Driving without ABS - Tips & Advice

  • Thread starter Hig-GT
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In my experience ABS on is faster in GT5 than off. Even if it slows the car slower it makes braking in to the corners easier and improves general stability under braking.

About driving with ABS off i would say that smoothness is the key like it has been said already. Actually smoothness is the key to being fast in general so trying to learn to drive without ABS might be worthwhile for that reason alone and not just because of bragging rights. I personally learned by taking ABS off in the beginning from all the cars i drove but now i only take it off from cars that don't have it in RL (almost every race car) and keep the ABS on for cars that do have it. While i can't claim to be really fast i think it has helped me to improve as a (sim)driver nevertheless.

I'm noticing the same thing, definately worthwhile even if I don't stick with it :)
 
Let me get this straight, by modulating the brake pedals your car transfers weight more effective than just using the entire brake pedals? Everyone is suggesting to change the brake bias when driving without ABS to get the most out of the brakes and simulate this transfer in weight. So you’re saying that if I find the optimal brake bias and apply that brake bias setting to ABS ON it will be faster than ABS OFF? So basically what if I were to drive with ABS ON as if it was ABS OFF with all the brake modulating stuff, would it still be more effective than if I were to just slam the brakes down all the way (btw I treat my brake pedal like an on/off button as if it were the Square button of the DS3 controller because I've been using the Square button to brake for a while now. It’s either depressed all the way or none at all). If I’m right I still don’t see the need to modulate the brake pedal when it makes more sense to just hold it down all the way till you reach the apex.
 
Find the threshold... each car will be a little different. Brake in a straight line. Pretend there is an egg between your foot and the brake pedal. Be gentle.
 
1. Scrub speed by brushing the brakes early after Tiergarten. Take the turn (Tiergarten), ease off the accelerator and brush off speed early enough to make the turns.
2. Run next lap. Brush later. Lightly tap the brake, maintaining forward momentum. Any slip angle over a curb or grass will be tricky to recover from during the upcoming section before the hard right. Take the straightest line, and brush lightly. You want to begin harder braking well before the hard right, but after the esses.
3. Run next lap, brush later, clean up lines from previous lap.
4. Screw it up royally. It's okay, this needs to be done and is part of the learning process.
5. Run next lap mindful of the retard you were before. Note entries, exits, slip angle, and friction circle of traction.
6. Brush later. Focus.
7. Hot lap.

For best results, run in practice mode w/ ghost.
 
Guess I have to scrap everything I learned about braking in the past haha this is gonna take a while to get used to. Before I would always treat my brake pedal like a button since I mainly play with the DS3 controller way before I got my wheel.

I drew a diagram here showing how I normally would approach a corner. If someone could correct me that’d be great!! Maybe I should upload a vid later on. I was in a hurry sorry for the ugly drawing I have a hard time drawing curves hahahahahahah I tried to be as clear as possible just imagine those pedals as the brake/throttle bar next to your speedometer in the game. Just have your pedals out in front of you for reference if its still not clear to read. There are 2 pages in the file

If you could adjust the percentage of the brake values that I highlighted in green that would be great
 

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Here is my post on this subject from another forum, I hope you will find it helpfull. It is focused on driving with the wheel/pedal setup, but everything said can be applied for controller-driving too.

NON ABS BRAKING Part #1
HOW TO MAKE NON-ABS BRAKING ACTUALLY WORK

This one have few steps.

Step A > The Mighty Sponge Ball™

Brake-pedals on all of the middle-prices wheels - Logitech DFP, DFGT, etc.. - are too loose and too soft to produce a usable sensitivity of travel in order to cope with the non-ABS braking. However, for there is a solution for that problem: The Mighty Sponge Ball™

1018a.jpg


Solution is simple: just insert the sponge under the brake and you're ready to go. Sponge will allow you to dose the actual brake-power more subtly and to actually have control of the brake-travel.

Of course, any hard-sponged material will do even better than simple sponge ball, especially high-density sponges, like neoprene for example. Once you've settled the step A) it is time for step B.

