Abs sensor snapped off

[roguegoblin]

Hi all, hoping for some advice. In brief in broke my abs sensors on the front wheels when putting on new wheel bearings. I only worked this out when I finished the job and have bought two new sensors. I've gone to change these this morning which appeared a simple task however when I've been pulling the old sensors out the top part has broken off of the probe part which is now stuck inside the wheel hub housing. I guess its been inside there so long its seized in and the sensor being made of plastic has just given way. Any ideas of how to get this out? Im hoping I haven't got to take the bearings back off.

[hutchysrs50]

Just smash it out if it's broken anyway.

Make a ginger wig with the left overs if you want

[sepulchrave]

Just smash it out if it's broken anyway.

Make a ginger wig with the left overs if you want

 

Or use a decent cordless with an appropriate drill bit and bore them out if you want easy mode.

[hutchysrs50]

Isn't that going to be like an inch drill

Bit?! They are normally about a meter long as well.

[sepulchrave]

Isn't that going to be like an inch drill

Bit?! They are normally about a meter long as well.

 

What on earth are you on about? The diameter of the abs sensor hole is 10-11mm and most drill bits are 150mm long, most decent cordless drills have a chuck capacity of 13mm, so even if it's bigger than 11mm it won't be much because I couldn't get my little finger into the hole once I'd cleared it out.

 

I know you're from the North East but drills replaced the hammer and chisel for hole boring during the Bronze age Hutchy.

 

Edit: I just worked it out, you're thinking of extra long SDS masonry bits like wot plumbers use for drilling through walls, I have some (10,13 and 16mm) and they're actually 900mm long.

Edited 11 August, 2014 by sepulchrave

[hutchysrs50]

How will that even work?!

[sepulchrave]

How will that even work?!

 

If you can't get a drill in there then forget it, smash away, it's a technique I've used before although not on a Fabia, on a vehicle where you have access it's a very quick and easy way of removing a broken sensor and cleaning up the hole so the new one fits easily.

[rwbaldwin]

Be careful - you don't want to damage the reluctor ring by drilling into it.

[sepulchrave]

Be careful - you don't want to damage the reluctor ring by drilling into it.

 

Or 'itting it wiv a 'ammer!

[hutchysrs50]

I was just trolling... I apologise.

In all honesty I was thinking of some ford abs senses which are much bigger. Using a drill bit would be ideal for a vag sensor, my 7.2v snap on drill would be perfect for the job!

Hammer or drill just take your time, you will know when your through the plastic sensor so not much risk of damaging the bearing.

Good luck and keep us posted

[roguegoblin]

Thanks for the advice. Im by no means a proper mechanic but I can do a fiar bit myself. I was feeling so pleased with myself having done the bearings myself for about £90 including hiring the 'special' bearing remover tool instead of £350 the garage wanted. Then I drove the car and the speedo wasn't registering, the abs light came on and then I remembered I hadn't removed the abs sensors prior to putting the new bearings in! [emoji32]

[iiPaul]

Thanks for the advice. Im by no means a proper mechanic but I can do a fiar bit myself. I was feeling so pleased with myself having done the bearings myself for about £90 including hiring the 'special' bearing remover tool instead of £350 the garage wanted. Then I drove the car and the speedo wasn't registering, the abs light came on and then I remembered I hadn't removed the abs sensors prior to putting the new bearings in! [emoji32]

Where may I ask did you hire the tool to get the bearing done? My vrs needs the front bearing replaced but my friends garage doesn't have the apporiate press to get the bearing out and skoda want £131 just to supply the bearing :(

I assume you have the generation two bearing, how much was the bearing ( sorry for all the questions )

[roguegoblin]

No probs, I hired the gen2 bearing remover off eBay. Search for gen2 bearing remover and the guys username is phoenix Motorsport. Mine were 72mm bearings and it cost £35 to hire it for a week plus a £5 postage I think. The bearings I got from a motor factors at trade price and were £36 each. They were FAG bearings which I was led to believe were fairly decent and not the type that break after 1000 miles like some I saw on eBay. I'd recommend giving it a go yourself as the only problem I had (other than not taking out the abs sensors) was a bolt had corroded badly so I had to saw off the track rod end and get a new one (£12). Other than that it was pretty straight forward, although took me about 3 hours to do the first one and about 1.5 hours for the second.

[roguegoblin]

Just remembered, depending on what hub nut you've got, you also need to get a 36mm bihex socket. These are a pain in the butt to find in shops but easy enough online.

[Tony1234]

I had same snap off with sensor. Got mine out by carefully drilling it down half way with a 3 mm bit and screwing a self tapper into top and pulling it out with pincers or molegrips.

Abs light still coming on so might have to change the hub and bearing! :-(

:-)

[tigerbiker]

I removed the ABS sensor by drilling around the sensor.