abs conversion!

[blingsta]

has anyone added ABS onto a non abs e30? i was thinking of doing this but at the same time wondering if it will gimme any grief! how easy is it? any comments appreciated.

[FlappySocks]

Not very easy by what I have read. Suggest you try searching, as it's been discussed at lot.

Stuart

[blingsta]

cheers matey

[DanThe]

Not very hard at all mate. Im putting ABS on mine at the mo, I took what I needed from a breaker I bought, front legs, rear arms, pump, front brake lines, loom, ecu. You can do it with the carpet in aswell

[blingsta]

thanx for that mate, ive got a mate with a bm scrappy,so i can get all the parts from him, just wanna know if the conversion will actually work though? woul you have to connect loom to back of dash for abs light to come on?

[DanThe]

The ABS loom is comletely seperate, the ABS light is a bulb on a long wire that just extends across the dash and pushes into the back of the clocks.

[stuartgallafant]

ive got a mate with a bm scrappy,so i can get all the parts from him

lucky bastard!!!

[blingsta]

hey! your the lucky bastard mate, anything you need, 9/10 i can get...

[Motorhole]

Why retro fit ABS ???

[DanThe]

It stops your wheels locking while braking in an emergency mate,
Anti-lock Braking System

[Motorhole]

Ah, I know that, so that you can stamp on the brakes and steer at the same time...

But what I mean is ABS is a bugbear to most driving enthusiasts rather than a benefit! So many people go through the rigours of removing it so that they can stop harder, so why retrofit it? If you know what I mean...

[kam-325i]

It will have a benifit for every day driving, but if you are a track lover, then ABS can be a hinderence...

[FlappySocks]

But what I mean is ABS is a bugbear to most driving enthusiasts rather than a benefit! So many people go through the rigours of removing it so that they can stop harder

I think the trouble with ABS for some people, is that it's just too good! A good ABS system will outperform any driver under normal circumstances (snow excepted). Didn't they ban it on Formula One, cos it was too effective, and subsequently removed the braking skills from the driver?

Stuart.

[DanThe]

If your doing circuit laps all afternoon then I can see your point, you will learn the braking points and bends, but if your zooming along the local A roads at 60-70mph nodding your head and singing along to your favorite CD when unexpectedly grandma goggins pulls out of a junction 50 yards infront of you can you guarantee you will be able to stop without ABS?

[stuartgallafant]

anything you need, 9/10 i can get...

you're my new best friend!!!

where you located in the world anyway???

[blingsta]

in enfield matey..

[Motorhole]

I'm not sure about the very latest ABS systems, or those used on race cars, but in the vast majority of cases involing road cars, a good driver can stop a car quicker without ABS than with ABS. ABS just stops the wheels from locking so that you can steer and brake hard at the same time. When magazines do 0-100-0 tests, they all turn ABS off if possible for that very reason....

[FlappySocks]

As the DanThe pointed out, there is a big difference from intending to brake hard, and having to brake hard unexpectedly. Can't comment on the E30 ABS system, but I used to have a Jaguar with ABS, and it was unbelievably good. You could stamp on the brake in the wet and know with confidence that you were going to stop dead, no matter how poor the traction. It oscillated the brakes 20 times a second or something if traction was lost. There was no way you could have bettered it with such a heavy car.

Stuart.

[blingsta]

i agree, i think abs is alot better, ive personally experienced a situation where im driving round a bend and in a split second had to brake hard as cars where at a stand still as soon as they came in sight... i locked my wheels and screeched, it felt as though everyone looked and thought what a tossa!!!, i dont really want people to think like that!! so abs conversion it is for me!

[Motorhole]

Yes, I see the point, maybe it is safer on the road, especially a wet, bumby, curvy road packed with traffic...

Ultimately though, there has to be some leeway in the ABS system...a driver can modulate the brakes right to the point of wheel lock, whereas (On a road car at least) ABS can't because if it is applied to that point in a straight line for instance, then the driver tries to steer, the driver is suddenly demanding more grip from the tyres and the wheels will still lock...so because of that leeway, non-ABS systems will stop a car quicker.

But I agree, fair point about safety!

[Widge]

It's pointless argueing the merits of ABS in stopping the car as drivers and situations differ so much, the key advantage is being able to break AND steer round the car that has pulled out in front of you.
This happened to me a christmas in My pick up truck wit no ABS and the front wheels locked up, I probably would have killed the guy in the Merc as my bull bars would have knocked his head off, but I let the breaks off and went round the tit, he'd pulled out seen me an stopped dead in my lane.

[FlappySocks]

The ABS only kicks in, if the wheels stop rotating. It's impossible to lock the wheels up on an ABS car (assuming it's all working ok). They shouldn't be a hindrance unless on the track, or on snow (where ABS makes braking far worse!).

