ABS, a dog, and a question

[Neo_VR]

The ABS is dangerous on my car. I have had a few close calls due to it, so much so I have just bought a set of TT brakes to try and reduce it. I had a mark 4 Golf GTI 20VT and never had any problems with that. I have even taken it to the dealer after the first time it tried to wipe me out. If it wasn't for potential insurance ramifications I would turn it off.
In my experience the ABS has provided more opportunity for accident than accident avoidance.

It wont cure the abs problem.. altho it will give much more pedal feel so you can control the braking better, but if the abs comes on... your screwed (ive had 312's on for god knows how long.. and they are definately better than the standard stuff but the abs still lets the car down by being over-sensitive)

 

[ibizacupra]

The ABS is dangerous on my car. I have had a few close calls due to it, so much so I have just bought a set of TT brakes to try and reduce it. I had a mark 4 Golf GTI 20VT and never had any problems with that. I have even taken it to the dealer after the first time it tried to wipe me out. If it wasn't for potential insurance ramifications I would turn it off.
In my experience the ABS has provided more opportunity for accident than accident avoidance.

Golf 4 ABS system is good, but not the same system as on Ibiza.. (which I was told is the same as old Ford Granada's FFS)

not all ABS systems are created equal.

 

[Jay'sFR]

Anythimg else I can do? Apart from go and buy an S3!

 

[Triple D]

Anythimg else I can do? Apart from go and buy an S3!

Learn hoe to drive it more effectively, try left foot braking or heel and toe. Its hard to get use to but good fun in the process.

 

[DPJ]

I personally think its best to cadence break if you have time.....

That's my usual problem. In those oh-sh1t moments, I'm cadence braking (years of habit) while the ABS is pumping away too........

 

[Jay'sFR]

I end up trying to push the brake pedal through the floor.
I am going to wait to see what happens when the TT brakes are fitted. The surface area should help alot. I dont really want to change my style as it has cost me a fair amount in training courses and track days to get it fluid.

 

[Neo_VR]

leftfoot braking wont work... all VAG cars cut throttle when the brake is pressed.

its just a fact... the ABS is
but then again.. if your relying on ABS, then you aint driving properly.. 312mm brakes will give loads more feel and control on what the brakes are doin, but if you go too far, your still in the same boat

 

[TheOtherSimon]

There are some really odd opinions on this thread, with some very dangerous views.

If the ABS kicks in, it means that the tyre has lost contact with the road. It has nothing to do with brake discs or pads - it's about the quality of yout tyres, the road surface and the speed you are doing. If you feel that the ABS is kicking in too early, then I suggest that you buy some tyres with better grip and slow down.

If you are driving a car with ABS you MUST NEVER cadence brake. The ABS system is doing the cadence braking for you - much faster and more accurately than it is possible for you to do it. By cadence braking on an ABS car you are effectively disabling the ABS system. To emergency stop an ABS car, you should press hard and constantly on the brake pedal.

An ABS car will only take longer to stop in a straight line than a non-ABS car if you lock the wheels of the non-ABS car. Which is OK in a straight line, but really dangerous if you want to steer round anything (like a corner).

Simon.

 

[ibizacupra]

An ABS car will only take longer to stop in a straight line than a non-ABS car if you lock the wheels of the non-ABS car. Which is OK in a straight line, but really dangerous if you want to steer round anything (like a corner).

Simon.

and where *should* you be braking?

In a Straight Line Always.

ABS coming in prematurely is a weakness of a very low tech ibiza system. Rear brakes being the cause in my experience.. plenty of braking effort left in the most important end -Front- yet the rears going "light", exaggerated over undulating roads, slight turn etc... unladen wheels, too much rear braking effort in the system, ABS thinks "aha" pumps the pedal up rock hard, robs the fronts of braking power, and it all gets very very scarey.
Happened to me numerous times to the extent of punting the car into armco on a sprint. Ibiza system is positively dangerous.

I am not saying ABS is dangerous per say, as it is'nt, and the Golf IV I had was superb, just got on with it, whilst leaving me in control of the car. More advanced system, 4 wheel proportioning.

Glad to rid of my ibiza ABS... now its just me and car, no gizmo's which are trying to kill me.

There is a Kames sprint video which shows me falling off the track.. rears wanted to lock, fronts had massive amoutn of remaining grip, then nothing at all..... terminal speed into the corner now way too high and it all got a bit out of shape. Thankyou ABS, not!

 

[McNab]

Whenever i've had to stop my car sharply i feel a thudding on the bottom of my foot, and it makes a clicking sound. Is that what the pulsing si like or is there something wrong with my car?

 

[muddyboots]

ABS coming in prematurely is a weakness of a very low tech ibiza system. Rear brakes being the cause in my experience.. plenty of braking effort left in the most important end -Front- yet the rears going "light", exaggerated over undulating roads, slight turn etc... unladen wheels, too much rear braking effort in the system, ABS thinks "aha" pumps the pedal up rock hard, robs the fronts of braking power, and it all gets very very scarey.

On the few times it's cut in early on mine, it's usually been when one of the front wheels has been over a small bump/edge-of-manhole-cover/catseye etc, and at relatively low speeds...