Step B > The Brake Balance Adjustment ™ - The Key to Master the non-ABS Braking

In order to achieve maximum performance and feel out of the GT5 physics engine and wheel support, you have to manually tweak few options in the game and accept few issues. First, you should go to the wheel option and set the steering to Simulation (although it affects only 270-wheels, but it is no-brainer, so just do it) and turn the Power Steering to OFF.

As for accepting issues, there is one thing you have to get use to when going into the universe of the non-ABS braking: you have to manually dial the ABS to OFF for the every car prior to the race in the Race Settings menu (unfortunately, you can't do it in the Settings menu in the Garage for the car of your choice). Once done, you're ready for the most important thing: The Brake Balance Adjustment ™

By default, every car in GT5 comes with Brake Balance set to 5/5 (front/rear). With ABS OFF and the default 5/5 value, there is no way you can properly drive the car, because that default value is messing the complete balance of the suspension and produces practically undrivable car. So, you have to manually adjust the Brake Balance for the every car you wish to use with ABS OFF.

General idea about adjust the Brake Balance comes form basic presumption of weight-distribution behaviour while braking: when you brake, the central mass of the vehicle and inertia moves from the back to the front. Thus all cars in real life have bigger and stronger brakes on the front-wheels and GT5 utilises the same logic. In order to adjust the BB, you have to re-distribute the BB values towards front. But before going onto that, one explanation.

Although Gran Turismo 5 uses the name of ABS (Anti Brake-Lock System) for that particular assist, I personally do not find it as representation/simulation of the actual ABS. I think it is nothing more than basic braking-assist which *overrides* the intertia-momentum on suspension and nullify the wheel-lock. Even ABS1 is too effective in what it does, so I do not find any mean in having the option to set it up to 10 (which game allows), so basically it is *ABS* just by name. I see it as nothing else but basic brake assist tool. Now back to BB setting.

Every car BB is different, but there is some generalisation possible. FR, RR and MR cars will all benefit from the higher setting towards the front. For example, I mainly use 3/1 setting for majority of my road FR, RR and MR cars. Of course, there are exceptions like Ferrari F40 where sheer mass of the vehicle asks for higher setting in the front in order to achieve proper distribution of the weight and stop the rear-axle from going into oversteer because of the insufficient braking-power on the front wheels > so for the F40 I use 5/1 setting for example and for F430 4/2 (I also use 4/2 for SLS, LFA, M3 and similar vehicles).

Actual weight of the vehicle makes a lot of difference too. Ferrari 599 calls for the 5/2 setting (Sport Hard tyres) because of the weight, while stock Corvette ZR-1 C6 RM - you mentioned it in your post - calls for 6/2 balance in order to achieve stability and efficiency of braking.

For FF and 4WD cars I generally use 3/2 or 4/3 setting in order to combat understeer on the front-wheels. GT does not take pad-size into concern (check the SHIRAKAWA Akira's elaborate here), but in order to combat understeer and lockup on FF and 4WD cars I tend to *equalize* the pressure on the front-axle by minimizing the deistribution of the braking-balance from the front wheels and force the rear-axle oversteer in order to have natural entry to the apex.

PLEASE NOTICE that I use Fanatec CSP pedals and values I've described are made with that in focus. Many of my friends who use Logitech G25/27 are using slightly lower settings (where I use 4/2 they use 3/1, etc..) because the threshold of the actual brake-sets is different for every manufacturer. Experimenting is the key.

Another thing becomes important when advanced settings comes into perspective: such as having Tire Wear ON, or driving on the wet surfaces with changeable weather/track conditions. To cut it short, the RA Adjust Functions (that in-race screen you can call-in and adjust some setting on the fly in the real-time with either Manetino-wheel on your DFGT or button-combination on the other wheels) becomes very important during the advanced races, because the tire-heat and degradation can call for altering the BB, as well as the wet surfaces. However, you will come to the appropriate conclusions by yourself through experimenting during time.

Small notice is how settings adjusted through RAMenu menu does not *stay* on the car through the venues if you quit the race before the end. So if you changed the settings during your Free Time run in online-lounge fro example, you will not have them applied once the race starts > values are set to those in main car-Settings menu. So if you come to the better solution through RAMenu during the Free race, you will have to alter them again through RAMenu once the race starts if you didn't changed them in the Settings menu.

