6 replies to this topic

[Ratspants]

I've just been having a chat with an S2 Exige owner and he was telling me: "If you brake too heavily [the ABS] releases the rear brakes "to prevent a spin" but this has the effect of removing a significant amount of your braking ability, speeding your passage to the gravel trap." "it feels as if you lose all braking" "Its not a huge problem, its only happened to me once on track and I've heard of a few others having it happen once or twice" It might be that he just has a broken Exige but if not, and others have also had this problem, could it be that the "got no brakes" feeling that occurs with the ABS on VX/VXTs still haunts the new units? Any VXR owners spotted this or anyone read about it on SELOC or similar? That "releases the brakes to prevent a spin" sounds like hokem but it might just be his way of describing the loss of brakes sensation, I wouldn't have thought that a release of the rear brakes only would have as pronounced effect as he describes. Just curious. Ben

[N4aat]

I would have thought that releasing the rear brakes a certain amount would help reduce the possibility of spinning, just as using some throttle to change the brake bias towards the front helps when left foot braking. Though I wasn't aware that the Exige brakes were quite that sophisticated. I was of the opinion that the 'my brakes seem to have released' under hard braking was the ice mode kicking in with hard suspension upgrades. Just IMHO. Would be good to bottom this as I was thinking about getting the 111r/VXR module for my VXT. I believe Thorney is about to do some testing on this issue. Nat

[Pidgeon]

"If you brake too heavily [the ABS] releases the rear brakes "to prevent a spin" but this has the effect of removing a significant amount of your braking ability, speeding your passage to the gravel trap."

I would take any such comment with a large pinch of salt, unless he can back it up.

I would have thought that releasing the rear brakes a certain amount would help reduce the possibility of spinning, just as using some throttle to change the brake bias towards the front helps when left foot braking.

More throttle moves weight to the rear

[Oval_balls]

I have a VXR and the ABS module is allegedly an improvement over the VXT module, but I haven't driven a VXT so I can't comment on the improvement. However, I can confirm that the VXR ABS module is not perfect and it has already given me one scare with the no brakes feeling. It was a dry sunny day, and I was approaching some traffic lights with cameras to catch the jumpers. The lights turned red and I had to brake pretty aggressively to avoid getting flashed. There was nobody behind me, but as it turned out this wasn't the issue. I had already slowed to less than 10mph when the front driver's side wheel hit a pothole and the ABS fired in straight away. The brake pedal went dead and it really felt like someone had removed my pads and replaced them with bars of soap. I gracefully glided over the stop line and only just stopped before I triggered the camera. The worring thing was that once triggered, the ABS continued to work even after it should have been clear to the system that all four wheels were now well planted and had excellent grip.

[ShinyAndy]

I've a VXR now after having an NA and VXT The ABS has always worked well on all my cars and I've never experienced anything other than normal ABS response when braking too hard. The VXT was probably a bit keener than the VXR to kick in but otherwise all have worked well I might add though that all of my cars had/have uprated pads & fluid and been properly bled etc

Edited by ShinyAndy, 28 September 2006 - 01:17 PM.

[bren.wright]

Everybody goes on about problems with ABS on the VX's but touch wood I have never had any issues, you must all have defects lol!

[Joss]

It's funny this should be discussed today, my ABS has come in twice today, when in the whole 2 years I have owned the VXR I have hardly ever had it come on. (Used to happen regularly in the VXT). Once braking hard (80 - 0) for some idiot who decided to turn suddenly without indicating, but no surface problem, once braking normally (30- 10) but on a potholey surface. Felt horrible both times. The brake fluid has just been changed, might there be a problem I need to check out?