Mine also cuts in when I've got a fair amount of right lock on, and am manouering at very very slow (eg parking) speeds and lightly braking - think there must be enough of a speed differential between the front wheels on tight turns that makes it think one is going to lock. There's one particular junction where I slow right down, and then turn 90deg right before stopping at the white line, and it does it every day.

 

[TheOtherSimon]

Whenever i've had to stop my car sharply i feel a thudding on the bottom of my foot, and it makes a clicking sound. Is that what the pulsing si like or is there something wrong with my car?

The pulsing and thudding is what is supposed to happen. Not sure about the clicking.

Is the plastic bit that attaches the brake pedal to the rod of the master cylinder ok? Can you wobble the brake pedal without moving the rod?

Simon.

 

[Jay'sFR]

It's a poor ABS system. There are no if's and but's in my opinion. It kicks in on white lines, man hole covers, surfaces that are different on the crown of the road and the edge, down hill when moving quickly from the accelerator to the brake. If you pull off from a junction that has had heavy rain therefore leaving gravel which then gives you very slight wheel spin it feels like you are braking through ice to get the brakes to work, any grease or oil you may as well make sure your no claims is protected because you wont stop the car.

Dont get me wrong I went to take a look at a 4 motion Golf last week and it made me realise why I decided to change, but the ABS system is flawed and after the brake upgrade and making sure my pressures are correct things dont improve then I am off to test drive an S3.

 

[MAdMAtt84]

My first car which i stil have is a mk2 polo coupe s, its a 1.3 with G-max -40mm suspension, golf steels, uni-royal rainsports asnd mk1 golf gti front brakes. Changing the brakes and tyres to a slightly larger size 195/45/14's knocked a 1/4rd of my braking distance at 80mph. Messured using telephone line poles, from the full length between then down to 3/4. The ibiza in comparison will stop just about or over half the distance from the first pole to the second.

IMIO, the TDi in my case is abit nose heavy so ud expect lock up a little quicker than you petrol ppl due to more load on the front brakes. Comming from the polo which had interesting brakes, sorry i mean no brakes, no servo no nothing 1990 model! it was pure push the pedal as hard as you can, if you lock back off and re-apply. Given time you learn the limits of the car you drive, as with teh polo the ibiza reacts better or worse on different roads. Its very sensitive to pot holes and i live in teh country, so instantly i lose the arguement with teh road. The ABS is to laggy and stays on to long, so IMO dont use it, i can jump on the brakes and brake progressively IN GEAR! i also kick down very quickly during emergancy stop so i dont stall, (where time permits) ive got some of the fastest reactions in my family so it is safe to do so, if im shocked by a 4x4 shooting around a corner at speed in the middle of the road and i hit the brakes to hard and lock up into ABS, i release and then re-apply progressively (not pump! - as said that is bad, even i know that) the car can and does stop pretty dam fast! Average speed on country roads is about 30-40mp

If your going faster and apparantly at my local seat meets i drive like a grandad and im 21! (to many bad experiences - lets leave the fast stuff for the impreza) on other roads, always drive as if the worse is going to happen that way you are prepared.

Is all i can say really, know your car, ABS is for ppl who over do it, IMHO, you dont need it, if it can be avoided learn how to and get some good tyres

*bit of an essay that, oops.

MAtt

 

[muddyboots]

IMIO, the TDi in my case is abit nose heavy so ud expect lock up a little quicker than you petrol ppl due to more load on the front brakes.

I'd have thought the opposite - more weight pressing down on the tyres would give them more adhesion, and therefore be harder to lock...

 

[IH786]

I completely agree with the post about the ABS on the Ibiza being cr@p. Last week i was only doing about 20-25mph when a car well in front of me stopped to give way at a juction. It was cold, and the roads were getting a bit slippery.

I applied the brakes and the ABS kicked in. It took the car ages to stop!! I was crapping myself as the rear bumper of the stationary car in front of me was getting closer and closer!!

To stop the car, i slowly (very slowly) lifted the handbrake and my car just stopped a few cms behind the car infront.

I really need to fit the 312mm brakes i bought from toxxin asap

 

[MAdMAtt84]

well.... you see id thought about that. Backed away from writting it as i feared id confuse myself with teh english language trying to explain what i was thinking.

Yes more weight pushing them onto the ground however i was trying to contemplate the point at which you simply push to much and they cant handle it, is that a fair comment to make (those with the physics knowledge)

Its been a while since ive done physics lol.

MAtt

 

[stoneyfordNI]

I'd have thought the opposite - more weight pressing down on the tyres would give them more adhesion, and therefore be harder to lock...

yes but rear of the car gets light , so the ABS cuts in to stop them locking

 

[TheOtherSimon]

I really need to fit the 312mm brakes i bought from toxxin

But you do realise that they won't help you stop in the wet. All you'll do is trigger the ABS because the rubber can't stick to the road.

You get the maximum braking force just before the wheels start to slip. Having a single point ABS is better than nothing, but multipoint ABS is much much better.

Simon.

 

[Triple D]

But you do realise that they won't help you stop in the wet.

I Found that out tonight on a dual carridge way, doing about 70mph and the lights changed to red so slammed the ankers on and the abs kicked in straight away but stopped in time though.