F@#%@#g abs almost killed me

Making a joke at thread title.

 

Got beat to it by Stewartx, but I will say the same thing. I may live in the south NOW, but I have lived in a lot of areas other than here a well. You want to talk about cold and snow and ice? I have been there. Try recovering an M60 tank that is stuck in 5 feet of mud and ice, with 3 feet of snow on top of it. THAT is freaking COLD...lol. Then there was the time we went to do some cold weather training in Alaska. Good GOD I don't miss THOSE days!

Sorry, but while your theory sounds like it would work, it is not an accurate depiction of how the ABS system ends up working. It has been taught since the advent of ABS by GM, Ford, Dodge, etc, as well as ASE, that the actual stopping distance in an ABS equipped vehicle is slightly greater than that of a non-ABS equipped vehicle.

I really have to laugh at a lot of the posts here (Not this one, just many of the others) where people STILL have the misconception that ABS is supposed to make your truck stop faster. It doesn't. Plain and simple, it doesn't. It simply allows one to have greater CONTROL of the vehicle in a low-traction environment. No amount of driver skill or experience will help ANYONE if the surface is so slick that there is no traction. No traction=no stopping.

Just a note here, but you can not properly compare the ABS systems on these two trucks to each other. Both have different programs in their software. This is because the 4-Runner is a heavier truck, and has better weight distribution than a Tacoma does. i.e. more weight over the rear tires. Just a suggestion, as this is what we always did when we lived up north, who here actually carries ballast at the rear of the bed to improve traction? Personally when it started to get cold we would always put 2 bags of concrete in the back of our trucks to increase the weight over the rear wheels. Heck, pickups are light enough as it is over the rear axle.



As for the issue of going over bumps and railroad tracks inducing an ABS activation, you are not alone. Many cars and trucks have been known to have the same thing happen. Suggestion: unless you have to, don't have your foot on the brake pedal when going over railroad tracks.

 

Nice idea , but with the lackluster rear springs the idea of adding ballast over the rear axle will open a whole new line of bitching about spring sag - like mine . Thinking about a lawyer here on that one - bought the damned thing on the premise of a 1/2 ton rated truck , similar to my Dakota that can handle the weight but return a better economy overall - WRONG . I love my Taco and it's build quality overall , not to mention it's a better looking animal but wtf ?....

Yes , the damned system is way too sensitive - and piss on that argument about not knowing how to fukn drive . The recent poll bs here shows I've been on the road far longer than the greater percentage of owners here and have logged over 650,000 miles on my own vehicles . 3 accidents in 33yrs total - so don't sell me that "learn how to drive" bs .

I came here looking for tech info , guess this thread leaves that out other than the kill mod for the abs system which I feel is not a solution except for offroading . Wish I had some resource to talk to an actual Toyota rep with some decent technical education instead of the usual special interest in protecting his job .

Rant off , Semper Fi .
Sarge

 

I assume you are not talking directly to me about trying to sell you on "learn how to drive". I have logged many hours on and off road in several different vehicles myself. I rarely have mentioned much about learning to drive, but I HAVE mentioned that too many people do not know nor understand how driving style needs to change and adapt to different vehicles and their differences. Brings to mind a day years back when I was working for Cadillac. A guy came in and traded in his 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood for a 2000 Cadillac Escalade. He came to the service department within hours of taking delivery complaining that his Escalade drove and rode like a truck.

As for tech information, what specifics are you looking for?

 

I think a lot of people are missing the fact that tires and suspension are a big factor in this whole "abs is bad" issue. Maybe if you have ever experienced the "abs nearly killing you" phenom you can post what tires and what suspension you have. Lifted or no? 5100's, tokico's, yellow billies?

 

Damn Southerners all cranky and such

 

The further south you go the nicer people get. Just look at jamaica

 

FIXED version below

 

Because engineers could never, ever be wrong.

 

nope

 

I may agree that back with crappy low frequency units from ten years ago. I have a hard time believing that, with new quality units used Porsches or Z06 where it pulses so super fast. Friction coefficient is just higher right before skidding. to maximize the time spent in that region will stop the car faster.

I don't know, it seems like such a simple cut and dry concept I have a hard time believing otherwise.

You ever get the feeling like the car starts to speed up after the tires lock up? I know it doesn't but that feeling is the lower friction in the brain.

OZT came up with valid points in the snow, no sources, but i guess it makes sense where the not spinning tire actually plows the snow in front of it to dig it down to the pavement. They say same goes with gravel. Most of my experience comes from the pavement, so I'll take their word for it.

 

Why don't you put some more words in my mouth. Grow up

 

Perhaps I should have been a little more specific in my post. In reference to stopping is a longer distance, I was referring to low-traction events, where the ABS is more active. i.e. snow, ice, gravel, dirt. Even the newer fast-pulse systems. ABS is meant for control, not stopping distance.

 

ah ok thanks

 

There are source links in both of those posts , one is a Wiki , one is from Transport Canada

 

New to the forum but I'm definitely in the "ABS Sucks" camp.
I'm talking about in snow,ice,slush,mud,sand,gravel,rain and bumps. Maybe on dry,smooth pavement it helps,not much of that around here. I have used General AT2's in summer and Michelin Ice-X's in the winter.
If you like your ABS,that's fine.
If you are smarmy and condescending about "needing to learn to drive properly", well... STFU
I will do the ABS elimination mod.

 

Is malfunctioning abs part of toyotas brownstar safety system? They are really giving it to you up the old bunghole.

 

I guess I'm lucky that my 2002 doesn't have ABS. Makes bleeding brakes that much easier.

 

Welcome to TacomaWorld! Lots of good stuff on this site, that is for sure. In response to your post, ABS really is not meant for dry pavement for the most part. It's purpose is to assist a driver in maintaining better steering control in low traction conditions. Dry pavement usually has your base brakes working just fine unless you are panic-stopping. Then it will help a bit there. But it will never have a person stopping any faster.

 

I drive on snow and ice much of the year myself. The ABS system freaks me out because once it kicks in I feel like I have lost contol of the vehicle. It does always seem to kick it at the slowest of speeds.

Typically I run Blizzak tires in the winter. This winter I ran an AT. The ABS has been a more recurring problem this winter.