Non ABS Motorhome (1 Viewer)

joggerman

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Jul 21, 2009
139
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Some of the older classic vans I have seen do not have ABS fitted (even some mid 2000's models).

How many Funsters are OK about driving non ABS vans, and how safe is it with a motorhome ?
 
Aug 18, 2011
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derbys
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since 2007.Tugger before since 1970
Well we managed without it for years. Personally i dont like it, but then again i am an old fossil.
 

Stephen & Jeannie

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Aug 27, 2008
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Gobowen near Oswestry !!
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Sold and bought a Caravan
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9 years !!!!
2006 Autotrail Scout !

No ABS fitted !!:Eeek: who cares, :Blush::bigsmile:rive carefully or don't drive in conditions where it might be of help ! (I don't !):Cool:

I had it in a car once ! It never came on in the 4 years I had it !:RollEyes:

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Snowbird

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Apr 24, 2009
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In my opinion ABS may be an advantage in a high powered car, but I cannot possibly see any advantage in something weighing in excess of 3.5 tons that rarely in my case travels at more than 50 MPH. Far to many drivers rely on these gizmos to get them out of trouble instead of driving by watching the road further ahead and using defensive driving techniques. The way I see it is its just something else to go wrong and another warning light that often wont go out.
 

Terry

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Dec 27, 2007
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Can't remember ;)
I agree with Dave (SB) it is simply another thing to go wrong :Doh:I had a sensor come loose 2 yrs just before mot which because light was on van failed:Eeek: did not affect brakes on rolling road test at all--even if you disconnect it, no good you have to completely remove it off the van
:Doh:::bigsmile:
Terry
 

Heyupluv

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Oct 7, 2008
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touring many years..42+
Well all I can say I have been driving for 44+ years motorcars...and 50 years driving on the roads...and what vehicles I have had it on motorhomes or cars a or mpvs ....:Doh: I have never used or had to use Abs....:thumb:....is this a trick question:RollEyes::winky::winky:

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Stephen & Jeannie

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Aug 27, 2008
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Gobowen near Oswestry !!
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Sold and bought a Caravan
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9 years !!!!
More coal, more coal !!

Well all I can say I have been driving for 44+ years motorcars...and[HI] 50 years driving on the roads[/HI]...and what vehicles I have had it on motorhomes or cars a or mpvs ....:Doh: I have never used or had to use Abs....:thumb:....is this a trick question:RollEyes::winky::winky:

What did you do with that Stanley Steamer that you bought from new !:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 

ourcampersbeentrashed

Free Member
Apr 19, 2008
7,574
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East London
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well over 5 years
neither our 1988 or 1990 motorhome had ABS on them.

As long as you keep to the highway code and know your stopping distances there is no real difference and of course its one less thing to go wrong on the vehicle.

ABS didnt exist not so long ago and cars, vans, lorries and motorhomes all managed perfectly well without it but then again we managed without power steering too. Perhaps thats why so many youngsters these days dont have the muscles they used to have :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 
Aug 18, 2011
12,090
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derbys
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MH
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since 2007.Tugger before since 1970
Steering wheel acts quicker than brakes any time. Concentration is key. Did not help me in Germany though when my van was written off. I pulled of the road onto the grass varge and the git stlill removed the side of my van. Think he was an ex Focker pilot.
 

magicsurfbus

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Oct 11, 2010
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NW England
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Bessacarr Coachbuilt
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Since 1997
Our 2005 van has no ABS. Some of our cars have in recent years, but I can't think of any occasion where having it has been an advantage. In fact the ABS on one of our cars became a positive liability whenever our road iced over.

Just give yourself plenty of distance from whatever's ahead, have your brakes checked regularly, and don't let your tyres treads wear too thin.

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chatter

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Aug 3, 2009
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Sorry i have to be blunt this time but
if you think driving without ABS is a problem just maybe you shouldtnt drive at all - ABS is to make sure that a person has controlled braking so if a persons driving is bad/fast enough to make that a necessity that person mustnt be a competent driver.
One wonders how such drivers would get on if they didnt have power assisted steering as well.
 

JJ

Mágica
May 1, 2008
19,228
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Quinta Majay, Pinheiro Bordalo, Portugal
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over 50 years
The truth is that, although I know ABS is something to do with the brakes, I don't actually know what it does or which cars I have driven had it.

Does it go wrong when people are relying on it?

In short and to answer the OP... I wouldn't worry whether a motorhome had it or not...

JJ:Cool:
 
Nov 6, 2008
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Ramsey, Isle of Man.
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8 years with an RV
ABS is anti-lock braking system.
What it does is recognise when the wheels have locked, and releases the brakes and applies the brakes and so on, all in a heartbeat.
What I was taught, was that when the wheels locked, release the brake pedal, and apply the brake pedal, and so on, so as not to skid. If you are skidding you are not in control.
I have driven hundreds of thousands of miles on motorbikes, in cars, vans, trucks and artics, and the only vehicle i have had ABS on, is my pick up truck i bought in October.
ABS is for people that hit the brakes hard in a blind panic and don't release the pedal. It stops them skidding.
If you drive sensibly, and have a command of your driving, and keep the correct distance from the vehicle in front, and drive according to the conditions, you will be fine.
When i drove artics, the tractor unit alone would stop dead if you hit the brakes. With a trailer on, it was different, more of a normal braking distance, and if you were grossing around 32 tons, then you had to really think ahead, as the stopping distance would be increased 10 fold.

