soil

Of course ABS is a better braking system than not having it but old diehards dont understand or trust new technology and come up with these weird ideas.

Not unusual to see posts in Land Rover Forums here and on USA boards with people asking how to disconnect the ABS as they eprceive it as being dangerous.

I guess there maybe some people who think drum brakes are better than discs

i find ABS great in slow off roading down steep hill took a bit of getting use too

If you really had to do it the easiest way would be to cut the ABS feed from the fuse box (after the fuse) and wire a switch in there.

I wouldnt bother, I would actually like to have ABS in some situations as my D1 doesnt have it and I have found situations which ABS would have made it safer and easier to drive especially on wet clay with no ruts and a hair pin bend on a steep hill, ABS would be nice.

If you really need to disconnect it for a specific reason, you could always just pull the fuse.

OK, well to all who asked why it would be safer here is the theory...

Now on some surfaces such as loose gravel roads the way to achieve the best stopping distance is as follows...

Brakes on... wheels stop rolling and allow the tyres to build up a bit of a chock of gravel in front of them aiding in the stopping. ALSO the tyres can then bite through the loose surface on top to the often firmer surface below.

It is a known fact the vehicles fitted with ABS can be more dangerous in some circumstances. Agreed it isn't very often but if you live at the end of a very long stretch of loose gravel road and there are kangaroos in the area you might not want it!

chosen

Originally Posted by chosen

OK, well to all who asked why it would be safer here is the theory...

Now on some surfaces such as loose gravel roads the way to achieve the best stopping distance is as follows...

Brakes on... wheels stop rolling and allow the tyres to build up a bit of a chock of gravel in front of them aiding in the stopping. ALSO the tyres can then bite through the loose surface on top to the often firmer surface below.

It is a known fact the vehicles fitted with ABS can be more dangerous in some circumstances. Agreed it isn't very often but if you live at the end of a very long stretch of loose gravel road and there are kangaroos in the area you might not want it!

chosen

Yes, this is all correct. For those of you with an older D1 with ABS if you haven't tried ABS agreesively on a gravel or corrugated surface, you don't know what you're in for. Stopping becomes something you wish to happen! My D2a is significantly better on a gravel or corrugated surface than my D1 was.

In a D2 though if you were to "switch off" ABS, then you've just disabled TC and HDC as well. In a Defender 110 Td5 you can do this at startup as the Wabco D unit has an ability to be shut off that isn't in the Wabco SLABS unit in the Disco's.

Of course if you're driving on pisolitic surfaces (think of a road covered in 6mm ball bearings), then it's just plan scary whether you're braking or not

On the Wabco site they actually warn that vehicles fitted with ABS may not stop very well on some loose surfaces.

If you ever have to do an emergency stop on the dirt at 110km it is quite an eye opener. My disco feels like it is only slowing geadually,, very hairy ride.

What you have said about the chock being formed is correct, the other point is that ABS on solid suface is a series of skid brake skid brake skid brake resulting in fantastic stopping. BUT on some loose surface types ABS braking is a series of skid slide skid slide skid slide resulting in little actual braking.

Originally Posted by chosen

OK, well to all who asked why it would be safer here is the theory...

Now on some surfaces such as loose gravel roads the way to achieve the best stopping distance is as follows...

Brakes on... wheels stop rolling and allow the tyres to build up a bit of a chock of gravel in front of them aiding in the stopping. ALSO the tyres can then bite through the loose surface on top to the often firmer surface below.

It is a known fact the vehicles fitted with ABS can be more dangerous in some circumstances. Agreed it isn't very often but if you live at the end of a very long stretch of loose gravel road and there are kangaroos in the area you might not want it!

chosen