Disabling ABS temporarily for safety

[foxdie]

Well, I've done a search and not dug up anything meaningful. Is there a way to disable the ABS safely (and hopefully without triggering fault codes) for when driving in poor traction conditions (ie. snow) where it would be advantageous for the wheels to lock up?

What I'd like is a way to disable and re-enable safely whilst the cars in motion, this method can then be partially automated with say, a microprocessor / toggle switch or something.

Ideas people?

[Nutter_John]

pull fuse

thats the only way to disable it

[miller]

surely locking up isnt good in any conditions?

[orionn2o]

Could you put in a switch on one of the abs wheel sensors lines?

I presume this will throw a fault code and disable the ABS. Although you may need to restart engine after re-connecting?

Either way though, with ABS , you lock up you dont stop, without ABS - you lock up, you don't stop!

[Atik]

If as John says you can pull a fuse to disable it, you should be able to fit a switch to the circuit to disable at the flick of a switch. Just extend the circuit into the cabin are, mount switch and there you go...?

[miller]

and inform your insurance company!

[Roberto]

Not sure which would be better.

Had the ABS kick in this morning aswell.
Think I would have prefered it not to and the wheels to have locked, just would prefer to feel that little bit more in control.

[Nutter_John]

The issue is that ABS cuts in far to early when on Snow and Ice , so disabling ABS will allow you to stop quicker without locking the wheels or ABS cutting in .

But this assumes that the driver has the skill to control it

[foxdie]

If I had a MUT-II to reset the fault codes, I'd quite happily try pulling / reinserting the fuse on a live system

Anyone in the West Mids got one and / or the ability to reset fault codes?

[Nutter_John]

why do you give a crap about the code when the car turned off and then the fuse put back then the fault clears

[elnevio]

If I had a MUT-II to reset the fault codes, I'd quite happily try pulling / reinserting the fuse on a live system

Anyone in the West Mids got one and / or the ability to reset fault codes?

AFAIK, the MUT is only needed to reset SRS codes. The ABS clears like any of the other fault codes with a battery reset.

Although a MUT does at least not erase your autobox learned data!

[foxdie]

That's somewhat my point, I don't want my autobox to forget learned data in bad driving conditions

Also, this wierded me and Kieran out, my generic VAG OBD-II cable works with EvoScan to a point, I can log engine performance data, but I can't for example Display or Clear DTS, it just won't work. I did modify the cable to have a pin 1 and then connect that to pin 4.

[Nutter_John]

thats nothing other than the fact that Evoscan is pants unless you use there cables , I have issues on VR4's using 2.0 cables but works fine on my 1.,3 cable

bottom line is why do you care if the ecu remembers that you have had a ABS fault as long as the abs light is not on ?

[chris g]

Advantageous, for wheels to lock, in poor driving conditions...?

[WildCards]

ABS generally doesn't work in snow and icy conditions.

On ice your buggered either way, on snow it's generally regarded that if ABS is removed the tyre will stop and a build up of snow in front of the tyre will slow you better than if the wheel were to continue to try a gain purchase on a slippery surface.

[chris g]

But in slippery conditions surely I want VR-4 AYC system to keep working under power and help me steer in right direction...

How does wheels locked and loss of directional control work better/be safer help me go in my chosen direction...?

[WildCards]

If the tyres have no traction, the AYC along with the brakes will do nothing.

The AYC doesn't work under braking anyway, so how would pulling the ABS fuse have an effect on that system?

[chris g]

I would not want wheels to lock and alter handling of the car. I want to keep technology working for me...

I would be trying to avoid braking and try to keep driving the car steadily, with lowest throttle/highest gear possible - change down as required, maintain traction and progress, no sudden acceleration or direction changes...

Avoid brakes/wheels locking, avoid loss of control, avoid accidents...

Not convinced at all that disabling ABS helps me in poor traction conditions...

[foxdie]

Okay, let me explain the situation, because this is what happened in Beany's VR-4 last week.

Going downhill at 2 MPH (VERY carefully), in a straight line to a T junction, I tried to stop, ABS kicked in, car wouldn't stop at all, no matter whether I pulsed the brakes, pushed them hard, or lightly pressed on them.

Had I been able to lock the wheels, I might have been able to build some snow up in front of the wheels and create more resistance.

I got lucky that there was no one immediately coming down that road, 10 seconds later I might have written a car off, I'd rather avoid that situation again.

ABS has no benefits in snow, pure and simple.

[miller]

has anyone else noticed in the slippy conditions how easy the Auto engages reverse when moving forwards at xmph