Disabling ABS temporarily for safety

[foxdie]

I haven't tried it, wouldn't that damage the gearbox? There has been a part of me that thought "Just engage reverse and floor it, that'll scoop the ice out of the way", but then I imagine it being curtains if I suddenly got grip and well... slushbox innards meet slushed snow :S

[chris g]

OK situation clearer...

But only 'might' have been able to build up snow as a brake...

And that does not guarantee avoiding a slide into or in front of another vehicle

And for me you loose contol of steering and that can be vital to avoid some incidents...

I would want to retain that elemnt of control to try to drive the car away from danger

But we each choose how we want to have the car behave in certain conditions

[WildCards]

That makes no sense though Chris, if you haven't got any traction you haven't got any traction, regardless of what you want to use it for. Braking and turning both require the tyres to have grip.

I accept that in better conditions, the ABS will do it's job and potentially allow you to steer around an obstacle, or object that you're careening towards, but if the tyres don't have any grip, the normal rule book goes out of the window, if there is even a slight bit of snow or loose ice, with the wheels locked up you do at least stand some chance of building up enough of a buffer to slow your progress or actually manage to a stop in time.

[WildCards]

Foxxy, have you considered a second set of wheels, cheapo jobbies that you could have snow tyres on? I know the initial outlay would be quite high, but if you only use them for 3 or 4 weeks a year they'd last a long while.

[TAR]

Technically having a non working ABS braking system is an MOT failure and therefore an offence to drive with the system disabled.

I guess Foxdie that you were in fact sliding on a slippery surface with no traction (as Steve has already mentioned) and we all know that where there is no traction there is no control.

[Nick Mann]

I'm not convinced that disbaling the ABS is a good idea, simply because in 99.9% of circumstances the ABS will help. The only time it is worse than locked wheels is on snow. How often do you lock your wheels for more than a second or so on snow?

I thought that ABS systems often had an override in that if all wheels are slipping excessively for more than a few seconds then the ABS stops functioning until the brake pedal is released. I am not one for venturing outside and trying it though!!

[Turbo_Steve]

ABS is over-sensitive on snow. The worst part about it is that it stops the wheel locking. On snow, a locked wheel compresses the snow, which heats it and melts it. Compressed snow also allows the tyre's tread to cut in and provides additional grip. ABS does actually worsen your stopping distance in snow if you're on all weather tyres.

[miller]

I thought that ABS systems often had an override in that if all wheels are slipping excessively for more than a few seconds then the ABS stops functioning until the brake pedal is released. I am not one for venturing outside and trying it though!!

Man up and go play on those roundabouts where we bed brakes in

[Davezj]

i had exactly the issue foxie is talking about, this morning.

deserted street thank god!

5 mph tops and car in front drove in to the kurb and this spun him round. i put brakes on slightly ABS cuts in, take foot off brake put back on, abs cuts in again at what seems like less pressure on the pedal, repeat, repeat. as soon as the inital slide occured and the abs cut it the wheels just turned as normal no stopping power at all. it didn't seem to matter how softly i pressed the brake pedal.
the system cut in far to early when i snow.

it was only the fact i had left a big enough gap in front of me that i slowed to a stop. i would have stopped in the same amount of time if i had just taken my foot of the gas and did nothing else. probably quicker as the engine braking would have helped as i was in first gear at the time.

not good must remember for tomorrow. when the real problem start now the compacted snow is going to freeze tonight and become ice by morning.

[elnevio]

Pretty much the problem I had yesterday with my new favourite taxi driver.

[aboo]

I had this last week. Managed to just clip the kerb to stop me from hitting the back of another car. Was only doing 5mph tops.

[foxdie]

Glad some people can see where I'm coming from

Regarding the auto cut-out of ABS, by the time you're slipping you're desperate to stop yourself, you don't think to just keep your foot held down and pray the wheels lock

And it wouldn't be an MOT failure I don't think because the ABS would be on by default, and you'd turn it off temporarily like the TCL.

[Turbo_Steve]

And it's not an MOT failure if it's not an MOT.

[bradc]

http://www.carbibles.com/brake_bible.html

About 80% of the way down.

Ohh and going back a page, I disagree about the AYC not working under braking. Mine lights up semi regularly under hard braking. Try it with two wheels in the grass and two on the road, the AYC lights flash like mad

[Turbo_Steve]

AYC definitely functions under braking.

[elnevio]

AYC definitely functions under braking.

I have got mine to function not only under braking, but also in reverse, and downshifting into 1st in tip! All today, too! I'll have to check see if it works on corners too...

[bradc]

I've had three bars in reverse while parking

[chris g]

The initial question was about doing something to cause lock up of wheels

The purpose of that is to give you no traction, to be sliding

My point is if that there is any traction to be had then you are better with it

I do not deny that wheels locked and snow wedge may slow you down. I would want to slow asap if sliding but my aim would be to try to avoid sliding and have some control

Question:
Under power and power slide/drift AYC is working, AYC works whilst braking, does it work if wheels not turning at all and no throttle as in sliding ahead, wheels locked in snow conditions as described in other posts...?

[elnevio]

AYC definitely works without any throttle input.

Chris, you make a very good point about having control over what little traction there is, and I agree. To a point! And that point is when you are heading downhill in these conditions and your biggest enemy is gravity! Applying even the tiniest power will make the position much worse in those circumstances, regardless of AYC, IMO.

[chris g]

Forget AYC and throttle input, when in snow and traction variable, I would like to be able to steer as car coasts downhill rather than have wheels locked and be a passenger watching the scenery pass me by as I wait for car to stop...

If wheels have locked you want traction and ability to steer but hope to stop before hitting something...

Relying on locked wheels to create wedge of snow as a brake is leaving it too much to chance for me

I guess smany of us have had wheels locked in such circumstances but never something I enjoyed or planned as part of my 'braking'..