ABS kill switch for off-roading!

[Titan1080]

So I decided to add this relatively simple wiring mod for my Titan for those rare occassions when having ABS on a slippery road (dirt, mud, etc...) is not safe for panic stops. I got this idea from an article in Four Wheeler a while back and doing it to my Titan should have been a cinch but I rarely do things the easy way. I got all the parts I needed from Radio Shack except for some extra bus fuses that I went to Schucks for. The ABS fuse is in the engine bay fuse box and is the green 40 amp ABS SOL fuse.



I bought several spare fuses in order to do this. First, I removed the cover and clipped the fuse. Next, I used a steady hand to solder wires to each side of the fuse. Wrap each side with heat shrink to prevent the obvious from happening.



Then I carved two small holes into the lid to provide more support and seperation for the wires.



Here's the completed circuit. All you do now is to rout two wires through your favorite hole in the firewall and install the switch. I used a spare fuse and some spade terminals to maintain the protection provided by the fuse. Since I have some extra spots, I mounted the switch next to my Tow Mode button. Now when you use this, the switch acts like the fuse has blown. You can quickly change from ABS to no ABS while you are driving without having to stop. Several things will happen when you throw the switch, the ABS, Brake, ABLS and 4WD lights will light up on your dash and you will lose your speedometer. The ABLS system obviously will not work with the switch off. But I've repeatedly tested this setup first by slamming on the brakes to get the ABS judder, then switching off and locking up the tires, then back on to regain the speedo and ABS judder. If you want to have fun, you can use this in conjunction with the burn-out mod to save your rear brakes since they'll detect the wheels slipping and try to brake them. Other than that, a pretty simple and inexpensive mod for those of you who 'wheel their rigs. Have fun and tread lightly!

[AgTitan06]

Sweet. Thanks for the write-up.

[nut]

Well done bud , I just installed four toggle switches in my over head console , One for lights , one for air bag dissable , one for amber in rear , and had one left over. But since your write up was so fantastical guess what im doin tomorrow in my day off. You da man.

[Titan1080]

One thing I realized and proved the other day is that if you drive around with the ABS off, your odometer does not change! This is definitely a waranty buster if your service manager finds out what it does so if you got to take your truck in, put your functioning fuse back and hide the modified one and say the switch is for lights that you're going to add!

[tutttitan]

who needs abs My truck is going to be on warranty longer than i thought!

[TitanBlue]

Surprising this Mod doesn't get more attention. I slipped and had ABLS kick in several times at the track, this would have prevented that. It seems a good combination to do with the Burn Out Mod. They should go hand in hand. Even after the Truetrac, I got a slip indication. Now another Mod to add.

Good write up, thanks!

[Shadowofnight2001r]

Something I am going to try....Thanks for posting this.....

[novak57]

Originally Posted by Titan1080

One thing I realized and proved the other day is that if you drive around with the ABS off, your odometer does not change! This is definitely a waranty buster if your service manager finds out what it does so if you got to take your truck in, put your functioning fuse back and hide the modified one and say the switch is for lights that you're going to add!

WAIT,What? that means i'll have 21980 miles on my odometer for the life of the truck? DANG!!!SCORE!!

[ricepow]

Just a thought. There may be times when you have a rather large draw of current on that switch (guessing this since it has a 40A fuse). I hope that toggle switch you are using is capable of handling that amount of draw or you may witness a small fire/melting episode in your truck. Not bashing your idea or anything. Maybe using a relay and activating the relay with the switch would be a good idea. Also that wire you used (16g?) would not generally be recommended for something pulling 40 amps either. Keep an eye on that too. This is just based on my 5+ years experience of installing car alarms, video systems, car audio. Cool idea though.

[red_rider_elsinore]

I don't like ABS when riding in the sand. A few times I have a hard time stopping. I really like this mod, but I wouldn't want my dealer to see it so I'll wait 'till I'm outta of warranty. In the mean time,removing the fuse when offroad would have the same effect, right?

[Titan1080]

Originally Posted by red_rider_elsinore

I don't like ABS when riding in the sand. A few times I have a hard time stopping. I really like this mod, but I wouldn't want my dealer to see it so I'll wait 'till I'm outta of warranty. In the mean time,removing the fuse when offroad would have the same effect, right?

Yeah, exact same effect. It's not as though you won't forget to put your fuse back anyways....I just like the convenience of a switch.