Of course, GT5 now offers option to save multiple Settings (A/B/C, in the Settings menu), so you can manually set the ABS OFF setting for every car in one of the "Sheets" - under the B for example - in order to use it when you like. Notice how another issue is that you have to first set the desired Setting Sheet (B for example), than go to Race Options and set ABS to OFF, and than come back to settings and apply the proper BB settings. That is because once you set the ABS to OFF in the Race Option settings (where "A Settings Sheet" is always default one), it stays like that for the particular car everywhere you go with it (including online). If you opt for ABS OFF in the default "A Settings Sheet" so you will have to manually re-set it to 1 every time you want to race the car with the ABS ON. A bit confusing, but once you get used to it, it becomes just another Gran Turismo Player Masochistic Routine™.

NON ABS BRAKING part #2
THE ADVICES

- Different tyre-compounds call for the slightly different Brake Balance. You will notice how there is a difference in values if you experiment with the Comfort and Sport compound. However, it goes into category of the fine-tuning so results through experimenting will come with the time

- *ABS* in GT5 is not representation of the real-life ABS, it just uses that "name". ABS in GT5 is some kind of permanent braking assist *override* that not only prevents wheel-lock, but also have some invisible traction-control that nullify the suspension-modelling and equalises unique characteristics of the vehicles resulting with ability to turn while braking and never loose grip

- when ABS is OFF many cars will just go to snap-oversteer once the brakes are applied in full. You must never brake with full-constant power - you would never brake like that in the real-life too. In order to get maximum for your braking, you have to learn to brake is *sequences* - press/release/press/release/press/release/etc.

- you have to reconsider everything you know about braking-points and configurations for every track. With ABS off, suspension modelling becomes "free" and suddenly all elevations (lateral and longitudinal) of the surface becomes major factor in the driving. The sensation is vastly different than with ABS ON, so be prepared to revise everything you've learned to that point.

- all FR/MR/RR cars - being road or racing - have to be set with front bias noticeably stronger than rear. Through my testing I still haven't found any single FR/MR/RR car that calls for BB of the rear-brakes stronger than 2. To be honest, majority needs only 1. The key is to find proper front-strength with rear-one adjusted to point where rear brakes does not lock the rear-axle. You will know the point where rear-axle is not compromised once the car does not launch itself into snap-oversteer when braking. Once you set the rear-strength and bypass axle-lockup, you may fell that car is not stopping properly as it should. From that point, you have to force the front strength of braking until you find desired power.

On the above note, one of my last tests gave me 6/1 bias for the Ford Mark IV Race Car '67 where I needed 6/1 for proper balance of the stopping power.

NON ABS BRAKING part #3
Step C >Every Car Becomes Unique Without ABS™

I know that all above probably sounds complicating, but in fact it is not. Once you install the The Mighty Sponge Ball™ (for users of wheels that needs one) and get used to the logic of the Brake Balance settings, the new world opens. Once you disengage the braking-assist (one we call the ABS for reasons of commodity and easier perception for the casual players) you will finally get the proper feeling of the unique physics of the every car.

Disengaging the brake-assist and diving into the world of proper Brake Balance settings will enhance the unique "characteristics sensation" for every vehicle and make it even more *recognisable*. Once you begin to utilise the correct BB settings, you will be able to actually feel the pavement-ripping torque of the F40, the feel of the Aventador's mass decelerating while eating the front tires or difference between the braking-characteristics of all GT500 cars which pretty much handles inside the same handicap while ABS is turned on.

Take your time and test on the low-powered cars for start, preferably on Tsukuba and than moving to the Trial Mountain. Mazdas MX-5/RX-7 are great for FR cars basics, and once you master them you can move to the MR class with the F430 as the best car for that task. Of course, test all of them with their default tires in order to develop the feel for the actual tire-threshold and BB values you need to apply.

Good luck and I hope you'll have the great time once you indulge yourself into this beautiful universe.
 
Wow thanks for the really wonderful feedback amar, I found myself reading through your post 4-5 times ahahahaha!! It was really helpful!

