Can abs be installed??

[clarmatt]

i have recently got myself a 2003 vy ute, without abs. after driving with abs since i have had my l's i cant get used to it, the rear wheels lock and the car slides if ever i need to hit the breaks hard. my mate has a smashed vy station wagon, is there any way of taking his abs system out and putting it on the ute. is it possable at all to install abs on one a car where it didnt come standard?

[Lumps of cheese]

I'd say anything is possible, but the price may scare you.

[JB3s VY]

Massive job mate.
Gota install the ABS unit itself, along with all the correct fitting lines, (not sure if the master cylinder is different?) and the computer to run it. Also wiring, sensors and new hubs with pulse rings on all fours wheels ect ect.
Im sure there is much much more to it aswel, probably wont be a practical thing to do, someone with more experience might no more though!

[a1k3m1]

yeh dude, its all got custom wiring looms and instrument clusters, and as said above with the sensors, probably the rotors might have to be changed, big job mate..

[VTSSDUDE]

VY without ABS? That's interesting.
Yes as said, big job. Don't know how you would go for rego passing if they knew ABS was fitted afterwards.
Maybe take it easy until you get used to driving it, I jump between cars without and with ABS often just need to learn how to cope with a car that needs to be driven by you, not by sensors.

[Sean880]

Don't worry about ABS - you don't really need it if you are a skilled driver.

I would seriously look at taking some advanced driving lessons and you will soon learn how to keep your car under control in emergency braking and other situations.

Unfortunately too many people are let loose on the road who have no idea how to control a vehicle in all types of situations because they are not taught and most of the teachers don't know either.

Anyone here who has undertaken a few quality advanced driving courses will tell you how good these are towards improving your driving skills.

[Timmos]

Try taking it slow in the rain. We all know commodores love to slide.

[savage1987]

Don't worry about ABS - you don't really need it if you are a skilled driver.

i cant get used to it, the rear wheels lock and the car slides if ever i need to hit the breaks hard

enough said?

[0081]

When i picked up my VY i hated the fact that the ABS and tracton control was so intrusive (got it second hand) but after a few months it was time for new tyres and i went for the good stuff around $290 to $320 per tyre (not top of the range but at around $1200 per set its getting up there) and you now have to be doing something dumb or need to stop REAL hard to get the ABS or traction to cut in.

And my car is a manual

[savage1987]

When i picked up my VY i hated the fact that the ABS and tracton control was so intrusive (got it second hand) but after a few months it was time for new tyres and i went for the good stuff around $290 to $320 per tyre (not top of the range but at around $1200 per set its getting up there) and you now have to be doing something dumb or need to stop REAL hard to get the ABS or traction to cut in.

And my car is a manual

Cool story Hansel!






== OP should just get decent tyres

[Calaber]

Well, I dunno. My VY is the second car I've had with ABS, but the first one where I really needed them because of my own mistake.

I was travelling down the Pacific Highway about a year ago and became distracted with something on the roadside. I looked back to the front and the traffic ahead had stopped for a lollypop man. Hit the picks, swerved to the left and stopped neatly in the gravel with no lockup, beside the car that I had swerved to avoid. Without the ABS, I could not have stopped on the loose surface. On that occasion, the ABS worked exactly as it should and saved me from a serious accident and possible injury. I would never own another car without them.

[Bravotwozero]

Don't worry about ABS - you don't really need it if you are a skilled driver.

I would seriously look at taking some advanced driving lessons and you will soon learn how to keep your car under control in emergency braking and other situations.

Unfortunately too many people are let loose on the road who have no idea how to control a vehicle in all types of situations because they are not taught and most of the teachers don't know either.

Anyone here who has undertaken a few quality advanced driving courses will tell you how good these are towards improving your driving skills.

Yeah I'd love to see you pull up a non ABS equipped car as quick as an ABS equipped car!

[Sean880]

That probably makes 2 of you with teen standard driving ability.

It's perhaps best not to judge others by your own lack of skill.

[wortus]

I always thought ABS was standard on a VY? I've done advanced driving courses and learnt how to stop a car properly but a few weeks back someone pulled out infront of me in the rain at a roundabout. I was going slow and the ABS came on and I was glad I had it.
Point is sometimes all the skill in the world isn't going to help on it's own in every circumstance, it's fine to learn in controlled conditions and yes it does help a lot, after I did the training I could tell if the brakes were locking and ease off the brakes a bit however the ABS does that for you and maintains max braking effort so should stop the car quicker and also detect the lock up much faster.

This is my first car with ABS and it along with the other safety improvements is the reason I upgraded from my VN. Mine doesn't have traction control and from what I have read here and issues other friends have had with it that's probably a good thing?

To put it in a non ABS car as well as the module and brake lines you'd need new front hubs with the sensors in them, the sensors and notched rings next to the diff. There's also the wiring and I am not sure if it's a seperate loom or not? You'd also need to put the ABS light onto the dash etc, the main harness may have a lot of the wiring aleready in it you'd need to speak to a dealership or an auto electrician maybe.

[scozz76]

My car (VY) is the first I've ever owned with ABS - I never had a problem controlling my previous cars (VK - VN - VS). Sure they help in alot of situations, but I wouldn't rely on them.

Learn how to drive properly. ABS doesn't mean you can go faster safely.

It's strange, now with traction control, ABS and all other kinds of safety features..... Why aren't road deaths lowering?

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Because with all the technology available in cars these days there is still nothing that is anti-idiot.

[Bravotwozero]

That probably makes 2 of you with teen standard driving ability.

It's perhaps best not to judge others by your own lack of skill.

Whatever. If you think you can pull up a non ABS-equipped car in the wet quicker than an ABS-equipped model you need to get your hand off it. In real world conditions even an alert, skilled driver without ABS would find it difficult, even through the use of techniques like limit braking, to match or improve on the performance of a typical driver with a modern ABS-equipped vehicle.

[JB3s VY]

If "good drivers" dont need ABS and traction control ect ect, then why are the formula one cars going slower then they where with all the electronics a few years back? Yes i no there have been many others changes, but when they lost all there electronic aids it deffinetly slowed them down.

I also race Karts myself and aint the worst out there, in real world conditions when you normally get very little reaction time, ABS will ALWAYS help you stop quicker. Regardless of how fully hectic your traffic light racing skills are!
I do agree the different defensive driving courses around the place are worth it though, there are SO many people on the roads that just shouldnt have a license.

EDIT:
Also just want to add that you really shouldnt be actually using ABS very often. If your locking wheels so often your either "out of control" or your car has some handling issues (or just terrible tyers).
In regular road use it should only be required in an emergency, which is when you have little reaction time and rely on it so much!