what are everyone?s ideas on abs

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nickangus

Guest
after Thursday 6/17/04 (a friend and I couldn?t stop and went down a cliff at hollister rolling twice) I was wonder how people feel about abs off road I know it?s a good thing on the road but when it kicks in at the wrong point in time off road cars seem to get totaled :(

just wondering

nick
 
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micklongley

Guest
What happened?? were you trying a controlled decent and ABS kicked on and caused a loss of control? I always thought it was better to NOT lock up.

Mick
 

scubaman99

Well-known member
Jun 7, 2004
489
0
Sunnyvale, CA
www.keepmedia.com
im curious to know about ABS and off road as well

it was my understanding that LR had some kind of special "offroad tuned" ABS...

a quote from the window sticker from my P38 "Four Channel ABS (All Terrain Anti-Lock Brakes)"

is this "sales BS"???

KEN
 

Joey

Well-known member
Apr 19, 2004
976
0
Liberty Township, Ohio
I am far from a mechanical engineer (but I did sleep at a holiday inn express once), but ABS and off road should not be said in the same breath. The down side with ABS and off highway driving or even on gravel roads is that it will never allow (unless not working) the wheel to lock up. If you are in a sliding situation and you need the wheel to lock in order to grab the hill, gravel, and mud - whatever it may be you will be in major trouble in very short order.

I have driven cars, vans and 4x4 just on gravel roads down hill and have had to do some very fun driving when the ABS works as designed and you do nothing but gain speed into a hair pin turn with a cliff on one side and a mountain on the other.

So as to my opinion, not the opinion of this board or any government agency ;) I think that ABS should be a selectable item on all vehicles just like passenger airbags on pickup trucks.

Or you should have the option to be able to install a cut off switch without voiding the factory warranty.

But again, I am not an engineer and I am sure someone will explain why I don't have a clue what I am talking about.
 

bri

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
6,178
152
US
IMHO, I think that it depends on the vehicle and situation. For A D2 w/o CDL, ETC and ABS are about all you got.

On a D1 ABS is decent on road, will increase stopping distance, but let you control the vehicle. Offroad it can beyour worst nightmare or it can help, but when you have this nightmare it could be very, very bad. My ABS locks on ice and also will nto allow lockup on loose stuff. It sucks offroad.

I will be disconnecting mine on most trails this year. Yours is the first I have heard of something really bad happening, so I do not believe that your comment on ABS and totals is accurate.
 
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nickangus

Guest
bri is right on "On a D1 ABS is decent on road, will increase stopping distance, but let you control the vehicle. Off-road it can be your worst nightmare or it can help, but when you have this nightmare it could be very, very bad."

it was our worst nightmare it increased the stopping distance and we went down a cliff like hill hit a tree then rolled twice

nick