Mk60e5 ABS

[hoveringuy]

So far, so good!
Everything is bled and leak-free. The ABS module is communicating with the 4 wheels and the DSC module.
It's been raining here in Seattle so lots of opportunity to test how well it works. It stops straight, no matter what, or if I'm turning, it will continue to turn.

It just works.

Brake feels is hugely improved over the stock unit, where it was so restrictive that pedal feel was very badly impacted with my Wilwoods. The new setup has 1/4" lines from the MC, plus independent lines to the rear, it feels hugely better.

I will need to see how it does at the track in a few months where weight transfer caused the rear to step-out under hard braking requiring constant steering corrections.

Also, I love that I can monitor brake pressures directly to help set my balance bar. Huge bonus.

[moatilliatta]

Looks good, you can actually use wheel speeds to help hone in your brake balance while threshold breaking if you have a datalogger. Even an aim solo should be able to pick up the CAN.

Stainless lines looks nice. I reserved my LF area for Air induction real-estate.

[hoveringuy]

Looks good, you can actually use wheel speeds to help hone in your brake balance while threshold breaking if you have a datalogger. Even an aim solo should be able to pick up the CAN.

Stainless lines looks nice. I reserved my LF area for Air induction real-estate.

Thanks, and agree.... I want very badly to implement logging but I have an MSV70 ECU and the Garmin lap timer, so no current logging.

Working on getting this going...

https://docs.longan-labs.cc/1030003/?fbclid=IwAR29_kKm5h5uUeiEuPIMEHfyNYBNpMWbz0eqEd6y3cPQfLvLjIVKK8YxZRk

[DEV0 E30]

You're seriously setting the bar for so many things my dude. Really cool how much tech can be retrofit into an E30 chassis.

[hoveringuy]

First track day of the season, it was cold and clear in the morning and then pissing rain and windy in the afternoon. In other words, a perfect day for testing!

I'm very pleased with the MK60E5 ABS. Last year, if I stood on the brakes at the end of the straight I got LOTS of tail waggle and yawing that required constant steering inputs. (I have the Massive Race kits all around with dual MC's..)

I got up to just short of 140 today and did the same thing, the car just hauls down with absolutely ZERO drama. I even demonstrated it to an instructor the next session out, I removed my hands from the wheel and the wheel didn't move a bit under hard braking. I could feel it intervening occasionally in trail braking but for the most part it's really unobtrusive.

What's interesting about this system is that the modulation is is analog, it's controlling brake pressure per corner in real time, not the on-off-on control that vibrates your pedal.

I didn't notice it quite as much in the rain, but probably because I wasn't as keen to explore the limits. It will absolutely let you spin the car if you trail brake in the wet, it's not a magician.

My next goal is a data logging dongle so I can go back and see what it was actually doing... (wheel speeds, brake pressures, yaw rate, acceleration, etc.)

[Victell]

...It will absolutely let you spin the car if you trail brake in the wet, it's not a magician.

You mentioned this below earlier. Would it help with trail braking in the wet?

...Adding the steering angle gains some stability control. ... The full E90 SZL is required.

[hoveringuy]

. Would it help with trail braking in the wet?

I did notice the unit working during light trail braking in the rain; tighter and lower speed corners where I wasn't afraid of losing it, so it does help, but physics is a bitch and if you are hauling into a corner with your brakes blazing in the wet it WILL let you spin. There's not great consensus on exactly what the SZL adds, some say it's only for the full DSC suite which requires integration with the ECU and gives stability when you're NOT braking. The track focused folks say it's not worth having.

The E5 is definitely better than the Mk60 E46 generation, and it's LEAGUES better than the original ABS.

One thing I didn't mention is that with Wilwoods all around the original ABS is too constrictive for the amount of flow I needed to move those pistons. Brake feel just sucked. The Mk60, between having independent rear lines and larger lines to the master cylinder(s) flows a ton more and feels perfect.

[mr2peak]

Great to see someone getting the E5 to work so easily. I have an MK60 M3 CSL in another car, but now they cost so damn much (plus the cost of the CSL flash) I need a cheaper option. Definitely picking up an E5 unit soon to test.

It's really nice to see people putting ABS into cars, instead of just ripping it out.