How difficult would it be to retrofit ABS into a thirdgen? Do some vehicles use separate ABS controllers/computers that could be hooked up? I'd guess it to be even easier on a car with one of the popular front disc swaps that use a milled down hub/rotor assembly. Then you could sandwich another disc in there or something that the sensor can read? How does the sensor mount/what's it look like?

 

It would darn near impossible, I have tried. I had installed sensors for it when building my car but once I started digging into the various OEM set-ups I found two BIG problems.
First - ABS cars have decelerometers that are calibrated to the specific cars dynamics. Even a 93-96 Z28, which has the closest dynamics to ours and is a fairly independent system with a separte ECU, would be nearly impossible to swap as there are no ways of adjusting engagement slope.
Second - Most ABS systems work in conjunction with a engine management system and a traction-control system. It's do-able to integrate but not with our OBD1 computers.

If you have a boner to do this the only semi-practical way to do it is with a complete 4th gen nose, engine, computer, and axle swap. It can & has been done and this is the only financially viable way to do it at this point.

 

...why the nose? To make it simpler (not building a system from scratch) couldn't you just swap the drivetrain and mount sensors on the front wheels (along with the ones on the rear axle) and apply power?

 

That's the issues. If you find a way to simply mount the sensors on our spindles, go ahead. Otherwise you need the 4th gen spindles, which you would then need the 4th gen engine cradle, which only bolts to the 4th gen frame, etc.....

Swapping the entire 4th gen front end and modding the 3rd gen panels to fit would be easier (and has been done).

Kevin D.

 

I actually do have sensors on my hubs (use 1995-1999 S10 Blazer rotors) but for practicality swapping the nose would have all the components (wiring, suspension, computers, engine, etc) that the ABS system was designed with.

 

Maybe Im just stubborn but I don't see how swapping an entire front end would be easier than running wires and mounting sensors?

 

Everything computer/sensor/wire would have a home, the suspension would be exactly what the ABS system was designed for, and you'd basically have it all in one package from the firewall forward.

 

Plus I'd have that awesome steering/suspension setup fourthgens have...

Everything "having a place" wouldn't be enough motivation for me to want to swap front clips as opposed to swapping to custom/machined hubs/rotors and adding some brackets.

So you have S10 hubs on yours right now? Do you have any pictures of the backsides of those mounted up?

 

I don't have pics of them mounted but here are pics of the new hubs...

If you wanted to wire it up you could use an S-10 WSS and mount it in a simple bracket and bolt it to one of the spindle bolts used by the dust shield. This set-up can also be used as a trigger for an electronic speedometer...

 

Are those our stock wheel studs or longer? What brake setup do you use?

 

The studs are dormans, I'm running a C5 set-up in front, '89 PBR's in the rear.
Check the LS1 Brakes thread in the FAQ