Craig

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Terry

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Dec 27, 2007
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Can't remember ;)
ABS is a foolproof way of applying what used to be called Candace braking in slippery conditions, taught to me when I was a lad at 17 ::bigsmile: ie in snow :Smile: no good on ice that was a case of sit and kiss your arse goodbye ::bigsmile:
Terry
 
Feb 27, 2011
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I can only think of one situation where ABS would be useful.
It's where you have to do an emergency brake AND steer.
If someone pulls out in front of you and you have to slam the anchors on and steer around them. It just makes it a bit more likely that the manoeuvre will be successful.

As an ex biker, I treat any vehicle coming towards a side junction on the road I am driving on as a threat. I just don't trust any other driver. So far never needed ABS...
 

Geo

Trader - Funster
Jul 29, 2007
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45 +years with breaks
Your quite right Terry
Im suprised no one has mentioned one of the biggest advantages of this new fangled ABS

That was first used in 1929 and throught the 60s70 on a lot of well known makes
and that is
?????
Answers on a post card please:RollEyes:

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Geo

Trader - Funster
Jul 29, 2007
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45 +years with breaks
Apart from Grommet whos answer wasnt there when i looked

YES STEERING
It is vastly enhanced with ABS 10/10 Karl
PS it was tried on Triumph Motor cycles too
 
Last edited:
Nov 6, 2008
3,943
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Ramsey, Isle of Man.
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I can only think of one situation where ABS would be useful.
It's where you have to do an emergency brake AND steer.
If someone pulls out in front of you and you have to slam the anchors on and steer around them. It just makes it a bit more likely that the manoeuvre will be successful.

As an ex biker, I treat any vehicle coming towards a side junction on the road I am driving on as a threat. I just don't trust any other driver. So far never needed ABS...

I believe to be a good driver, you should have a motorbike first. That will teach you the art of driving defensively, and also the fine art of 'feeling' what your tyres are doing.

Craig
 

Terry

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Dec 27, 2007
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Can't remember ;)
Your quite right Terry
Im suprised no one has mentioned one of the biggest advantages of this new fangled ABS

That was first used in 1929 and throught the 60s70 on a lot of well known makes
and that is
?????
Answers on a post card please:RollEyes:

::bigsmile: just googled/wikapedia it --interesting :winky:
terry

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Feb 27, 2011
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Apart from Grommet whos answer wasnt there when i looked

YES STEERING
It is vastly enhanced with ABS 10/10 Karl
PS it was tried on Triumph Motor cycles too

Thanks:thumb:, I remember a car advert from the 80's (I think) where they demonstrated this. I will try and find it on youtube later.

I believe to be a good driver, you should have a motorbike first. That will teach you the art of driving defensively, and also the fine art of 'feeling' [HI]what your tyres are doing[/HI].

Craig

Very true, you do tend to know what effect different road surfaces do to the handling. You also know more instinctively what the shiny black stuff they use at the joins, and road markings do to your handling.

I think driving a range of vehicles before you get your full license would also be helpful. The number of people who are inconsiderate to bikes and HGV's because they have never walked in those shoes... Riding a bike for a number of year and taking the HGV training and test has made me a more considerate and safer car/van driver.
 
Feb 27, 2011
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Found it..

The guy is a crap driver, how on earth did he not see the tractor pulling out. He obviously wasn't a bike rider in his early years:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

Does show the ABS/Steering thingy though. That's how I knew about it.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw3xXDIOmt0"]Ford Granada 1985 Advert UK - YouTube[/ame]
 
Nov 6, 2008
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Ramsey, Isle of Man.
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Coachmen Concord 300TS
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8 years with an RV
Nice advert! But, what would he have done if the car travelling in the opposite direction had been 5 seconds later. Would he have swerved into it? Or hit the tractor?

Craig

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Jaws

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Sep 26, 2008
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Thetford Norfolk
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since 2006 ( I think ! )
I hate ABS and most other 'driver aids'

Purely personal but I like to control a vehicle, not the vehicle control me..

Loads of bikes have it fitted and one of the first things I do is junk the whole system..

MH has not got it, none of the 4 x 4's has it ( now :winky: ) and only the smart car is fitted with it ( cos to remove it from that is a bloody nightmare and the ECU has to be completely remapped !! )
 

pappajohn

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Aug 26, 2007
43,203
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ABS is anti-lock braking system.
What it does is recognise when the wheels have locked, and releases the brakes and applies the brakes and so on, all in a heartbeat.
What I was taught, was that when the wheels locked, release the brake pedal, and apply the brake pedal, and so on, so as not to skid. If you are skidding you are not in control.
I have driven hundreds of thousands of miles on motorbikes, in cars, vans, trucks and artics, and the only vehicle i have had ABS on, is my pick up truck i bought in October.
ABS is for people that hit the brakes hard in a blind panic and don't release the pedal. It stops them skidding.
If you drive sensibly, and have a command of your driving, and keep the correct distance from the vehicle in front, and drive according to the conditions, you will be fine.
When i drove artics, the tractor unit alone would stop dead if you hit the brakes. With a trailer on, it was different, more of a normal braking distance, and if you were grossing around 32 tons, then you had to really think ahead, as the stopping distance would be increased 10 fold.

Craig
Can you apply and release the brake pedal up to 30 times a second ?

ABS can !

in the vast majority of cases the first reaction to a brake skid is press the pedal harder...a natural reaction.

ABS has nothing to do with stopping....you wont stop in any shorter distance than non-ABS.

its about retaining steering control when the skid happens.

locked front wheels have no steering effect at all.....ABS equipped vehicles will steer as normal under severe braking/wheels lock.

just Saturday i had a fool pull out just yards in front of me while doing just 45mph.

if it hadnt been for ABS i wouldnt have been able to steer round him and i certainly couldnt have stopped in time.....I had no time to even think about pedal 'pumping' that time.
 

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