[repo]

The bolt came out easy but the sensor wont come off, I tried carefully with a small pry tool but it just mangles the plastic and looks like it might snap in half. Is it safe to put some wd40 around the edge or how do you separate it?

[habanero]

It's held in by an o-ring and pulls straight out. Can you get it to turn a little to get it moving, then pry? I like to use the widest screw driver I can fit in the provided slot. Sometimes they're kinda stubborn but once you get the o-ring (maybe about 1/4" in iirc) out you've got it.

[Troybylt]

I'll assume you mean the rears as I have no idea if we even have fronts or where they are.

They can be a huge pain, I think the plastic soaks up some gear oil and dust gets into the smallest gaps and makes things even tighter. Do not force them the bolt tab will snap off and then you're up creek.

Try wiggling them back and for with channel locks and then pulling up just enough to separate it from the axle then spray some PB blaster in there and let it sit overnight if you can just to see if you can get things moveing. Then keep trying the wiggle pull and it should come out. This has been successful for me.

Alternatively if you're willing to pull the axle (it's not hard just will require a brake bleed) you might be able to find something to push it out from the inside, just be sure to be careful around your inner axle seal and use rags or the like to keep from marring the machined inner surface of the axle housing.

[repo]

It's the front ones, I want to clean them off to see if they will any work better in this weather. I put some PB on them to see what happens tomorrow. It also occurred to me that it's only about 20 degrees in the garage maybe that's some of the problem.

Originally Posted by Troybylt

I'll assume you mean the rears as I have no idea if we even have fronts or where they are.

They can be a huge pain, I think the plastic soaks up some gear oil and dust gets into the smallest gaps and makes things even tighter. Do not force them the bolt tab will snap off and then you're up creek.

Try wiggling them back and for with channel locks and then pulling up just enough to separate it from the axle then spray some PB blaster in there and let it sit overnight if you can just to see if you can get things moveing. Then keep trying the wiggle pull and it should come out. This has been successful for me.

Alternatively if you're willing to pull the axle (it's not hard just will require a brake bleed) you might be able to find something to push it out from the inside, just be sure to be careful around your inner axle seal and use rags or the like to keep from marring the machined inner surface of the axle housing.

[tacojeff]

I don't think you will get them out in one piece. I've tried about a dozen times on Toyota's I've had, the salt just rusts them in place. Is the ABS light on? If not, cleaning them isn't likely to do anything.

[OldManKamps]

Can you post a picture of the ABS sensor you're trying to take off? I'm pretty sure my front right sensor is broken off and I'd like to replace that eventually.

[habanero]

Front (shown: right side) on the backside of the spindle above the lower ball joint with sheathed wire going to it and bolt just below it....

The connector for it is on the frame towards the front of the truck a little in front of the wheel, makes it pretty easy to replace other than getting the wire off its keepers as it heads towards and then down the spindle.

Rear (shown: left side) on the backside of the axle next to the backing plate above the bell crank with sheathed wire going to it and also held on by bolt on an ear.

[thor999]

Well hell I was just going to do this myself, but my ABS light is NOT on... so, not worth the effort, or taking the chance of breaking it then? If we do break it, can we just remove the ABS fuse and, no worries?

[OldManKamps]

AFAIK, if you break a sensor, it won't work. So basically the same effect as pulling the fuse.
Thanks a lot for the pictures! So my sensor is broken off in the front right..

[lbhsbz]

I have 2 good used OE front sensors if anyone needs replacements...off of a California car so no damage. PM me if interested.

[repo]

Originally Posted by thor999

Well hell I was just going to do this myself, but my ABS light is NOT on... so, not worth the effort, or taking the chance of breaking it then? If we do break it, can we just remove the ABS fuse and, no worries?

I couldn't get it off and the replacements are $178 so I left it alone. I thought I'd give it a shot cleaning them off to see if it helps with over active ABS on snow.

[JohnMc]

Originally Posted by repo

I couldn't get it off and the replacements are $178 so I left it alone. I thought I'd give it a shot cleaning them off to see if it helps with over active ABS on snow.

98% likely it won't help with that. If you have issues with the ABS falsing on dry pavement, it could very likely be a sensor issue. The sensors are magnets, and around a disc brake there is a supply of metal shavings (sometimes) and rust flakes (damn the salt belt) that can fall onto the sensor and then stick there and cloud the reading. But that would be a persistent issue.

But if it works fine normally, but is just over-anxious on snow, it's just the nature of how the ABS system is tuned.

Snow and gravel are a couple of surfaces where ABS makes things worse, not better.

[repo]

Originally Posted by JohnMc

98% likely it won't help with that. If you have issues with the ABS falsing on dry pavement, it could very likely be a sensor issue. The sensors are magnets, and around a disc brake there is a supply of metal shavings (sometimes) and rust flakes (damn the salt belt) that can fall onto the sensor and then stick there and cloud the reading. But that would be a persistent issue.

But if it works fine normally, but is just over-anxious on snow, it's just the nature of how the ABS system is tuned.

Snow and gravel are a couple of surfaces where ABS makes things worse, not better.

I've never had it kick in on dry pavement and only once or twice in the rain. But it's horrible every time I'm on gravel and snow or even if a wheel goes over a bump or pot hole on normal road. It feels like it has only become a problem in the last 3 winters including this one (I've owned this '99 for 10 years). 3 years ago was the first time I remember: ABS removed all braking and I had to shift down and use the e-brake and spun the tail round to avoid rear ended somebody at a traffic light. I assumed it was the tires, that the rubber dried out on the 6 year old tires even though there was plenty of tread (don't do many miles), so replaced them with different kind, and it still happens. It's happened twice this week on un-ploughed roads. I was in 4hi so was able to steer my way out of it. The ABS works the way it should in the sense that I can STEER but I cant hope to ever STOP. I've been driving in snow for over a decade and it's not normal.

[habanero]

Originally Posted by thor999

Well hell I was just going to do this myself, but my ABS light is NOT on... so, not worth the effort, or taking the chance of breaking it then? If we do break it, can we just remove the ABS fuse and, no worries?

If you disable both the front abs you will lose your speedometer randomly, usually on bumps. It'll come back once you stop, but stop working when you hit another bump. If you disable the abs completely you won't have your speedo. I don't know if that's the case for one disabling one sensor, when my rear axle shaft ate one I already had the set-up referred to below.

There is a way around that, installing a speed sensor out of a Taco equipped with one in the transfer case and doing a little wiring hoohah.
Info on that, posts 1934-1936

A junkyard abs sensor is another thing you can do and what I did for my chewed up sensor. Follow the wire not all that far and you'll find the plug. Hardest part is getting the sensor out. I'm in the salt belt but not the heavy duty MN salt belt so getting them out is not too bad, but does take a little knocking it back and forth, then prying it out.

[tmarton05]

Went to replace my ABS sensor and it was broken. Now the portion that goes into the hub is stuck. Any tips on how to remove that without doing any damage?