Rear ABS Speed Sensor Sheared Off

[jeff4891]

Hey guys,

My speedometer stopped working so I attempted to replace my rear ABS speed sensor in the differential. When I pulled it out, it broke off so part of it is still stuck in the differential. It's flush so I don't have anything to grab onto.

What are my options here? If I take off the differential cover am I going to be able to get access to it without pulling anything out? I figure at that point I can either try to pop it out from the inside or push it all the way through.

 

[adsm08]

Did the coil of the sensor come out, or did the whole thing break off?


If the coil came out get a 90* angle pick and some heat. Cook the plastic cap of the sensor until you can push the pick into it and work it out.

 

[jeff4891]

What came out was the top half of the sensor and a magnet in the shaft of the sensor.

Based on how it it looks in that picture and feels, there is smooth metal slightly recessed in the differential so it's not just plastic left behind.

 

[adsm08]

Drill into it with a small bit and then run a wood screw in. You will either shatter it, or be able to rock it out.

 

[jeff4891]

I'm not going to be able to get a drill in there unless I pull the bed off. I'm thinking pulling off the differential cover will be easier, but I don't know what kind of access I'll have to the sensor from that side.

 

[redneck243]

had the same thing happen to mine....i used a screw driver and bent the side in so i could get a bite with pliers then it came out with some wiggling

 

[jeff4891]

Anyone have any idea if it will be easily accessible from the inside without removing anything else once I take off the differential cover?

I have a small leak from the gasket so I need to take the cover off anyway, but I'm trying to gauge if this will be a quick job or not.

Thanks for all the replies so far!

 

[adsm08]

It won't be. The exciter ring is bolted between the ring gear and the carrier. That means that the ring is in your way. You'd have to take the carrier out to get at it from inside.

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

had the same thing happen to mine....i used a screw driver and bent the side in so i could get a bite with pliers then it came out with some wiggling

this here.

i hate when that happens

 

[jeff4891]

Thanks, adsm. Here's where I'm at now. I took the bed off so I could actually see the thing and pull on it better. I pulled out the innards of the old sensor - coil and all. All that's left is that thin metal sleeve that I originally thought was plastic. I tried pulling it out with an allen wrench, but it's just tearing through the metal at the bottom. There's enough of a lip to get a vise grip on and pull, but I'm not getting anywhere. I'm going to try putting heat on it tomorrow, but all I have is a propane torch.

On another note... anyone know where to buy new bed bolts and clips?

 

[jeff4891]

I was never able to pull the sleeve out but I accidentally knocked it in after a lot of trying to pull it out. It was never seized but i think there was a lip on it on the other side keeping it from coming out.

After getting that out of the way I can see that my tone ring is broken. You can barely tell there were notches in it and i can move it all over the place with my finger.

I'll be opening it up sometime next week to assess the damage.

I don't have any experience working inside of a differential. What do I need to look for besides chipped gears? If just the tone ring is damaged, what is involved in replacing that?