Ford Racing ABS Installation

[RichardP]

Wait, you had to flare brake lines to make this work? See, AI has just gone over the top. Next thing you know people are going to move suspension pickup points around and other things that might get your hands dirty. I'd much rather spend $90k for a new car than have to spend thousands making an old car better... ...sigh...


I'm interested to see how this works. I'm not afraid of the swap/fabrication that you've done so far. (Well, I'm a little afraid of having to make all those splices you made not leak.) I almost pulled the trigger on the parts a while back. I'm afraid of what it might take to get the computer happy with the setup so that it works. Got my fingers crossed for you. Anxiously waiting for a track update...


Richard P.

[marshall_mosty]

Richard,
I know about getting my hands dirty. I've had to wash them a few times... Where is this series headed when you have to get your hands dirty to stay competitive... Geesh!

I have a few single flares on the old setup and they have been durable , so I'm hoping I will have the same luck with these. I just can't see spending $300 on a double flaring tool.

I should be at the track in two weeks to test and I will let you know how it goes.

[GlennCMC70]

Double flare tools can be had for way less than $100. I think I paid Around $20 for mine.
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...ord=flare+tool

[ShadowBolt]

Double flare tools can be had for way less than $100. I think I paid Around $20 for mine.
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...ord=flare+tool

I have one that is made by KD that I bought over 25 years ago that works perfect. I doubt I paid over $20.00 for it. If you want I will look for it and bring it to MSRH?

http://www.google.com/products/catal...d=0CFUQ8wIwAA#

JJ

[marshall_mosty]

I have one that is made by KD that I bought over 25 years ago that works perfect. I doubt I paid over $20.00 for it. If you want I will look for it and bring it to MSRH?

http://www.google.com/products/catal...d=0CFUQ8wIwAA#

JJ

Jerry,
That would be great. Then I can redo the HCU lines with double flares.

[Todd Covini]

Great to see some good old fashioned Texas ingenuity!!!

[marshall_mosty]

Okay folks, I'm back from testing. The day was cold (55-60-deg), so there wasn't enough heat in the track to get the tires up to good temp, so no track records fell today. I was approx 2 seconds off my lap record, but my brother (CMC driver) was also off pace an equivalent amount, so I figure we were still at "qualifying" lap speed. The ABS system works as designed and here are my thoughts:

Initial bite:
Much more agressive than the SN95 unit. It felt like I was going to suck the fillings out of my teeth. Very nice.

Feel "in" the ABS:
This was very different from the SN95 unit. The car "hunted" around quite a bit, especially the rear two channels. After watching years of Continental Tire and Koni Challenge and seeing the cars be very twitchy under braking, I now understand what they are feeling.

Release:
Well, this is an area that you have to be careful with. If you aren't too deep into the ABS, it isn't too bad, but if you are heavy into the unit, the release is very abrubt and will upset the rear of the car (I looped it once under heaving braking to see what would happen). I think that a pad with a little softer release characteristics may help out.

Overall Impression
This will take a bit of time to "learn" the characteristics of the system. I'm not 100% convinced that it's a "class killer", however I will need to evaluate again in the rain. The local track I used (Motorsports Ranch - Cresson) is a HIGHLY polished ashphalt track that is down right "ice rink" in the rain, so I can figure out how it works under "extreme" conditions... more to come on that point.

All in all, I had approx a little over an hour of track time today so there is a bunch more that still needs to be worked out for me to utilize the system 100%. Also, this was my first time on track since early October, so I was shaking off the cobwebs a bit myself...


A note on my setup:
'89 Hatchback
316/332 HP/TQ
3100lbs
Splitter/Wing
StopTech ST40 13" with PFC01's (Front)
Stock GT Varga 1-piston with PFC97's (Rear)
425lb front coil overs
325lb rear coil overs
SN95 V6 front bar (endlinks almost completely loose)
No rear bar
Maximum Motorsports K-Member, Foward Offset FCA's (SN95 length)
Racecraft 2" drop spindles
Griggs Torque Arm/Panhard Bar