Most drivers on the road would instinctively hammer the brakes in an emergency, and not let go. It takes nerve for the unenlightened to back off the peddle. I think I would feel happier if everyone on the road had ABS to be honest. You never know who is behind you.

Stuart.

[Widge]

Exactly, the key being on the road, on the track there aren't usually people coming out of T junctions etc it's a more predictable and one way environment.

Unless it's on a rover 314 as then what whatever the conditions the car with out ABS stops about 20 feet shorter! Really bad ABS! E30 ABS is quite good.

[Zayyan]

E30 ABS is shite, or mine is anyway. It just kicks in far too early.

http://www.e30zone.co.uk/modules.php?na ... ic&t=24641

I drive 1 E30 with ABS and 1 without and I've easily learnt how to stop the one without ABS quicker. It's all about being awake when that old woman pulls out of a T-junction. Makes you a better driver too

Plus who wants a computer controlling their car. That's what modern boring cars do. Complete waste of time retrofitting ABS.

Just my opinion.

[Widge]

I think there is somthing wrong with your ABS mate, dirty rings or sensors, because mine is great. In theory in the dry it shouldn't affect the stopping distance, but my point is if the old granny is so close you aren't going to stop in time anyway you can steer round the problem.

[Brianmoooore]

E30 ABS is shite, or mine is anyway. It just kicks in far too early.

.

Check out the front/rear balance of the brakes. Excess rear balance will kick in the ABS early by locking a rear wheel.
I have several E30s with ABS (and some without), and find the system every bit as good as that on cars 15 - 20 years younger.

[Demlotcrew]

E30 ABS is shite, or mine is anyway. It just kicks in far too early.

.

Check out the front/rear balance of the brakes. Excess rear balance will kick in the ABS early by locking a rear wheel.
I have several E30s with ABS (and some without), and find the system every bit as good as that on cars 15 - 20 years younger.

Modern ABS systems only pulse the wheel thats locked up, where as on the E30 if the rear offside wheel has locked then all four wheels pulse and you loose braking effort to the other three.

Andrew

[Brianmoooore]

[
Modern ABS systems only pulse the wheel thats locked up, where as on the E30 if the rear offside wheel has locked then all four wheels pulse and you loose braking effort to the other three.

Andrew

You sure about that? The E30 ABS works the two rear brakes together, but has seperate solenoids for each front brake, and the rear brakes together (three solenoids in total) each wired seperately to the ABS ECU.
Can't see why there'd be three independantly controlled solenoids, if what you say is true.

[Jon_Bmw]

[
Modern ABS systems only pulse the wheel thats locked up, where as on the E30 if the rear offside wheel has locked then all four wheels pulse and you loose braking effort to the other three.

Andrew

You sure about that? The E30 ABS works the two rear brakes together, but has seperate solenoids for each front brake, and the rear brakes together (three solenoids in total) each wired seperately to the ABS ECU.
Can't see why there'd be three independantly controlled solenoids, if what you say is true.

I've got to agree with brian on that, i'm almost sure all cars around this era were fitted with independant front sensors, but combined rears. It would be pure dangerous otherwise. Imagine your left front wheel is on gravel and the right is on tarmac(quite feasible) you would get NO braking effort at all.

[FlappySocks]

... you would get NO braking effort at all.

You would get some braking effect... its just that under that scenario, the system would be activating the ABS on a wheel that didn't need it. ABS is like pumping the brakes, only a lot faster than humanly possible.

Stuart.

[Brianmoooore]

[ Imagine your left front wheel is on gravel and the right is on tarmac(quite feasible) you would get NO braking effort at all.

That's normal braking mode where I live.

[NIX]

in enfield matey..

mate, you could be my new best friend. i'm just down the road, in finchley!

nick

[Jon_Bmw]

... you would get NO braking effort at all.

You would get some braking effect... its just that under that scenario, the system would be activating the ABS on a wheel that didn't need it. ABS is like pumping the brakes, only a lot faster than humanly possible.

Stuart.

This was an over exageration. You would definatly get some braking effect but not as much as if you had (and what i believe the e30 has) seperate front lock sensors that can operate independantly. Agrred the back two wheels would be pumping on and off the abs if the left side to the car was on gravel but the right front would be able to get full braking force on the tarmac without the abs cutting in.

[Demlotcrew]

All four wheels have pulse sensors.

I agree that the two front wheels have independent solenoids and one for the rear, but the system is primitive and will activate all the solenoids when one wheel is locked.

Andrew

[Brianmoooore]

It is very common for me to have to emergency brake to a halt with LH wheels on loose gravel or mud and the RH wheels on reasonable tarmac.
That is the nature of a lot of the roads around here - when you meet someone, you both stop quickly, and one of you has to reverse.
The E30 ABS system deals with these conditions perfectly, applying far more braking force to the front right than the front left, and preventing either wheel from locking.
I drive two different E30s on most days., one with ABS and one without, and the ABS one stops in a far shorter distance.