Is it possible that if I were to master the art of braking with ABS OFF, I can apply it to ABS 1 and still drive like it was ABS OFF? I mean like using the techniques of ABS OFF driving like gentle partial braking and applying them in ABS 1. Will ABS 1 think I was trying to drive as if it was ABS OFF?

The concept of being gentle on the brakes still startles me somewhat. I found a similar post from another OP that was experiencing a similar problem as well. (His description basically opposes using partial braking as well here https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=148230). I kinda really agree with him about being scared of gentle braking especially when coming down at high speeds for a sharp corner. If I was coming in at like 150mph for a 60mph turn in real life, I would be dam scared to just use only 10%-20% of my brake pedal to slow down. What if it doesn’t slow down enough?!!?!?! What if there’s no sand trap or grass to save me?!?! So to say, if I were driving targa or rally where drivers only get to see the track for the first time and if I approach an unfamiliar new corner for the first time I’m gonna want to slam hard on that brake pedal all the way full pressure to make sure!!
 
A bit confusing, but once you get used to it, it becomes just another Gran Turismo Player Masochistic Routine™.


Just like GT4 Aids adjustments!

Those things drove me INSANE.

Setting TC, ASM, BB Everytime!!!
Not just on\off either, like dialing down 4-5 settings per car.

I still have nightmares.:nervous:
 
For some corners, such as the one where you have a jump in the middle of the braking zone, brake before the jump and then brake after the jump, leave the brakes off while you are slightly airborn. Threshhold braking is also useful in some corners, the F430 was very receptive to that technique ... Trial & Error atm :)

Keep the ideas coming though!

Yes that's very good technique, I find myself moving my foot like the car is moving, lifting it up when the car goes light and then stomping on it twice as hard when you hit the ground and momentarily have very good traction. It's yet another thing you don't even have to think about if you have "ABS" on (I'd rather call it braking assist).

I've been skimming through these ABS threads (suddenly there's like 4 of them) and many people seem quite confused about why you have to change brake balance in the first place. It's not to "simulate weight transfer" or anything like that, it's purely for the fact that the default 5/5 distribution (or any setting that's equal on front and rear) is not how cars come out of the factory. In reality all cars have atleast 70% front brake bias because locking the rears is very dangerous and as many you have experienced, it makes you spin really easily.

For most cars I use 4/1, but lower settings like 1/0, 2/0, 3/1 can all work very well, or for racing cars I often use 5/2.

When you're going really fast, and coming up to a really slow corner (Monza chicanes, first corner at Fuji, chicanes at Le Mans..) you can floor the brake more (even completely floor it for a couple seconds) but as your speed goes lower, the chance that you'll lock the brakes increases, so you have to carefully adjust the amount you brake.

At Nürburgring you're often slightly turning and/or going over bumps when braking, you have to really quickly adjust the amount you brake and feel the car through the steering wheel. Often here I find myself pumping the brake and then when I'm approaching corner entry, trying to softly lift my foot off the brake, because if you just lift if clean off, you might destabilise the car even more.

Braking hard from a high speed always makes cars feel really unstable. With ABS on 1 you never get to feel this sensation which is a real shame. I'm glad though, that thanks to great guides like the one here by amar212, more and more people are trying it and learning to drive without it. It's might seem really hard at first but it's very rewarding once you get used to it.

If you watch one of @Christhedude videos on YouTube, he said with the Clubsport pedals
you can really fell when your tire is locking...

Dang, my G27 don't have this... :ouch:
I have a G25 and I have no idea where the sensation is actually coming from but I can always tell what the tyres are doing. I think it's a combination of the sound, the feel from the steering wheel and the way the car is behaving which somehow translates in my brain as "get your foot off that brake man!"

EDIT:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipzSF0sxc2g

Here's a hotlap I did earlier (trying to beat this) without ABS. From 3:38 onwards you can see the lap from bumer view with the pedal movements visible and from it you can see that coming down from very high speed you can really stomp on the brakes, but once you slow down more you're more prone to locking them.

Lap was driven with racing hard tyres, brake balance 6/2, Logitech G25 wheel, clutch and shifter.
 
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