I drive down county dirt roads all the time...at least once a day. I noticed a long time ago that disabling ABS (my truck only has Rear Wheel ABS) improves my stopping power and distance dramatically. However, I never felt comfortable driving on pavement with it off.

Lately, though, I pulled the fuse and left it out. I noticed more stopping power when coming to quick stops and stops on loose surfaces or wet roads.

So the question is, will there be any harm done to leave my ABS fuse out? I know if I get in an accident it can cause legal trouble, but I can have that fuse put back in before anyone ever knew it, so I'm not worried.

Since ABS is now "standard-equipment", are there any ASTM, DOT, or legal requirements to have it?

 

I believe the manual says that in the event the ABS is disabled the brakes continue to function normally. I know a lot of people from other forums do it frequnetly without harm. It is conterversial , as many people believe in the merits of ABS. However I doubt it is illegal.

 

I have an abs disable switch and love it. People just need to learn how to use power brakes and not freak out, nailing the brake pedal to the floor. This is the first vehicle I've had w/abs and I'd say it's great for NORMAL driving conditions. It sucks in light rain, snow, mud, and off-roading. I like to do experiements at the local grocery store late at night =]. I have three channel abs though. When I felt it engage, it seems like it's trying to hard to keep the rear from locking up and takes away too much braking power from the front. Blah, I miss my old ford trucks

I've left it off for a week once, during a weeklong snow storm. As far as I can tell, no damage done.

I do believe that if abs was oem, it is illegal to modify....period.

 

i took out the abs fuse for about 6 months... put it back in last month and it works

 

Worse comes to worse, keep a spare blown 10 amp fuse. That's what I use to do before I rigged up a disable rocker. My fuse panel cover was getting all b*tched up from swapping them often though. Otherwise, I'd still be doing it.

*Oh man, I didn't even know the fuse was blown officer! *

 

i just rigged up 2 switches and a relay, allows me to enable/disable on the fly

 

I ran the hot wire from fuse 14 and just put a rocker to open/close the circuit. Works fine (also on the fly, as you put it), I like to keep it simple. I've got enough problems with this damn truck.

 

im using small push buttons one normally open the other normall closed. since they are small switches i needed the relay, plus i have an LED because i like LEDs lol