Right, and how many folks, aside from the professional race car drivers..... have that kind of skill? If you answered "Very Few" you would be correct. Also, race cars don't use abs because 1, they don't need it, life is fairly predictable when everyone is going the same direction, and 2, weight. They don't want the additional weight the system requires. When they are doing stuff to shave ounces, adding pounds just isn't in the equation.

Still and all, I would still put a good abs system (modern) against anyone. Especially in adverse conditions.

 

you did say ANY human. Lol. I'd put a finish rally car driver against anyone in an abs vehicle in any weather.

 

Rally cars actually have ABS..... At least, the newer ones do.

However, that said.... ABS is more about a controllable stop, than stopping distance. (this is what I get for posting when I am tired. ) They 'typical' driver, in a panic stop, will simply stand on the pedal, locking the wheels. With the wheels locked, sure, you may stop faster, but, you aren't going to be able to control your direction of travel, at all.

In an ideal world, they would actually teach those skills in drivers ed....... but, as you have probably noticed, we don't live in an ideal world, and they don't. So, yeah, it's a crutch, but, in real world conditions, with average drivers, at best..... it actually DOES help.

 

agreed. I see what you saying. I'm just razing you and saying its not a blanket statement. You know how long it takes to get a drivers liscence in Finland?

 

No, I don't. Never been there. (though I think it would cool to visit.) I am in the states, and here, it is painfully easy to get a license. Before you turn 18, ya gotta spend a couple hundred bucks, but, at 18, you take a test, (100 bucks) and if you pass, you are down the road, no restrictions. Without ANY formal training at all.......

I know the folks in Europe are a lot more **** about such things.... I kinda wish the US would take a page out of their book..... get some of the folks off the roads here, that really shouldn't be on it.

 

2 years. And they MUST show they can handle a car in any condition and keep control in any weather. They basically have a fifa rally liscence when they can drive on the road. Lol.

 

That actually strikes me as a good idea. Having drivers with some REAL driving skills would be quite novel around here. Folks drive like they own the road, NOT the car.......

 

thats strange, I've had 2 Dakotas in my life first was an 88 only reason I had to get rid of it was a weight sense valve in eth rear brakes that wasn't available in Va that went bda, and this 93, the 93 has a lift kit and 33's with stock brakes on it all the way around and it stops better than I expected, of course I add distance because of the larger tires

No I'm satin the disk brakes on my wife's Ford are so damn massive that it dosn't matter what tires you put on it it will stop mo matter what condition, even on moderate frozen ice

 

Toby, no disrespect intended, but how do you know the rear disc are working properly? You say you have tested them and they will not lock up. But in my mind that does not mean they are working properly.
In the past, I have drove a lot of pickups, especially before ABS came about.
As a general rule, a truck would lock up the rear quicker then a car, and I believe it was for 2 reasons
1. The percentage of total weight of a empty truck is much more on the front vs a car. Therefore, the rear being light would lock up and slide easier then a car.
2. The brakes are set up to handle weight when the truck is loaded. Again, when empty they tend to lock up quicker then a car.

My point is, are you sure the proportioning part of your truck is correct? And Im not sure how you would tell until it turns cold and get to test it on snow and ice.
I suspect that by only changing the brakes from drum to disc, may cause the front brakes to be carrying a higher percentage of the stopping force then the truck was designed with.

FWIW, im not at all against converting to 4 wheel disc. In fact, I plan to convert mine.......
But I suspect that the proportioning valve and possibly the master cyl. should be changed as well.

Oh and when I convert mine, I plan to use a ford 8.8 rearend.
My reasons are,
1. I already have one out of a 2000 explorer.
2 It has the disc, and has the correct 3.54 gear.
3. And it has the 5 bolt 4.5 pattern, same as my truck has now.

 

well, all of what you say may very well be true. As when I did my swap, I didnt change anything on the prop valve or master cylinder. But, I do know what my truck stopped like when I first got it. And the drum brakes were fully operational. Vs how it stopped when the drums went to crap. (Which would still bounce your head off the dash board lol.) And how it stops now with the new rear end. Another thing to note is all the weight I added since I first got it vs now. And the braking is still better then when I first got it.

All that said, I cant be 100% sure the rear discs are working to their full extent or best as they could. What i do know, my brakes are phenomenally amazing on how great they perform. But, I also plan to keep upgrading the brakes when I get done doing other things.

Hope that makes sense lol.