Bosch Retrofit ABS
Discussion
One bit of safety kit that would be of real benefit to a TVR would be ABS brakes as even with a decent suspension set-up, they're pretty twitchy under heavy braking and don't inspire loads of confidence, especially in the wet.
Anyway, I came across this which is a fully programmable/switchable retrofit ABS brake kit for any car. It's a bit on the pricey side when bought in isolation but very interesting none the less.
Whilst not a basic DIY job, it doesn't look to be overly complex to fit. Looking at it, the biggest challenge would be fitting suitable trigger wheels for the wheel speed sensors.
I would be interested to know if anyone has any experience of these systems and fitting them to TVR's? I think it would be a worthwhile upgrade that the TVR specialists might like to look into offering?
Anyway, I came across this which is a fully programmable/switchable retrofit ABS brake kit for any car. It's a bit on the pricey side when bought in isolation but very interesting none the less.
Whilst not a basic DIY job, it doesn't look to be overly complex to fit. Looking at it, the biggest challenge would be fitting suitable trigger wheels for the wheel speed sensors.
I would be interested to know if anyone has any experience of these systems and fitting them to TVR's? I think it would be a worthwhile upgrade that the TVR specialists might like to look into offering?
Already got a Tuscan S which has the bigger front brakes. Whilst the car is far from uncontrollable under heavy braking, it does feel on the verge of swapping ends if you're not careful. This prevents me from braking as heavily as the car should be be capable of doing so with confidence. Especially so if you're hooning and need to be able to slow down quickly without worrying about loosing control.
dvs_dave said:
Already got a Tuscan S which has the bigger front brakes. Whilst the car is far from uncontrollable under heavy braking, it does feel on the verge of swapping ends if you're not careful. This prevents me from braking as heavily as the car should be be capable of doing so with confidence. Especially so if you're hooning and need to be able to slow down quickly without worrying about loosing control.
Ah, that's a Mark 1 Tuscan I suppose? They're not only twitchy under braking... 
I can vouch for the care and skill level needed when braking from speed. Three weeks ago a guy pulled across me whilst I was overtaking him on a motorway in the Tuscan. In a flash four wheels locked but I managed to skillfully guide us into an armaco barrier at about 50! The other guy´s insurance is paying and i´m on the lookout for another Tuscan but have also been researching the possibilities of retrofitting ABS. I´m used to TVRs and handling techniques but sometimes you just can´t anticipate others lack of skill. ABS would have saved my car (now cat B) and I´d be keen to hear from anyone who has any knowledge in this area. Fortunately the surprising strength of the car made up for the lack of ABS!
I don't know whether all hubs used by TVR have provision for wheel speed sensors, but a lot do.
I think it would be rather difficult to tune that to suit the vehicle given the huge variations in grip, weight transfer, engine braking etc, but it would be interesting to see the result. It still won't help people who use clutch braking though.
I think it would be rather difficult to tune that to suit the vehicle given the huge variations in grip, weight transfer, engine braking etc, but it would be interesting to see the result. It still won't help people who use clutch braking though.
The sierra based hubs on the griff / chim / S and any others I've forgotten can be obtained with ABS sensor provision.
I've only had a cursory look at this before, and apart from the valid comments from GreenV8S above I think there's also a possibility that the ABS unit that replaces the servo and master cylinder may not fit under the bonnet as its quite big.
If anyone has an old dead ford ABS unit somewhere it would be certainly worth seeing if it fits if only for curiosity.
I've only had a cursory look at this before, and apart from the valid comments from GreenV8S above I think there's also a possibility that the ABS unit that replaces the servo and master cylinder may not fit under the bonnet as its quite big.
If anyone has an old dead ford ABS unit somewhere it would be certainly worth seeing if it fits if only for curiosity.
dvs_dave said:
One bit of safety kit that would be of real benefit to a TVR would be ABS brakes as even with a decent suspension set-up, they're pretty twitchy under heavy braking and don't inspire loads of confidence, especially in the wet.
Bit of a sweeping statement and certainly not true of all TVRs. RR brakes set-up (with the bigger rears) does upset the balance though I agree. Worth playing with brake bias rather than the ABS kit maybe?"The Bosch Motorsport ABS was developed for use by professionals and requires in depth knowledge of automobile technology and experience in motorsports. Using the system does not come without its risks.
It is the duty of the customer to use the system for motor racing purposes only and not on public roads. We accept no responsibility for the reliability of the system on public roads. In the event that the system is used on public roads, we shall not be held responsible or liable for damages."
It is the duty of the customer to use the system for motor racing purposes only and not on public roads. We accept no responsibility for the reliability of the system on public roads. In the event that the system is used on public roads, we shall not be held responsible or liable for damages."
Yea I know it's pricey but elsewhere on the net people reckon they'll knock off almost 2k for a "group buy". Whilst still expensive, it's not madness if coupled with a favorable exchange rate (whenever that may be).
You could fit OEM bits, but I don't know if you can alter the parameters of the OEM unit's ECU away from the donor vehicle's? This Bosch unit is fully programmable so can be tailored to suit any car.
Perhaps you could fit cheap OEM peripherals and plumb them into this posh controller unit? This would no doubt cost much less, unless you could figure out a way of re-programming an OEM control unit?
With respect to their disclaimer, I'm sure any aftermarket brake kit would come with a similar arse covering statement?
You could fit OEM bits, but I don't know if you can alter the parameters of the OEM unit's ECU away from the donor vehicle's? This Bosch unit is fully programmable so can be tailored to suit any car.
Perhaps you could fit cheap OEM peripherals and plumb them into this posh controller unit? This would no doubt cost much less, unless you could figure out a way of re-programming an OEM control unit?
With respect to their disclaimer, I'm sure any aftermarket brake kit would come with a similar arse covering statement?
Yeah, but aftermarket brake kits don't need to be mapped for the specific vehicle. Without having proper test facilities and a very good idea about what you're doing, I can see the potential for the result being unsafer rather than safer (road testers who were around in the late '80s can tell you a story or two about crudely calibrated early ABS systems bringing them in a spot of bother...).
Without having proper test facilities and a very good idea about what you're doing, I can see the potential for the result being unsafer rather than safer (road testers who were around in the late '80s can tell you a story or two about crudely calibrated early ABS systems bringing them in a spot of bother...).
We have modified a TVR Cerbera and a TVR Cosworth (M model) with ABS and traction control. It`s a great improvement for all weather driving. You can use ABS (ATE) from a donour car, but you have to modify the ABS ECU chip for the weight of the TVR. You need ABS sender and sensor on all wheels and the hydraulic of the ABS system, then you must connect the ABS ECU into your electrics. When all this is done, it`s the half way done on the route to install traction control.
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