[Titan1080]

Originally Posted by ricepow

Just a thought. There may be times when you have a rather large draw of current on that switch (guessing this since it has a 40A fuse). I hope that toggle switch you are using is capable of handling that amount of draw or you may witness a small fire/melting episode in your truck. Not bashing your idea or anything. Maybe using a relay and activating the relay with the switch would be a good idea. Also that wire you used (16g?) would not generally be recommended for something pulling 40 amps either. Keep an eye on that too. This is just based on my 5+ years experience of installing car alarms, video systems, car audio. Cool idea though.

Those are some very good points that I never would have considered. I just went directly from the Four Wheeler article, figuring that they wouldn't publish it if it wasn't reasonably safe on those lines. I know the wire gauge seems small but it would have been a real PITA to solder bigger wires inside those fuses. Suppose I could gently remove the terminals from the casing somehow.

[Titanomachy]

Originally Posted by Titan1080

Those are some very good points that I never would have considered. I just went directly from the Four Wheeler article, figuring that they wouldn't publish it if it wasn't reasonably safe on those lines. I know the wire gauge seems small but it would have been a real PITA to solder bigger wires inside those fuses. Suppose I could gently remove the terminals from the casing somehow.

2nd or 3rd that suggestion about putting relay in and wire gauge. A 40amp relay located as close to the fuse as possible is a good safe bet. This way if anything should happen to the switch circuit it wont "pass thru" to the abs power circuits. Also the "load" of the abs power circuit is not running thru switch, it stays localized to the relay, which is the main reason for them. Any 40 amp cube lighting relay should work and its not that hard to wire up. If a relay is used and wire to abs fuse is short, a 14-16 gauge should be fine.
I've been installing car electronics since 16, and I'm 38. My profession is installing commercial (retail, warehouse, office) alarm systems (burg and fire), cameras, card & key fob access, all that kind of stuff. I've been doing it now for 14 years and its almost all low voltage. Relays are indispensable. So much can be done with one, the list is endless. My last automotive project was installing a 2way remote start and alarm in my 05 gmc sierra, which was traded in a year later for the Titan. I should have yanked it out, but didn't.

Great thread, exactly what i was looking for. Glad there's a way to bypass abs when you want to. Can't believe the OD will stop, Bonus!!! Has anyone taken their truck into Nissan and had it hooked up (for other reasons)to ecu after removing fuse then replacing it? I'm curious if all they see is a code and nothing else like OD tampering, since pulling fuse stops it? It shouldn't since one is not tampering with od circuit, but...?

[Titan1080]

Originally Posted by Titanomachy

2nd or 3rd that suggestion about putting relay in and wire gauge. A 40amp relay located as close to the fuse as possible is a good safe bet. This way if anything should happen to the switch circuit it wont "pass thru" to the abs power circuits. Also the "load" of the abs power circuit is not running thru switch, it stays localized to the relay, which is the main reason for them. Any 40 amp cube lighting relay should work and its not that hard to wire up. If a relay is used and wire to abs fuse is short, a 14-16 gauge should be fine.
I've been installing car electronics since 16, and I'm 38. My profession is installing commercial (retail, warehouse, office) alarm systems (burg and fire), cameras, card & key fob access, all that kind of stuff. I've been doing it now for 14 years and its almost all low voltage. Relays are indispensable. So much can be done with one, the list is endless. My last automotive project was installing a 2way remote start and alarm in my 05 gmc sierra, which was traded in a year later for the Titan. I should have yanked it out, but didn't.

Great thread, exactly what i was looking for. Glad there's a way to bypass abs when you want to. Can't believe the OD will stop, Bonus!!! Has anyone taken their truck into Nissan and had it hooked up (for other reasons)to ecu after removing fuse then replacing it? I'm curious if all they see is a code and nothing else like OD tampering, since pulling fuse stops it? It shouldn't since one is not tampering with od circuit, but...?

I've never had a code thrown when using this and the service techs have never asked about it the few times I took it in for some small thing or other. At some point, I would like to go the relay route but haven't had the time lately, plus I have since replaced the standard fuse when I had to take it in to have my rear axle replaced and haven't switched back to the modded one yet. I'm not too worried about too large a current passing through to the ABS systems as I've included a 40A fuse in series with the switch. I'll probably go the relay route with some larger gauge wire when I do the burnout mod.

[helomech]

I am willing to bet that the ECU is still recording miles. I wonder if when they hook up and the see a difference in between the ECU, and the odometer if they will void your warranty on the spot.