Hi All

i am in the process of renewing my suspension on my octy vrs mk1 when I noticed that the wheel speed, abs sensor on the rear of the hub of the front right wheel is broken. The lead connector is fine but the sensor needs replacing. Does anyone know how these come off? I have taken the hexagonal nut off but it looks like its a pain to come off. Does it screw or push out and will I need to remove the hub to do it?

Thanks for your help

Edited 13 April, 201511 yr by batchy2005

Hiya.

 

These are generally a complete **** to remove!

 

Despite being a plastic sensor, the metal hole which they sit in corrodes over the years, meaning that you can undo the bolt and try to pull them out until the cows come home, but in 99% of cases, they are rusted fast in the hole. This isn't exclusively a Skoda issue, it is common across the board.

 

After many years of experience with these, my approach is quite brutal if it won't quickly come out, but it always gets results...

 

1) Spray penetrating fluid on it (like PlusGas). Leave it for a bit. Undo the bolt, attempt to twist and remove the unit with Vice grips. The plastic oval within the Vice grips just snaps off, leaving a broken unit welded inside it's rusty hole.

 

2) Get the blowtorch or OxyAcetyline torch out. Burn the plastic sensor to absolute death, until it is basically on fire, and all the plastic is melting out from the hole. Use a combination of old screwdrivers / bits of bent metal / pick tools to hook out the melted, dead guts of the sensor from the hole. There will be a LOT of fine, copper wire

 

3) Allow the hole to cool. Clean up the hole with either an interference fit drillbit, or a small Dremel wire brush attachment, using something like WD40 as a lubricant whilst doing so. Occasionally attempt to push the new ABS sensor into the hole, but as soon as you meet a bit of resistance, stop immediately and remove it.

 

4) Get to the point when the new ABS sensor EASILY slides into and out of the hole which it is supposed to reside in. Now you are sorted. Coat the sensor with a bit of grease, insert it back into it's home, do up the bolt, connect the wire, refit the wheel.

 

5) Fire up the car and go for a drive. Sometimes it takes a mile or so for the ABS and TC warning lights to extinguish. OR clear the fault codes yourself if you have the OBD software to do so.

 

 

Hope this helps! Disclaimer* other people may have different solutions to this issue but this works for me!

Thanks for that. After a s##t load of Wd40 a hammer and a blunt chisel in 30 seconds it was out with no plastic left behind I was shocked and disappointed was looking forward to burning something ha ha ☺

This is one old thread but I don't care! :D

 

I replaced the wheel bearing, hub and abs-sensor the other day.

 

Was hell to remove the sensor, ended up removing all copper wire manualy, the one that's inside the sensor, then prying out the plastic bits etc.

 

When I was to attach the new one I struggled a bit, tried to hammer it in gently and I didn't get it far in appearently since the abs goes in at the end of each braking-session so to speak.

 

I will have to remove it again and see if I can either clear the hole more, with a dremel or such, or just grind a tiny  bit on the housing of the sensor so it fits the hole better :D