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HOW TO: ABS On/Off Switch

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68K views 67 replies 35 participants last post by  WingVetteStrom  
#1 ·
Suzuki for some reason didn't give up an easy way to turn the ABS off when riding in dirt/gravel. Luckily an ABS switch is really easy to make. Here's how I did mine.

Supplies:
1) 5 pin Bosch type relay 30A
1) mountable inline fuse holder
2) 1/4" flat crimp on connectors
1) SPST switch (I used a rocker, but you could even use a monetary)

Basically you're going move the fuse and put a switch inline with it.

Attach on of the 1/4" crimp connectors to one of the wires coming out of the fuse holder. The other wire should go to the common termal of the relay usually pin 30. Take a wire from pin 87A witch should be normally closed attach the other crimp connector to that wire. Pull the 25A valve fuse and insert the blades of the crimp connectors where the fuse was.

Now run a wire to the switch from one of the coil pins. Connect the other coil pin to ground. I connected the switch to power via the wiring for my heated grips.

Wiring this up using the normally closed side of the relay makes it a little more fail safe since you are not using power to keep the switch "on"

Once you have it all hooked up you can tell the ABS is off cause the red led on the speedo will light up.


A picture is worth a thousand dollars.
Image




I just used a rocker switch. In hind sight I would have used a toggle with safety cover, but I didn't find out I could have until I had it installed.

The way the ABS works if it detects a fault like a blown fuse or override switch it disables the ABS. The ABS will stay off until the bike is power cycled.

This is what I didn't know when I installed the rocker switch. All of the toggles I found with safety cover would turn the switch off when the cover was closed, but this ends up not being an issue.

I was also thinking about trying to find a relay that would fail in the connected position, instead of the disconnected position like the Bosch one you have.
Click to expand...
Thats why I wired it up normally closed. When the relay is not energized the abs is on. Once I flip the switch the relay get energized breaking the contacts and turning the ABS off.

I mounted the switch on the dash plate I made out of a black cutting board.
Image


It's the one on the right. I mounted it 90* off axis with the switch for the grips so I wouldn't accidentally hit it. So far I have yet to accidentally hit the switch.
Here's the diagram:
The red wires need to be at least 14 gauge, but the blue one can be 18 gauge.
 

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G
#3 ·
I've done basically the exact same thing. The only difference is that instead of using spade connectors in the old fuse holder, I used a blown fuse and soldered to it.

Basically took a fuse, hooked it directly to a battery to make it blow. Then used a dremmel to grind down a enough of the plastic, that I'd have a place to solder to. Then soldered a wire to each side of the fuse. The plus side is that there is no chance of the two wires touching, and bypassing my switch.

Did the same thing on my Subaru Outback, and was working fine after 90,000 mile and 6 years of driving..
 
#4 ·
And who is going to accept the legal responsibility for posting this information here and having it as a sticky?
Is it the thread starter or the owners of the forum?
What is being suggested here, with step by step instructions is how to modify the braking system of the bike so that it no longer works as built by the manufacturer, as approved by regulatory bodies and as understood and agreed by Insurance companies when they insured the bike.
Having this information on this site is potentially a legal bomb for somebody.
 
R
#7 ·
Originally Posted by K1W1 View Post
And who is going to accept the legal responsibility for posting this information here and having it as a sticky?
Is it the thread starter or the owners of the forum?
What is being suggested here, with step by step instructions is how to modify the braking system of the bike so that it no longer works as built by the manufacturer, as approved by regulatory bodies and as understood and agreed by Insurance companies when they insured the bike.
Having this information on this site is potentially a legal bomb for somebody.
Click to expand...
See what happens when a country goes totally to the left........This sounds like something you'd hear from someone from Massachusetts!.......:)
 
#8 ·
I'll have you know it's possible to be a Liberal and think that people should be responsible for own actions instead of blaming McDonalds for not telling them the coffee was hot. Left and Right have different leanings but both have their share of dummies and practically nobody is in 100% agreement with the party line.
 
#10 · (Edited)
#13 ·
OK, Brian, how about splainin' it to me so I can understand please....

I want to do the mod, but a couple of questions:
1. Is there only 1 fuse for both the front and rear ABS system?
2. Do I need the relay or can I find one of the wires that feeds the fuse and splice in a switch?
Being an electrical non-wizard, I need things broken down real good....
thanks.
 
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#14 ·
markw46 said:
I want to do the mod, but a couple of questions:
1. Is there only 1 fuse for both the front and rear ABS system?
2. Do I need the relay or can I find one of the wires that feeds the fuse and splice in a switch?
Being an electrical non-wizard, I need things broken down real good....
thanks.
Click to expand...
1. Yes there is only 1 ABS unit on the bike, but it has 2 channels front and rear. The abs unit has 2 fuses a 25amp for the valve and senors and a 40amp for the motor. You only need to disable the 25amp fuse and it will force the controller into fail safe mode.

