How do you get the ABS sensor off?
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habanero
Senior Member
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.
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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.
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.
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.
OldManKamps
New member
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
Senior Member
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.
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.
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OldManKamps
New member
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..
Thanks a lot for the pictures! So my sensor is broken off in the front right..
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.
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
Senior Member
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.
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mtbtim
Elite Member
There's a slot that allows you to fit the tip of a flat tip screwdriver between the sensor and the front knuckle or the rear axle housing. Insert the tip of the screwdriver and twist to start prying the sensor out. Once you get some movement, it will come out. There's a rubber seal around the sensor to keep moisture from getting in via the sensor hole and that's what causes the resistance from getting it out easy.
tmarton05
New member
Sorry, i must not have been clear in my question. The wheel speed sensor broke into two pieces when I was removing it. So now the piece that goes into the hub is stuck and sheared off. Not moving.
Look like this (not my picture but same issue)
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thegipper
New member
^Well that sucks.....
At this point, it's going to be difficult to get that out. If I had to do it, I'd very carefully start drilling it out and hopefully not screw up the ABS tone ring or the housing.
If you can punch a couple holes through it, hopefully you can start chiseling away at it and knock it loose.
Ideally if you can get it loose so you can pull it out with a needle nose pliers, that would be best.
Good luck, you're gonna need it..
At this point, it's going to be difficult to get that out. If I had to do it, I'd very carefully start drilling it out and hopefully not screw up the ABS tone ring or the housing.
If you can punch a couple holes through it, hopefully you can start chiseling away at it and knock it loose.
Ideally if you can get it loose so you can pull it out with a needle nose pliers, that would be best.
Good luck, you're gonna need it..
TheDurk
Elite Member
The core is ferrous metal, I think. I would try bashing it with a drift pin, just to try to get it to move a millimeter. Then drill a hole and try using an easy-out. Pull the other side sensor to set the safe depth you can drill to; you don't want to go through. Put tape on the drill bit to mark the safe depth. If you can get the ez-out to turn, soak it with PB blaster, turn it some more, then pull with Vise-Grips. If it won't budge, you can try some heat--the outside is plastic and getting it soft might help, too.
I've never done this, but it's what I'd try.
I've never done this, but it's what I'd try.
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tmarton05
New member
Thanks! All great ideas
