Introduction
Anti-lock braking systems are an essential safety feature in cars nowadays. Anti-lock braking system (ABS) helps prevent lockup of your vehicle’s wheels, so that even in emergency braking your vehicle will remain under control to a much greater extent. So if your vehicle does not have ABS, then you should definitely consider getting an upgrade. In this article, we will discuss the steps to upgrade your vehicle with anti-lock brakes, advantages of upgrading your vehicle to anti-lock brakes and certain considerations to be made before such an upgrade.
Benefits of ABS
Before we look at the upgrade cycle, however, let us first reflect on the advantages of ABS: 1. It avoids locking the front wheel in panic stops. 2. This reduces skidding. 3. This reduces braking distance. 4. This reduces the likelihood of losing control. 5. This allows margin in the formula for braking distance. 6. This is an active system, so it does not affect the balance of the car when braking, as does a servo (or ‘locking’) brake.
Better steering control: ABS enables you to steer around obstacles and avoid collisions while braking hard.
Lower Braking Distances: In many surface conditions, ABS enables shorter stopping distances, increasing overall braking performance.
Prevention of skidding: This is the common-sense reason given by car manufacturers for fitting ABS brakes: as long as the wheels can revolve (ie, we don’t lock up), on a slippery surface we will have control (ie, no loss of control through skidding).
Enhancement of Vehicle Stability: ABS will help to maintain the stability of the vehicle during braking so that the driver can maintain control.
Assessing Compatibility
Determine if your car is suitable for an ABS retrofit, and if that’s feasible: The fact is that some cars are more suitable than others to be retrofitted with ABS. Modern electric cars are probably not suitable – just leave them alone, since their braking systems are so different anyway. Older cars may be more difficult to retrofit than newer ones, or perhaps it’s not feasible to upgrade your particular vehicle for some other reason. You should consult an expert (a mechanic or an ABS retrofit service) as to whether your car is suitable for upgrading to ABS.
Choosing the Right ABS Kit
If your car is fit, the next step will be which ABS retrofit kit to install. The more complex the ABS retrofit kit, the better the quality and functionality will be. The main components will be:
ABS Control Module: The brain of the system: gets information from the speed sensors and tells the brakes how hard to brake.
Speed Sensors: Sensors that record the rate of rotation of each wheel and send this information to the ABS module.
Valves and Actuators: Components that modulate the brake pressure to prevent wheel lockup.
Hydraulic Pump: A pump that maintains the necessary brake pressure during ABS activation.
Wiring and Connectors: Electrical components that link the ABS to your car’s existing systems.
Installation Process
ABS Upgrade is a rather complicated process that must be done by a qualified specialist. The installation process consists of
the following steps:
To remove existing brake components: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
Installation Speed sensors are attached to each wheel and the cable is routed to the ABS module.
The module can be fixed on the car, normally next to the brake control unit. 5. Fix the ABS Module: The module can be fixed on your car. It is usually installed next to the existing brake control unit. 6.
As it says with valves and actuators: The valves and actuators are fitted in the brake lines for controlling brake pressure.
Combination of hydraulic Pump and Brake: Combination the hydraulic Pump and Brake together to keep the pressure to a proper amount.
Wiring and Electrical Integration: Wiring and connection to the vehicle’s electrical systems are installed.
Checking and Adjustment: After installation, the ABS is checked, adjusted and calibrated.
Cost Considerations
ABS retrofits will be a significant expense, depending on the scope of the retrofit and components involved. The average ABS retrofit begins around $1,500 and can cost $3,000 or more. It’s a lot of money but then again how much is safety worth?
Maintenance and Care
ABS is one of the most effective safety innovations available but, even when your car is fitted with the system, it’s important to keep its sensors and valves in good order. Maintenance tasks to keep the system working as designed include:
Check speed sensors: Check speed sensors for dust and dirt and clean them if needed.
Topping up brake fluid: Keep the level of brake fluid topped up and clear of contamination.
ABS warning light: Pay attention to the dash light for your ABS system. Get your vehicle checked right away if the dash light comes on.
Brake Inspections: You should have your braking system inspected by an experienced technician at regular intervals in order to pinpoint developing problems and address them.
Conclusion
If you want to keep yourself safe while driving your car, the best thing you can do is to get your vehicle fitted with some anti-lock brakes (ABS). This will improve your control of the steering wheel when braking, reduce your stopping distance, and eliminate any chance of your wheels locking up. However, the process of installing the ABS system can be time-consuming and expensive. Yet, because of the benefits that are associated with it, ABS is a great investment in your vehicle. If you can make sure that the system is compatible, that you choose the right kit for your vehicle, and that it is properly maintained, your car will be safer to drive. Because of this, you will feel much less anxiety about driving your car.