2. Yes you absolutely need a relay. For safety's sake use a 5 pin relay like I have in the diagrams. that way the abs will work normally unless you have power to the switch side of the relay. That way a short or open circuit will not interfere with the abs system ability to work.
 
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Z
#15 ·
Thanks !

Hey all,

Thanks for the emails regarding how to switch off the ABS on my new Wee. Dare I say I was toying with getting the F650GS, as it just simply put a button on the left hand grip that you use to shut off the ABS as you see fit.

I don't know why Suzuki did not simply do the same thing ? Especially for a dual sport bike.

Okay gotta go, just burnt my tongue on that dang coffee !

Cheers,

Zarks

Ps. Have had me Wee for three weeks now, and have 5400 km on her already. The 4500 km trip the second week ( after the 1000 km check ) through Southern British Columbia, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington State sure was nice :)
 
#16 ·
Zarks said:
Hey all,

Thanks for the emails regarding how to switch off the ABS on my new Wee. Dare I say I was toying with getting the F650GS, as it just simply put a button on the left hand grip that you use to shut off the ABS as you see fit.
Click to expand...
Zarks
One big advantage to this switch unlike the BMW stock switch it you only have to turn it off once. With the BMW's you have to use both hands to press 2 buttons while starting the bike each time. My switch mod stays off until you turn it back on.
 
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W
#17 ·
ABS works with the valve and sensors fuse out!

In preparation for riding into and out of a nature preserve that can be accessed only by going up a steep hill with a surface of deep crushed stone, that includes some large chunks of rock, I pulled the valves and sensors fuse. Of course, it was for the downhill ride that I pulled the fuse.

Well, I came down that hill much faster than I'd planned because the ABS did a great job of keeping my rear wheel from digging in.

I should have known this was going to happen because the ABS light was not on. I'm guessing this occurred because while in the nature preserve I turned the engine off and when I restarted it, the ABS was able to recycle and become functional even with the fuse gone. Is that correct? If so, do I need to start the engine with the fuse in and then pull the fuse with the engine running each time I want to run without ABS (until I get around to installing a switch)?

Gary

'08 DL650A
'04 ST1300
 
G
#18 ·
Wuzn2Late said:
In preparation for riding into and out of a nature preserve that can be accessed only by going up a steep hill with a surface of deep crushed stone, that includes some large chunks of rock, I pulled the valves and sensors fuse. Of course, it was for the downhill ride that I pulled the fuse.

Well, I came down that hill much faster than I'd planned because the ABS did a great job of keeping my rear wheel from digging in.

I should have known this was going to happen because the ABS light was not on. I'm guessing this occurred because while in the nature preserve I turned the engine off and when I restarted it, the ABS was able to recycle and become functional even with the fuse gone. Is that correct? If so, do I need to start the engine with the fuse in and then pull the fuse with the engine running each time I want to run without ABS (until I get around to installing a switch)?

Gary

'08 DL650A
'04 ST1300
Click to expand...
ABS should not be able to work with the ABS fuse out. My switch is on the 25 amp fuse, and if I don't turn the ABS on, it will stay off no matter how often I cycle the ignition. ABS light should come on and stay on the entire time.
 
#20 ·
Are you sure you are pulling the active fuse and not the spare? The spare is the yellow 25A fuse in the picture. The active fuse is under the milky plastic cover to the right of it.

Image
 
W
#21 ·
To Gramps and Greywolf: Thank you very much for your replies to my post.

To myself: Well, duhhh....

I was indeed pulling the spare; so, no wonder the ABS continued to work.

Now, that you've got me on the right track, I have one more question: What is the purpose of the rubber block that's inserted loosely beneath the ABS fuses, and how should it be positioned?

Regards,

Gary

2008 DL650A
2004 ST1300A
 
#22 ·
I think you are referring to the tip over sensor. The face labeled UP needs to be on top.
 
#24 ·
Having a cache of personal mistakes to draw on helps. I've mistaken a spare fuse for an active one before. I was certain taking out the proper fuse would have killed the ABS system and lit the warning light so something other than pulling the right fuse must have been done.
 
#26 ·
That's a seat rubber that goes between the seat and the frame rail. Look under the seat and you'll see a pair of empty holes to receive the two projections. It got knocked loose and fell in there.
 
W
#27 ·
Greywolf, thanks once again!

You, of course, were right. There was a missing seat rubber, and I just took care of that.

What's interesting is that that seat rubber was snugly in place under the ABS fuses as if its job was to support those fuse holders. I doubt that it just fell into that postion, and I suspect that someone at the dealership put it there, which is consistent with the rest of what that dealership did or didn't do.

