Stopping from 100+ and ABS

[ediconu]

I have a quick question, I found some info on the forums, but I'd like a bit more.

This morning, I was driving to work, i found an empty straight-away and decided to go a bit over 100 MPH. Since I'm driving down I-66 inside the beltway, this area without people on it went away quickly, and I had to slow down to the 8 (eight) miles/hour that everyone else decided was the speed to go.

I had some distance before i had to stop entirely, probably about 350 feet so I didn't hit the breaks too hard, but it started immediately violently shaking. I don't think it was a problem with the discs having pad material melted onto them, because i've stopped many times before and after that, in harder and softer fashion, and it hasn't done it other than that one time.

Does anyone know if the ABS on a '95 would cause shaking like that? The reason I suspect the ABS is because my mom had a '95 GM minivan and I was driving that one day, I had to break in the rain and the ABS on that made the whole car shake in a very similar fashion.

Does this sound like it should've happened?

-Mike

(BTW: I read this already- http://www.stoptech.com/whitepapers/warped_rotors_myth.htm )

 

[ediconu]

if i'd taken my hands off the wheel, it wouldn't have gone to either side, it felt like i was trying to stop on a really rough road...

if it happens again, i'll try to get a better description, but I think it was the ABS going on and off... I had hoped that a corvette's ABS would be better than that of a minivan though.

 

[ediconu]

I had a 2003 Nissan Altima with ABS and it made a buzzing noise, but there was no noticable shaking associated with it.

I s'pose i'll go about my business assuming it's the abs until the rotor that is 1/2 fallen off falls the rest of the way off and lodges itself in the engine compartment. I can fix that.

Mike

 

[froggy47]

I've had mine come on from about 60-70 in the wet (on purpose). It didn't feel too wild or out of control. Dry abs could be a little more exciting I suppose.

 

[pns0ccc]

I've planted my foot to the floor at over a 100 miles per hour and the braking action was smooth yet deliberate. I believe this to be normal since this is not the only car the ABS has activated.

 

[Tuna]

Ditto pns0ccc's comments. I've made several stops from high speed and all have been smooth even with the ABS Active light on.

You might want to check the suspension - ball joints, etc., to see if something is loose.

 

[ediconu]

I was just kidding about the 1/2 broken rotor. But I haven't checked the ball joints and bearings yet.

I've stopped from 100+ before a few times and it was smoother, but most of the times I've come down from 100 have either been much quicker or much slower than the time that it was shakey. I didn't see the ABS Active light though.

I think I'll take the wheels off my car and give it a once-over after this hurricane rolls through.

Mike

 

[WradDad]

I had the opportunity to invoke ABS from about 50 mph this morning, on the way into work. I noticed that the vibration wasn't too bad, but the sound was awful.
I'm wondering how much the sound of the ABS cycling contributes to the impression of vibration?

Barry

 

[ediconu]

The whole thing hasn't happened again, but i'm thinking that it was vibrating enough that I should have the whole car once-over'd by someone in my area. I just need to find the 'vette guys so that I bring it to someone with enough experience to see what's started to wear out.

It is a '95 and I don't think it's has mostly stock parts. I also want to replace all of the fluids so that I know they're all in good clean condition.

I think the noise from the ABS + unevenly melting breakpads made the experience more severe than it should've been.

Mike

 

[terrykrueger]

I would look to warped rotors. The simplest explanation is usually the correct one. Warpage in rotors that might not be noticable at X rpms may be more noticable at X*4 rpms.

 

[Vrotate]

Rotors

I've had the same problem, turn your rotors...

 

[Edmond]

I would look to warped rotors. The simplest explanation is usually the correct one. Warpage in rotors that might not be noticable at X rpms may be more noticable at X*4 rpms.

I recently had that problem in my Toyota Camry. Changed out the front rotors in 30 minutes and the problem went away. It's just as you described, low speed-not really noticeable. Higher speed-definitely noticeable.

I have never had the ABS kick on in the Vette'. But I have in the Camry and when it kicks on, it feels like the brake pedal is pumping itself because it's doing it automatically.