WARNING!!

This modification affects the operation of your braking system. Please do not attempt it unless you are 100% sure of what you are doing.

Neither I or SN Ltd accept any responsibility whatsoever if you do this modification and come a cropper in any way.

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Background.

Snow & ABS don't mix. The reason is that the ABS releases the brake when it feels the wheel locking, whereas the best way to stop in snow is to lock the wheels and have snow build up in front of the wheel, which helps to act as a retardant.

Concept

Turn off ABS when there is snow on the road.

How To

The easiest way is to remove the fuse, but you might be driving along, find snow & be in it before you know it, then have to brake etc etc. So removing the ABS fuse is fidly and timeconsuming and also impractical if you're driving. Then you need to replace it when the road is OK again.

Solution

Remove ABS fuse, run wire from one side of fuseholder to a toggle switch, place inline fuse in the circuit and run wire back to the other side of the fuseholder. Simple.

However, this is the braking system that we are talking about, so we need some safeguards.

Firstly is the "Missile Style Toggle Switch Cover"

Maplins reference N42AT





This cover goes over a standard 12mm 3-pole toggle switch.

The reason it is required is that when the cover is closed, it pushes the toggle to one position. Therefore, if we use the "up" position as "ABS OFF", if the cover is closed it moves and puts ABS back on. This is a useful feature in case of small children & a safety in case of accidently putting ABS off. So the idea is that when you encounter snow, you flip the cover up, switch ABS off, drive until you are through the snow and close the cover again, turning ABS back on.

The second part of the kit is a bright 12v 5mm LED. The idea behind this is that using the live feed from the ABS fuseholder, when the ABS is switched "OFF", it makes a circuit to the LED. Therefore as a further aid, you will be able to see the LED indicating that the ABS is OFF. This stays lit until the cover is closed and ABS turned back on.

I will be using one of the switch blanks on the RHS by the driver (the row with Fog Light switches) to mount the toggle switch and place the "ABS OFF" LED within the covering off the instrument binacle (like my KL LEDs).

Wiring diagram to follow.

Once again, please be aware that this is altering the specification of your braking system, so only do this if you know and understand what you are doing.

 

One point for the non elec types:

Put another fuse inline with the switch somewhere!

Paul

 

As mentioned above


BUT WORTH MENTIONING AGAIN!!

 

mine felt very unsettled when the abs was unplugged.. Id try it and see if you like it first..

David

 

Where is the abs fuse located?
Graham.

 

Just a point of note when driving in snow on MY99 UK cars with ABS.

If you try and get yourself out of trouble and the cars wheels are spinning at different rates to each other, the ABS will *click off* and through up the ABS light.
This stops the ABS from working on the brakes until you switch off ignition and back on again when the ABS will continue to work as normal. Until you spin all over the place again trying to get out of a rut.....

{speaks from experience and totally disillusioned at the benefit of having four wheel drive in the snowy depths of Scotland.....}

Alan

 

There are 2 ABS fuses listed in the fusebox behind the change pocket beside the driver. I am piggying on the ABS Solenoid one.

Alan

Interesting. I've obviously not spun the wheels in enough directions in snow! Not seen that documented before.

 

i just lifted the back seat and unplugged a sensor!


job done

left it like that all last winter the brakes are funny for a little time as david wallis says but you soon get used to it

and at least you can stoooop

 

PTMW
When it happened to me i couldn't find it documented either.

The circumstance surrounding it was stuck in deep snow with one of the front wheels (on an open diff) spinning on snow and the other stationary.
It doesn't throw up an ABS light right away when you start to spin, but comes on if you continue trying to get the car out of the stuck situation.

Alan

 

Puff,

I am planning to also do this on mine.. was going to use the abs solienod fuse too so glad to see it works.. I even have a switch on the dash labelled ABS.. lol..

Alan,

If you get stuck in snow and have one wheel spinning.. lightly press the brake with left foot as this will slow / lock the spinning wheel allowing drive to the other wheels..
ABS won't like that either..

Works for me though..

JGM

 

Cheers JGM

Alan

 

thats a good tip

 

ABS?

Wot's that

Good Ole jap imports ... my poor thing didn't get ABS ...

 

No worries..

What comes from growing up on a farm throughing Landrovers around and often getting stuck..

JGM

 

mine did

 

Right, done & installed, pics & words to follow shortly.

Does what it says on the tin - turns ABS off. Has, however, highlighted a small problem or flaw in the total plan

If, after you've driven for a while with ABS off, you re-engage switch to "ON" to complete the ABS circuit, ABS light stays on until ignition is switched off and on again. A bit impractical on the move prehaps, but the switch will be better than having to fish around under the dash to take the fues out or under the seat.

 

Any idea if the ABS still works once re-engaged with the light on??

JGM

 

it wont.

 

no it doesnt work till you switch off and restart

 

Fair enough.. as expected really..

No real problem to pull over after being in snow and switching the switch and engine off and back on

Simon

 

You can turn it off and on whilst driving (not that I could recommend that)

 

Finally got around to wiring mine up..

If the abs light is anything to go by I can turn it back on whilst driving but not off?!



Simon