When I drove the bike away from the dealership, I was surprised to see the odometer showed zero miles. I was even more surprised at the first red light when I found the brakes would barely slow the bike. It didn't take me long to conclude they still had cosmoline on them. A few weeks later I realized the bike did not have a state safety inspection sticker. (Before I got around to taking care of that, I received a citation with a price tag of $146.) And, I'm fairly certain that the vertical scratch down the windshield was there when I bought the bike. Needless to say, the people at that dealership will never see me again.

Thanks again for helping me with the ABS issue as well as with identifying the mystery part.

Regards,

Gary
 
#35 ·
And I'm looking and I'm looking and can't seem to find where the heck I'm supposed to plug this cable in... it is of course going to be something completely obvious and I will be :headbang: when someone points it out to me... so would someone please point it out to me already?
 
#29 ·
Well, I spent today setting up the ABS mod. I've done something wrong, when I flick the switch the fuse blows, every time. I've gone over it all, matched everything to your descriptions and photos and I can't see where I've gone wrong. I tried swapping over a few wires in case there was a 'back to front' way to plug it all in but to no avail.

I admit to being stumped.... I guess us thickies will have to be content just pulling the fuse when we want to go offroad.
 
#31 · (Edited)
Image


In the end I grabbed one of these from Eastern Beaver...

3 days from Japan to Aus, for under $20AU, can't argue with that. I also grabbed one of their aux power outlets at the same time. I fit them both up last night, I'll take her for a spin today (if it stops raining long enough) to see how it works.

Not my intention to hijack Brian's thread, I'm into all things pennytech but I did give it a go and failed, before I went this way. I'm just not that confident with electrics.

Cheers,
Peter.
 
G
#36 ·
question about abs on/off

Hey Everyone,

I'm new to the motorcycle world as well as the vstrom world. I'm currently looking at a 2011 vstrom 650 w/abs. But the catch to the vstrom all together is that I wont have the capability to turn the abs off. Until I found this thread. Before I get the bike, I wanted to make sure that the 2011 version of the vstrom will still beable to have this switch put on it and if just pulling the fuse will still disable the abs.

Thank you for your time,
Giammalva
 
#37 ·
Giammalva said:
Before I get the bike, I wanted to make sure that the 2011 version of the vstrom will still beable to have this switch put on it and if just pulling the fuse will still disable the abs.
Click to expand...
Nothing has changed. The modifications still work.
 
K
#38 · (Edited)
translating a relay into english

Here is an attempt to explanin how the wiring works.

On a 5 pin relay there are 5 wires, in normal operation here is how they work.

1. white wire trigger wire when activated this powers the magnetic switch which allows current to flow out through the yellow wire

2. blue wire hooked directly to the battery and provides 12 volt power to the relay

3. Black wire ground for the relay (not for a circuit)

4. red wire hot when the relay is not activated (this is the wire that is powering the abs circuit is, if you turn off the trigger wire the power returns to the abs system-----when you activate the trigger wire it shuts the power down to the abs unit.

5. yellow wire when the white trigger wire is activated (we turn on the new switch) this is where the 12 volt power comes out of the relay to provide power to driving lights, heated gear, etc in this situation we are not really using it to power anything, when it is activated power is denied to the red wire (the abs unit) and we are actually turning off power instead of providing it.

We normally use these relays to power something with the flick of a switch (driving lights, heated gear, etc.) using a relay in this manner is a good way of providing power to the abs unit without having to actually turn a switch on.

Hope this makes things a little bit clearer.......Kieth :argue:
 
#39 ·
relay

why is a relay needed - a simple switch would be sufficient?
 
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#41 ·
Simple question. Can't I simply remove the fuse when I need to disable the ABS? Or do I absolutely HAVE to put a switch and relay?

I don't need to disable ABS often since I rarely ride in the dirt so going through all this hassle may not be worth it for me. I would think that the fuse off fuse on should be enough of a switch for me. At least for now ;)

Thanks,
 
#42 ·
Removing the fuse will do it.
 
#43 ·
Which fuse is it and where is it. I have an 09 wee
 
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#44 ·
It's the 25A fuse under the plastic cover between the battery and the under seat tray. The yellow 25A fuse right in front of the covered terminal is a spare fuse. The 40A fuse will work too but it's wise to work with the smaller one.

Plastics off 012 by Greywolf, V-Strom rider, on Flickr
 
#45 ·
Greywolf,

I couldn't help but notice the tire plug kit in the tray. May sugest the Stop and Go kit instead? It's amazing, compact and very effective. Well worth the $30.

There is a small kit for $30 and there is a slightly bigger one that comes with a compressor for about $60. I got it on Leatherup with their 10% discount code that everybody has...
 
#46 ·
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