disable teves abs?

[Guest joereatta]

An important point that folks have not spoken to is the benefit of being able to steer during a panic braking situation. With no ABS don't even think about doing anything but stopping in a straight line. Give me my ABS anyday.

[dnt]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: joereatta</div><div class="ubbcode-body">With no ABS don't even think about doing anything but stopping in a straight line. Give me my ABS anyday. </div></div>

Not exactly. Pumping the brakes quickly allows good directional control, but, more importantly, one only need pump the brakes when directional control is an issue and the rest of the time one can have superior stopping power without ABS interference.

[Guest steveskyhawk]

Good drivers don't panic. ABS is for the average driver!

[Richard S]

Joe's point is the one I was trying, however inarticulately, to make. I found the following link, which in turn contains citations to a number of articles that generally conclude: On dry pavement stopping distances will be very similar between abs and non-abs systems. On wet roads, abs will have the advantage, but on gravel or other surface where there is a better substrate than the top layer, non-abs has the advantage.

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef2150b/11967

Still, where steering and vehicle control, with panic braking, is necessary to aviod collision, I don't think a human can outperform the abs system. Too much is happening far to quickly, to which violent movement may be added, to allow the driver to pump the brakes and steer. This is particularly true if the vehicle begins to spin.

If the above is true, the narrow range of circumstances in which non-abs outperforms abs would seem to make the latter a good choice. I suppose those who live on gravel roads, or do a lot of driving in sand storms, would be best advised to disable a properly functioning system.

[bwarren]

Thank you everyone for making such valid and awakening points about the use of ABS breaks. I think this ABS question can only be answered with the help of the “Myth Busters”. If they have not done so yet, it would make a neat test for them. They are usually very good about making their test as real life as possible. I had never thought about the melded rubber affect during dry pavement lock-ups. As I thought more about it, I could see John Force sitting in his Castrol GTX funny car waiting for the lights on the tree to count down. I think he is relying on a nice long patch of melted rubber he just created to launch him a quarter of a mile in less then 4 seconds at over 300 mph. Without the hot melted sticky rubber, he might as well leave the car in the trailer. AS for me, ABS has never steered me wrong yet.

[Guest steveskyhawk]

John Force hit the wall. Being his daughter doesn't make you a good driver. Dad is the proof. Lets hope that wall hitting isn't a genetic trait for Ashley's sake. All kidding aside does anybody know if Nascar race vehicles are equipped with ABS. I'm guessing they are NOT. If they are not then that fact is telling. ABS is for beginners.

[Richard S]

I'm not at all certain that determinging whether or not abs is used in race applications is a good indicator of its comparable worth in street vehicles. At race speeds, on surfaces alternatively paved with rubber and oil, where weight and simplicity are large considerations, I'm not sure that abs is likely. Perhaps the racing philosophy was summed up by Peter Ustinov: "Any fool can make a car go slow; it takes a genius to make it go fast."

[Guest TommyH]

Wow. This is starting to get out of hand. On the other forums I belong to, this would have been locked half-way down.

[Guest DTerry]

Okay, I lied. One more and then that's all I have to say about that.

<span style="font-style: italic">"On wet roads, abs will have the advantage, but on gravel or other surface where there is a better substrate than the top layer, non-abs has the advantage."</span> TRUE STATEMENT (Most of the time)

<span style="font-style: italic">"ABS is for beginners."</span> ABS? OR JUST BS? (Sorry...just couldn't resist that one. )

<span style="font-style: italic">"As for me, ABS has never steered me wrong yet."</span> PUN INTENDED?

[Richard S]

I'm curious why Tommy thinks this thread would or should have been terminated. I admit I know little or nothing about forum rules or protocol. But I read nothing but useful and interesting opinions on an important topic by some very knowledgable people. I have seen nothing disrespectful or even cantankerous. Even a little healthy humor [thanks, Dave]. Seems like our forum at its best.

[Guest steveskyhawk]

I think we have all agreed to disagree. I don't know who said it but it seems the only real solution is a switch that allows the driver to turn it on or off.

[Guest Dan Cook]

I don't know what the laws are in other states but where I live in the high country of No. Calif. and Oregon I run studded tires in the Winter. They have worked fine on all the vehicles I've owned with ABS over the last 20 years or so.

Dan

[Guest joereatta]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: steveskyhawk</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Good drivers don't panic. ABS is for the average driver! </div></div>Guess that you don't have large whitetail deer out your way. Have one jump onto the road in front of you and you will find braking and manuverability extremely important. ABS is for drivers in non-average situations. I call them panic stops not average driving situations for average drivers.Take your pulse next time you're in such a situation. If your heart isn't racing, you are probably dead. RIP

[Guest Dan Cook]

Actually we have blacktail deer here and had one jump across the road two years ago. The panic stop was definatly the call of the day. That deer was scared up by a kid on a ATV and went straight across the the hiway. Had a 2003 Century with studs on then and with about an inch of ice on the road. Missed the deer, kept the car on the road and I didn't need to take my pulse, I could feel it in my eyeballs.

A car without ABS would probably be sliding into the next county.

[dnt]

This discussion is like those that argue about which motor oil brand and filter are best.

[doitnow]

GOD HAS SPOKEN!!!!!!!!!!!!

[padgett]

An expert driver on a race course with planned braking points and complete knowlege of the car can beat an ABS. For everyone else, ABS is good.

[mike2020]

Is there any way to turn that annoying ABS idiot light off or disable it some way (cut the wires?)

[Guest DTerry]

Simple. Remove the bulb.

[DAVES89]

Easier yet.Remove bezel. Put electrical tape on glass over light. Problem solved.

[dnt]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DTerry</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Simple. Remove the bulb. </div></div>

Is it really simple to remove the panel in a Reatta to get to the bulbs? I remember it took my mechanic more than an hour to replace an idiot light bulb in my Volvo--what a complicated mess.

[Guest DTerry]

Yep. Yanking the instrument panel is pretty easy...at least it is on an '89; don't know anything about the 90 or 91. It's been a long time and I don't remember the details of removal, but I'm sure there's someone here who's done it within the last month and will chime in to tell you how. Or you could go the service manual and look it up; which I recommend because it always works better that way.