Anti Lock Brakes on a Jeep?

southtj · #1 (**permalink**) 09-04-2003, 05:48 PM

Would anti-lock brakes be a help or hinderance off road?

Just wondering?

graewulf · #2 (**permalink**) 09-05-2003, 08:20 AM

if you need to engage anti-lock brakes off-road, you'r doing someting way wrong.... you should not be driving fast enough to engage them if you are off-road.

southtj · #3 (**permalink**) 09-05-2003, 08:49 AM

Good point. We're having trouble determining at the dealership if the 04s come with anti-lock brakes or not.

They tell me it could be here as soon as two weeks or it could be longer. I'm getting tired of reading all these posts about Jeeps and me not driving one yet. And it's going to start getting cooler here soon.

Snitty · #4 (**permalink**) 09-06-2003, 07:41 AM

according to the insurance company, i have ABS... according to my jeep, i don't

graewulf · #5 (**permalink**) 09-06-2003, 08:07 AM

is there an (ABS) light that comes on in the dash when you turn the key on? iff there is you hve ABS, if not, you don't. my GC has 4 wheel ABS - it's a 95

nanaeight · #6 (**permalink**) 09-06-2003, 08:50 AM

My '97 TJ doesn't have ABS and I'm happy about that. Personally, I think ABS is kinda useless (especially for a vehicle that can barely get over 70 mph). A buddy of mine that works at Midas pretty much says the same thing. However, my insurance company too thinks I've got ABS so I wonder where they get there info when I've got it different everytime I put the key in the ignition...... :wink:

Bounty__Hunter · #7 (**permalink**) 09-06-2003, 12:37 PM

Wheelin in the mud around here, especially when going downhill, the brakes are often locked up. I think you'd have a little more downhill control with ABS, but that's the only benefit I can see. I'd like to hear some cons to ABS offroad if anybody has any.

We've even had to winch downhill it's been so bad, like a roller coaster.

MudderChuck · #8 (**permalink**) 09-06-2003, 08:47 PM

The only real con I can see to ABS, is a few more connectors and some other pieces to breaK or get messed up. My philosophy has always been, the more complicated the machine, the more chance of it breaking.
An intigrated ABS and traction control is probably, the direction of traction future. I´ve seen some vehicles with rear wheel electronic traction control, I was impressed. Have a truck with rear wheel ABS, works good, helping keep it straight, going down a slippery slope.
Most systems, I´ve seen, require some kind of reprograming, when the tire size is changed.

Utah_jeepster · #9 (**permalink**) 09-06-2003, 08:53 PM

my 2001 TJ has ABS in the front only (disks front/drums rear).
The problem with ABS and off roading is that some times you want to full lock your front and rear brakes but the ABS will over ride this and slip the front (feather?). I have never thought about this but I /or some one else will need to look into this but. At one time if you have your vehicle in 4 high or 4 low there was a by-pass switch that disingaged the ABS unit. I will look in the owners manual this evening and see if Jeep has that option.
With some of the steep ledges I faced at Moab recently I used the 4 low option and manualy shifted my Auto into 1st gear to slow my decent on some of these steep ledges.
I know on the loose rocky stuff you dont want to lock up your brakes at all and this 4 low engine braking tech. works out very well.