home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- Path: sparky!uunet!noc.near.net!bigboote.WPI.EDU!banach.WPI.EDU!gregc
- From: gregc@banach.WPI.EDU (Gregory M Charland)
- Newsgroups: rec.autos
- Subject: Re: Mech ABS retrofit (ABS-TRAX)
- Date: 23 Nov 1992 18:32:26 GMT
- Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
- Lines: 37
- Message-ID: <1er83qINN5fq@bigboote.WPI.EDU>
- References: <53060096@hpsgm2.sgp.hp.com> <93780@rphroy.ph.gmr.com>
- NNTP-Posting-Host: banach.wpi.edu
-
- In article <93780@rphroy.ph.gmr.com> rhaar@albert.cs.gmr.com writes:
- >In article 53060095@hpsgm2.sgp.hp.com, leonglaw@hpsgm2.sgp.hp.com (Lawrence LEONG) writes:
- >|>I've just seen a mechanical ABS retrofit. Its called "ABS-TRAX" and is
- >|>supposed to be derived from aircraft systems. Have you heard of it, and if
- >|>so, any data-points or anecdotes?
- >|>[stuff deleted]
- >|>There is no speed sensor like the electronic versions. Since this device
- >|>works on a principle similar to threshold braking (I think), it appears to
- >|>be better than electronic ABS, no?
- >No way can this beat an electronic ABS. It is really not an ABS system
- >at all. What is does (if anything) is to limit the maximum hydraulic pressure
- >in a braking circuit.
- >
- >Now brake force corresponds roughly with hydraulic pressure, but neither
- >one has much to do with wheel lock up.
- >|>[stuff about threshold braking and that there's no way this could
- work has been deleted]
-
- In some issues of the Four-Wheeler-type magazines that I've read,
- a system that sounds similar to this has been discussed.
- The principle behind this particular device is that there is a
- pressure change in the brake line when a wheel locks. It simply acts
- as a shock absorber-- when the wheel begins to lock up, the pressure in
- the line changes, and the system backs off on that wheel until the
- brake line pressure normalizes (and the wheel is rotating again).
- The main disadvantage is that instead of response/pulse times
- measured in milliseconds, this takes hundredths-to-tenths. The major
- advantage is that it's a mechanical system (Something most 4WD'ers like),
- relatively simple with no electronics to fail (as if mech. systems
- can't fail!), and cost.
- One of the mags actually (I think) installed the system on a
- truck. (newer 4Runner, maybe?) They seemed to think it worked pretty
- well.
- --
- ---------------------------------------------
- Gregory M. Charland-----> gregc@wpi.wpi.edu
- ---------------------------------------------
-