Talking of brakes......
I slithered into the back of Steve's L200 the other day as my brakes did something weird. I was following him and we went round a bend in a lane to find a tractor in the middle of the road. He slammed his brakes on and I did the same. Mine juddered then I just slid into the back of his truck. Not fast but enough to dent his and pushed my bars agains the front of mine, scratching the paintwork
I know ABS juddered but when mine does it, it stops me feeling like I have any power over the brakes and they are less rather than more effective. This cannot be right. I did post on here ages ago asking about the juddering and was told it was the ABS. Surely ABS is supposed to be more effective rather than less?
I have it serviced regularly and have mentioned it to them but apparently there was not a problem. There definitely is now, including an insurance claim!
Never had anything with ABS before so am not quite sure how it SHOULD feel
Any ideas?
Minx's back...welcome..long time no post 
Sounds all good to me (the brakes...not the bump)
ABS is designed for a particular purpose, not necessarily to stop quicker.
Anti-Lock Braking Systems are designed to stop you from entering into an uncontrollable Skid.
The system works by rapidly applying and releasing the brakes so that the wheels dont lock and skid.
This in theory allows you to steer around the problem in a controlled manner rather than slid into it.
Unfortunatley this assumes that you both have your wits about you to be able to think about what is happening and you have enough time and room to make an avoiding manoevure.
Can you remember the Ford Sierra advert from the late 80's with the same scenario as you where a guy driving the Sierra comes up to a tractor that pulls into the road in front of him and he brakes hard, and hits it!!!! or a second attempt but the ABS allows him to steer around the tractor rather thean hitting it?
The juddering is the pedal bouncing back as the control unit rapidly applies and releases the brakes and is quite normal
The G only works on a low number of pulses per minute (around 10 i think) compared to modern vehicles and most people find it "agricultural" compared to a modern car.
The fact is that MB pioneered the ABS system in the 70's and it was available on their products long before many others, and standard on their model ranges before others also. It did not become common on all cars until the late 90's and still is not standard equipment on everything i dont think!!
The system is designed in thoery so that it does not activate below a certain speed (cant remember what, maybe 10 mph?)
Your incident was probably unavoidable in a single track lane at say 20 mph with nowhere to steer around?
I have good experience of this after having to stand in front of a judge to defend myself after an RTA where i ran in to the back of an accident that had happened in front of me around a blind corner, the other party (that had caused it in the first place) accused me of injuring him as i ran into the back of him, as it happens i clipped the rear corner of his car that was strewn sideways across the road after he hit an oncoming car head on at 60mph as he was on the wrong side of the road coming around the corner. My ABS had allowed me to steer to the left and the police said i actually had all my car off the left side of the road on the verge when i just clipped his car that was over the same kerb. With no ABS i would have skidded straight into the middle of both cars, with ABS i managed to brake tightly to the left when the corner was throwing me right.
Anyway i won!!! I hope you get sorted as i understood claims between close relations or even people that know each other are often a little "difficult" to prove get approved?
Hope that ramble helps!!!
Gav
First - Glad everyone is ok!
Second - The only thing that I can think of, is the shuddering was the ABS, but you may also have hit some mud/oil that may have been on the road? Was it dry or wet? could you have aqua planed in a puddle?
Just remembering one of your last comments - about the G being strong as tissue paper, sounds as if you were lucky!
Spider1V
As Gavin has mentioned, the ABS deactivates at low speeds of less than 5 mph so finally the wheel can be brought to a halt otherwise the wheel would never come to a halt other than by loss of its own inertia.
The clue is in what you state, the vehicle slid into Steve's car suggesting you could be less than 5 mph and then the wheel could have locked, sliding rather than slowing down further.
At higher speeds provided one does not bottle out of a pulsating pedal under ABS conditions of braking it gives you an ability to steer your self out of a situation.
the width and type of tyres that your car wears has a bearing too,
Was this your 1st application of the brakes that morning? Surface rust on Disc? Had it been stood longer than a day? How is your handbrake? Have you tried emergency stops since then? I think ABS it deactiavtes at 4mph?
JOIN THE GWOA
This website and forum are provided for the benefit of enthusiasts and owners of all Mercedes Benz off road vehicles, in particular the G Wagen. The costs of development, upkeep and provision of the site are met entirely by the annual subscriptions of club members. If you are using the site and are not a member of the G Wagen Owners Association please consider joining. You will have access to areas on the site that are not open to non members, to club trips and meetings and to technical assistance. In addition your contribution (only £25 annually) will help us maintain and develop our website for future users.
Who's new
- Roscoe25
- RozzaTS
- Awon
- f.ecoheat
- ImportBry
Thank you for all of your replies. Will comment on each:
Gav, I don't remember the advert but your comprehensive description of the ABS on a G sounds about right.
Rakesh- it was about 5mph as we had both slowed down to take the bend so were coming to a halt anyway. It is just that I came to a halt up against Steve's truck. I don't really have a good track record with bends, do i? What with the altercation with that Vollvo happening when I was negotiating a bend. That has still not been resolved. Long story but the muppet is still saying it is my fault as I hit him. I pointed out that I never disputed that but had he not een in my lane (as stated in the police report) with a 200 foot drop as my other option, it wouldn't have happened. He is just clutching at straws
Spider- it was absolutely chucking it down so aqua-planing may have come into it if you can do that at low speeds!
prwales, I was on the way to buy a new spare tyre ironically. It now has what the manual states I should have and the ones on there are nearly new Goodyear Wranglers