ABS - Keep or remove

[_Shane_]

Guys do you all still have your ABS in your Supra's ?

 

While tidying up the bay as engine is out i was thinking of removing it etc

 

Just said i would ask for your opinions on this firstly

 

Thanks

Shane

[Guigsy]

Why remove a safety feature. A feature that makes you stop quicker when you need it. A feature that could potentially save your life or the life of others.

Edited March 18, 2014 by Guigsy (see edit history)

[Abz]

 

Not worth removing, plus think of resale too.

[_Shane_]

Didnt know if members on here had removed their ABS units in their cars so said i would ask etc

 

Thanks

[Al Massey]

Why remove a safety feature. A feature that makes you stop quicker when you need it. A feature that could potentially save your life or the life of others.

 

Didn't a lot of supras come without ABS anyway?

[Abz]

Didn't a lot of supras come without ABS anyway?

 

Some did, think it was a lot of the NA's which came without them as standard.

[supra joe]

Some did, think it was a lot of the NA's which came without them as standard.

 

My aerotop doesn't have it, wish it did but the UK spec brakes do the job of stopping it tbh.

[Delboy52]

I've got ABS in mine and glad to have it. If it's just for the sake of a tidy bay, have you considered these boxes that SRD do?

http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?287834-SRD-Engine-Bay-Boxes

[Why T]

I dont even know if my abs works

[buster]

Removed mine as didn't work anyway looks a lot cleaner

Think fosta got rid as well

[Nodalmighty]

Getting rid on mine, Hate it.

 

Lyndon.

[Dnk]

Can't see why you'd get rid of something like abs, i wonder what an insurance company would say

if you notified them you'd done this ?

 

I drove an na a while ago in the wet without abs and it seemed very easy to lock up a wheel and

that was only with the stock j spec calipers 2 pot 1 pot set up

[David P]

Stopping in a hurry from Supra Leptons with U.K. brakes without ABS, is a fine line between pedal treadling and sphincter whistling.

[scott87]

Its old and useless and i hate abs on old toyotas, i'd bin it.

 

Removed it from every MR2 i've had and my supra doesn't even have it. Its a nicer drive without it in my opinion anyway.

[ManwithSupra]

ABS does not necessarily make you stop any faster per se... its stops you locking the wheels and loosing control.

The speed in which ABS assisted brakes slows you down vs threshold braking for example will depend on what environment you are braking in.

 

Personally I would not remove it on a Road car, for example if a kid suddenly runs out in front of your car, you will panic and will stamp hard on the brakes and try and turn out of the way, which with a ABS assisted car will do. If you don't have ABS in this situation you can try and turn all you want but the car will just lock the wheels and continue straight and run the kid over.

Edited March 18, 2014 by ManwithSupra (see edit history)

[scott87]

ABS does not necessarily make you stop any faster per se... its stops you locking the wheels and loosing control.

The speed in which ABS assisted brakes slows you down vs threshold braking for example will depend on what environment you are braking in.

 

Personally I would not remove it on a Road car, for example if a kid suddenly runs out in front of your car, you will panic and will stamp hard on the brakes and try and turn out of the way, which with a ABS assisted car will do. If you don't have ABS in this situation you can try and turn all you want but the car will just lock the wheels and continue straight and run the kid over.

 

It is possible to brake very heavily and still turn without abs. It is purely down to how rapidly the braking is applied and whether it is controlled?

 

I've had a couple of near accidents in cars without abs that have required me to maneuver under heavy braking and havent had an issue. But im sure as you say it is very circumstance related.

 

I personally just find it hard to believe that a 20+ year old system can be that effective. I could be wrong but i really dont like it on toyotas.

[Dnk]

The traction control was crap on my UK spec but the abs worked as it should and

made it much easier to stand on the brakes especially in the wet or greasy conditions

and allowed you to avoid things without locking up the unloaded tyre/s

[Guigsy]

This would not have happened if the car coming towards me had abs...

[ManwithSupra]

It is possible to brake very heavily and still turn without abs. It is purely down to how rapidly the braking is applied and whether it is controlled?

 

I've had a couple of near accidents in cars without abs that have required me to maneuver under heavy braking and havent had an issue. But im sure as you say it is very circumstance related.

 

I personally just find it hard to believe that a 20+ year old system can be that effective. I could be wrong but i really dont like it on toyotas.

 

Yes this is called threshold braking, something that you have to get used to.

I don't have any ABS or servo assistance on my track car so I have to use this technique when I am breaking hard into a corner, the fact I don't have a servo makes the control of this easier. This is basically when you feel the wheels start to lose adhesion with the road and you very slightly lift off so you get maximum braking without locking the wheels. This with a servo is possible of course but the pressure you apply to the pedal via a servo is greatly exaggerated and therefore a little more tricky.

Edited March 18, 2014 by ManwithSupra (see edit history)

[David P]

When they lock-up it's a leap of faith to take your foot off the pedal and on again to start slowing down and if you're too slow doing it, you'll need a new pair of front tyres.

[scott87]

I think my grandad teaching me how to drive years ago in a terrible car and teaching me this braking method was one of the best things he passed on.

[j_jza80]

Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

[David P]

Many younger drivers have never experienced Old Money braking, acceleration without traction control, crumple zones and air-bags.

 

Maybe it's natural selection why Old Petro Farts have hairs on their chest.

[Chris Wilson]

A good driver, especially in the wet, on gravel or on snow could stop a MKIV with no ABS in a shorter distance than one that just jumped on the brake and let the ABS take over. By good, I mean someone experienced in keeping calm and making a split second conscious decision to come off the brakes where all normal instincts tell you press harder, a LOT harder If you feel you can do this instinctively, and reliably, you might consider removing it I guess. But fail to act as above just once and you might find even a dinosaur system like the MKIV has will save your embarrassment or worse. On snow ABS that cannot be turned off can be dreadful. A decent snow driver will lockup for controlled periods to allow a "wedge" of snow to form in front of the tyres, rather than have the ABS vibrating the pedal like a massager, and the car carrying on at undiminished speed. Latest generation ABS is better, but on snow a good Scandinavian will show it as inferior to the human.

 

Now, if you had the latest Bosch Motorsport ABS system, even the best of the best will be beaten by the the electrickery.

Edited March 18, 2014 by Chris Wilson (see edit history)

[scott87]

A good driver, especially in the wet, on gravel or on snow could stop a MKIV with no ABS in a shorter distance than one that just jumped on the brake and let the ABS take over. By good, I mean someone experienced in keeping calm and making a split second conscious decision to come off the brakes where all normal instincts tell you press harder, a LOT harder If you feel you can do this instinctively, and reliably, you might consider removing it I guess. But fail to act as above just once and you might find even a dinosaur system like the MKIV has will save your embarrassment or worse. On snow ABS that cannot be turned off can be dreadful. A decent snow driver will lockup for controlled periods to allow a "wedge" of snow to form in front of the tyres, rather than have the ABS vibrating the pedal like a massager, and the car carrying on at undiminished speed. Latest generation ABS is better, but on snow a good Scandinavian will show it as inferior to the human.

 

Now, if you had the latest Bosch Motorsport ABS system, even the best of the best will be beaten by the the electrickery.

 

I was going to mention snow driving. Had a very hairy moment in my new fiesta in snow when the abs took control and that was scary.