Removing the ABS

[Lorin]

Has anyone removed the ABS from their 80? If so, is there any advice you'd give me before I do it, and have you had any issues with the MOT?

 

[Shayne]

Being asked 3 times about brakes while listing mods for my insurers turned me off the idea as i was inclined to think a refusal would result .

 

[stumog]

Was the abs fitted from new?

If so must be there for mot. Another option is to buy an early one that doesn't come with it.

Why d9nt you like it?

 

[karl webster]

It's something worth doing in my opinion. I know chaplegate got rid of his and doesn't have an issue with mot.
My mot says he won't be able to pass it.

 

[karl webster]

Mines shocking on my truck. I've got it unplugged permanently and only plug it in when mot time is here

 

[Shayne]

Same brakes more or less and i hated my abs with a vengeance , but since the bigg red caliper rebuild and new discs i have only heard the rattle once and that was a test i did while wondering had i accidentally killed the abs . Maybe it was the week without calipers unplugged and dripping that did it or maybe my braking has improved so much i'm far lighter on the pedal ?

 

[Lorin]

My ABS light has come on and diagnostic showed 4 codes. I cleared 2 but I'm left with 35 and 36 which is an open circuit somewhere. I've cleaned and checked all the sensors and connectors, and the codes remain. I don't fancy the expense of sorting the ABS only to have another issue appear again. Whatever your view of the ABS on these trucks, it is a fact that it doesn't cope particularly well with bigger tyres. There are lots of good reports on mud from people who've removed it and I just fancy the reliability of removing it completely.

The 80 came both with and without ABS across all years, depending on the spec. I'm curious how the MOT tester would know it had been fitted if all trace was removed? I intend to remove all the wiring as well as the pump and the bulb in the dash. I'll leave the sensors in the axles just because that's easier than blanking the holes removing them would leave. If the tester asks, I swapped in some ABS axles to replace the originals. How would they know otherwise....?

 

[Towpack]

I think Stumog has hit the nail on the head here. Was ABS an OEM fitment or wasn't it?
The only MOT issue could be if the tester gets suspicious for some reason and decides to check the vehicle specs with the Vin number. A similar situation could occur in the nightmare scenario of an accident when your vehicle is checked over by your insurer and the ABS has been removed, unless you've already declared it so of course but, personally, I just can't see an insurance Co. sanctioning it's removal. JMO

 

[Lorin]

Bit of googling and the answer is revealed....

From the current MOT testers manual in the section for ABS:
If an ABS or ESC system has been intentionally rendered inoperative, the whole system must be removed. However, this does not apply to sensor rings or other ABS components which are an integral part of another component e.g. brake disc or drive shaft.

It would therefore appear perfectly legal to remove the ABS so long as the above condition is met and the braking system passes the other tests. This makes sense when you think about rally cars and other competition cars that require an MOT but would never retain the ABS.

 

[chapel gate]

I threw all things abs over my shoulder six or so years ago. like you a drove around with the abs fuse out until mot time. coming mot time I put the fuse back in but the light didn't go out, I read the fault codes and two sensors were down. I hated abs on my cruiser so I was damned if I was going to spend a small fortune on repairing it.

I took out all things abs and re plumbed it, I'm not saying the brakes are any better but there was certainly a sharper feel at the pedal.

when I took the car for its mot I told the tester I had took out the abs. he was a little shocked and didn't know what to do so he got the owner, I told the gaffer that after much research if all traces of the abs are removed there shouldn't be a problem and the car was on the "change over year" so some don't have abs. he was happy with this.

I suppose it was at his discretion if he passed the car or not so I cant really advise you on this lorin, ask your tester first? change testers? funnily enough the business has been taken over by new owners, on turning the ignition on and looking for the abs light the new tester seemed surprised it didn't have abs. I told him it was on the "change over year" and some do some don't. he shrugged his shoulders and carried on....

 

[karl webster]

Great find lorin. That info will do me for the future

 

[Lorin]

Page 77 section 3.4 specifically details which parts of the ABS are tested and what can be failed. Removal of ABS is not a reason to fail an MOT. This is the current MOT testers manual, updated March 2016.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...ion-manual-for-class-3-4-5-and-7-vehicles.pdf

 

[Lorin]

I threw all things abs over my shoulder six or so years ago. like you a drove around with the abs fuse out until mot time. coming mot time I put the fuse back in but the light didn't go out, I read the fault codes and two sensors were down. I hated abs on my cruiser so I was damned if I was going to spend a small fortune on repairing it.

I took out all things abs and re plumbed it, I'm not saying the brakes are any better but there was certainly a sharper feel at the pedal.

when I took the car for its mot I told the tester I had took out the abs. he was a little shocked and didn't know what to do so he got the owner, I told the gaffer that after much research if all traces of the abs are removed there shouldn't be a problem and the car was on the "change over year" so some don't have abs. he was happy with this.

I suppose it was at his discretion if he passed the car or not so I cant really advise you on this lorin, ask your tester first? change testers? funnily enough the business has been taken over by new owners, on turning the ignition on and looking for the abs light the new tester seemed surprised it didn't have abs. I told him it was on the "change over year" and some do some don't. he shrugged his shoulders and carried on....

Good to know and I shall be following in your footsteps shortly!

 

[stumog]

Interesting

 

[chapel gate]

Great find lorin. That info will do me for the future

sounds like i better get the tea bags in soon..

 

[karl webster]

sounds like i better get the tee bags in soon..

Sod that. You can just do it me for a couple of beer tockens
Advertise the service here mate

 

[Lorin]

Whoa there! If there's a 'service' being formed, there's already a queue!

I'd be interested to see any pics of how the pipes were routed from the MC to where the pump was though.

 

[chapel gate]

i should of took pictures at the time but it was a rush job to get through the mot. Hence some of the plumbing, i will tidy it up one day..

i made some notes to but cant seem to find them.

See if you can work it out from the pics, it would be easy if the trucks were side by side.it was pretty logical. One pipe is made redundant, you can just see it in the cluster on the bulk head. When the master cylinder needs replacing i will get a non abs one and tidy things up.

 

[frank rabbets]

Some mot regs are retrospective. One day if the dashboard has the warning light emblem on it it could be that the light has to work correctly.

I don't know why one would hate a correctly working abs system.

 

[chapel gate]

Some mot regs are retrospective. One day if the dashboard has the warning light emblem on it it could be that the light has to work correctly.

I don't know why one would hate a correctly working abs system.

This has been debated a few times frank. For me and where i lived in winter it was down right dangerous in snow and hard pack. I wasnt going to spend a small fortune fixing it up.