ABS brakes.. | FerrariChat

ABS brakes..

Discussion in 'Other Off Topic Forum' started by bostonmini, Feb 29, 2004.

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  1. bostonmini

    bostonmini Formula 3

    Nov 8, 2003
    1,890
    95% of cars now come with them, is their any benefit to getting rid of them (for a roadcar) as in the F50 and Mclaren F1? surely it wasnt for budgeting reasons!
     
  2. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

    Nov 20, 2002
    17,673
    Tauranga, NZ
    Full Name:
    Pete
    Those cars (the ones you listed) were supposed to be bought by drivers that practise driving while awake, and enjoy having to control the car themselves.

    I now have my first car with ABS ... and I have yet to use it, and probably never will, as I am one of the few that actually drives with a little gap in front of my car ...

    Saying that ABS is one of the few modern things that are useful, traction control is not, neither is yaw control and all that other BS.

    Again people should control the machine, not visa versa.

    Pete
     
  3. Aircon

    Aircon Ten Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Jun 23, 2003
    100,524
    Melbourne, Australia
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    Peter
    Some people just aren't capable! But that's another long long story!
     
  4. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

    Nov 20, 2002
    17,673
    Tauranga, NZ
    Full Name:
    Pete
    :D, agree with that but they should not be able to drive a 300+ hp car, simple as that.

    Cars should be like bikes, and you have to start at very low hp, and then AFTER you have shown you are capable you should be allowed to move up. A car like the McLaren F1 should IMO require you to have a high level racing license ...

    Pete
     
  5. 96impalaSS

    96impalaSS F1 Rookie

    Dec 8, 2003
    3,524
    Hell
    Full Name:
    Chris
    Up until the more recent Vipers they never had ABS. And the F40 didnt even have Power Steering I dont think. A true racecar dosnt need that, being without it gives you something fun to do and actually get immersed into the racing.
     
  6. Aircon

    Aircon Ten Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Jun 23, 2003
    100,524
    Melbourne, Australia
    Full Name:
    Peter
    F40 doesn't have power steering OR power brakes. Thing only weighs 1230kg with full fuel, though. Was a lot lighter to drive than my 512BB that's for sure. ABS might have been good, and although I didn't come close to getting in trouble wet or dry, traction control might be good for most. One was smashed badly up the road from here when it was floored in a straight line and, apparently, snapped sideways and hit a concrete strip.
     
  7. bostonmini

    bostonmini Formula 3

    Nov 8, 2003
    1,890
    power steering etc, is for driver feel, abs simply performs better....
     
  8. bostonmini

    bostonmini Formula 3

    Nov 8, 2003
    1,890
    And what is the BENEFIT...why not have a system that can be turned off, along with a traction control mechanism! ugh! I have to think of everything!;)
     
  9. Prova7

    Prova7 Formula Junior

    Nov 17, 2003
    257
    Dallas, TX
    Full Name:
    DamonB
    I would never have a daily driven car without abs. Everyone insists they are "talented" drivers but I know my true driving talent requires me to be fully prepared and concentrating solely on that task if I plan to use all of it, and that only happens at the track.

    When I'm driving to work early in the morning and have yet to reach full mental alterness being able to just stomp on the brakes to avoid an idiot without swerving all over the road and hitting something else is a safety device I would never trade away. I know I am capable of extracting the most from my car at the track; I also know I am incapable of driving at that level everytime I drive to the grocery store.
     
  10. TCM

    TCM Formula Junior

    Nov 10, 2003
    552
    Tyngsborough, MA
    ABS is definately one of the best car technologies to have come out in the last couple of decades. I see no benefit to not having it besides for possibly saving weight and money on production. Almost every driver is better with an ABS equiped car as it allows you to steer and brake at the same time in an acident avoidence manuever.

    As Prova76 stated, many drivers may think or even be good enough to handle the car without ABS, but I am not one of them. I have had it kick in on numerous occasions and have been thankful that it was there, even on the track.
     
  11. Hubert

    Hubert F1 Rookie

    Jan 3, 2002
    2,642
    The Left Coast
    Fact: Race cars with race ABS are faster than race cars without.

    This is, however, dependant upon the cycling alogarithim used in the ABS brain software; most street ABS systems are not idealy setup for track use. Then again, if you're getting into the ABS in every braking zone, you're overdriving, and the ABS is the least of your problems (that tire wall, coming at you very quickly, should probably be more worrisom to you.)
     
  12. Mitch Alsup

    Mitch Alsup F1 Veteran

    Nov 4, 2003
    9,252
    However, over here (USoA), teenagers walk into the local bike shop (not hardley) and buy the biggest baddest bike their parents wallet can fill (typically 160 HP 375 lb crotch rockets). They then go out and erase their genes from the gene pool and leave the parents to blame the motorcycle manufactures for their own indulgences. Sigh.....

    I would support the notion that for every year a young driver goes without a wreck or a speeding ticket, they can be licensed for another 100 HP. Tis would make 16 year olds start at 100 HP and not get that Viper monster until they reach 20 without trouble. However, there are NO cars under 100 HP in the USoA right now, and few under 200 HP. But I don't think you can pull this off in a society like we have. Sigh.....
     
  13. JaguarXJ6

    JaguarXJ6 F1 Veteran

    Feb 12, 2003
    5,459
    Black Hawk, CO
    Full Name:
    Sunny
    For the street, ABS is a must. If switchable, and your involved in an accident where braking played a crucial role and ABS could have prevented an accident in an emergency maneuver, then your liable, fair?

    For me, I pull a fuse and ABS goes away. Im sure its not that hard to bypass the system in some other cars.

    Sunny
     
  14. Aircon

    Aircon Ten Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Jun 23, 2003
    100,524
    Melbourne, Australia
    Full Name:
    Peter
    Being a Challenge, my 355 has a button to turn off the ABS. Maybe I'm a really crap driver, but I always leave it on....I know how hard I can brake before it comes on pretty much, and it's great for trailbraking...plus, flat spotting happens so fast and is very expensive with it turned off!
     
  15. PeterS

    PeterS Four Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 24, 2003
    47,931
    Goodyear, AZ
    Full Name:
    PeterS
    All I know is that ABS brakes saved my a$$ last year from driving over a 300' cliff in my Explorer. At the same speed in my 308, I would have taken the corner with ease, but would I have been driving faster? Probably, and who knows what would have happened.
     

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