ABS on this truck is dangerous...

In my experience, it's very hard to hold the brake down during ABS engagement. If you're feeling it drop, that's still not good - it actually pushes back up against my foot, and I have to put a bit of effort in to get it stamped down.

Maybe your ABS system is messed up? They won't do as much, but they should never mean that you sail through a dry intersection - in fact, they should have engaged once you're past the ice if they're working properly, in any case.

 

That's a coincidence. I just posted a picture referencing "Predator" to a thread here yesterday.

 

It sounds like you are using the system properly. I don't know what else to come up with except maybe there is a way to disable the system? I personally like having ABS, but every driver is different. I hope you find a solution. Good luck.

 

Another situation sticks out in my head...

Rolling up to an intersection on dry pavement. Right front tire hits a 2'x2' icy spot, the ABS kicks in and cuts ALL braking power. I end up rolling 1/2 way through the intersection before the ABS provides enough braking power to stop.

I will say that the ABS did allow me to roll through that intersection in a controlled manner, which is what it's supposed to do...Allow you to maintain control of the vehicle's direction...Not necessarily stop fast.

I'd rather turn the ABS off and rely on my ability to threshold brake.

 

No.

It was more dangerous than making a run for it since I had a gap in traffic. Had I not had a gap in traffic and really had to make a stop, I'd have been screwed whether I let the ABS do its thing or whether I pulled the e-brake. The only way I wouldn't have been screwed is if ABS would have let me have complete control over my brakes.

 

I see what you're saying, but my understanding is that ABS shouldn't _ever_ cut all power. It should only pump brakes. And I've personally never had it do any differently - if it is cutting all power, in any scenario, that's a malfunction.

 

That is almost the exact scenario that I described that happened to me two years ago.

 

I'm just curious, is this a defect? Something that I should get checked at the dealer? Seems like a lot of people have the same thing happen to them, and it does seem to be the 08's and below. Is it an ABS system issue, a pad issue? I don't know if it's worth being without a truck for two days and have them tell me that it's normal....

 

The brakes are still functioning while ABS is kicked in, but not remotely to the degree they are without it.

I see you have an '09, maybe the new ones are different. Picture this, because this is how it goes down.

You're driving down a dry road coming to a stop sign. You are on the brake, slowly and lightly decelerating. You've almost come to a complete stop at the stop sign. Your foot is still on the brake and the vehicle is still decelerating. One wheel touches a patch of ice, ABS kicks in. Suddenly your pedal starts pulsating, you feel your deceleration stop and you essentially maintain your speed right through the stop sign.

 

Maybe I shouldn't have said ALL power, probably more like 90%.

I should also mention that since getting new tires (BFG AT's) the ABS and the truck have been alot better. The ABS hasn't kicked in nearly as much and we've had alot of ice/slush/snow lately.

 

Fair enough. What I'm saying, I guess, is that ABS should be pumping your brakes, which will reduce your braking power to an extent, I agree.

However, when I hear "cutting power" it just puts an image in my head of it actually reducing your braking ability on purpose; probably not what you meant though. I'll go back to my corner.

And orly? I can't wait to get new tires - I'm probably going to go BFG AT once my dunflops wear out.

 

Are your rear brakes adjusting themselves properly? You might want to have that checked out. If they're out of adjustment, maybe you're getting reduced or zero braking from the back axle, which would leave only the other front wheel as your source of braking once the wheel on ice starts to slip.

It sounds like newer 2nd gens are different; my 09 does not seem to "take away" braking force when stopping with just one or two wheels slipping. It seems, as best I can tell from the driver's seat, to pulse the wheel that slips, and the rest of the brakes brake normally.

 

My ABS kicks in all the time, I kinda hate it, but the problem doesn't rely on the system itself, its my POS dunlops that have an awful traction, on rain, dirt, even when making just a turn on dry pavement i find my tires failing.... and then the ABS kicks in.....

 

Ok, for the scenario from the other day, here's the part I don't think you understand. I was moving incredibly slow toward the road. The parking lot was covered in light snow. While I was in control of the brakes, I was getting good traction. I was not sliding. I was decelerating, from an already extremely slow speed.

ABS kicks in. Deceleration stops, and I continue at roughly the same rate of speed I was at when I last had control of my brakes.

Pulling the e-brake would not have helped. I'm not worried about the e-brake turning me sideways. I'm saying it wouldn't have helped because it wouldn't have stopped me. I'd have ended up on the road, cross-ways, with my e-brake on.

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"Had you had complete control then you would have locked up your brakes and turned sideways, based on what would have happened if the rear brakes were applied."
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That line is where the real mistake is. Had I had complete control of my brakes, I would not have locked up and turned sideways. I guarantee it.

I can't believe it's come to this, but here's a diagram from the other day... I was headed out of the parking lot. The end of the first arrow is roughly where the ABS kicked in. The line with the T up top is where I saw cars coming. After trying the brake one more time with another ABS engagement, I decided the best option was to just go, which I did.

 

I can't wait to get rid of the Dunflop AT20s. I think they are a big reason why the ABS is so sensitive. I guess I'll know for sure when I upgrade the tires.

 

+1,


to the OP what kind of tires has your truck on?

 

It's not the adjustment. When my truck did almost the exact same thing, mine was only a month old, maybe less.