Wheel Speed Sensor Struggles

[ShyTown]

Hi all, first post here but I’ve been using the site quite a bit to get my ‘95 back in fighting shape. Such a great resource.

Anyway, I have a code indicating a bad wheel speed sensor. The old one was stuck in there so I had to pound it out with a punch. This seems to be pretty common. No big deal.

However, the new sensor is just slightly too big to fit. It was close enough that I thought I could pound it back in with a piece of wood and a hammer. Even tried freezing the new sensor to see if it would shrink up just a little. Too damn big. Now the new sensor is busted too.

Are they always this much trouble to get back in there? It was a cheap part, maybe I need to splurge on a quality one?

Thanks!

 

[pjtoledo]

clean all the crud/rust out of the hole.
when iron/steel begins to corrode it actually swells first before the rust is thick enough to flake off.

 

[ShyTown]

Yeah, you’re probably right. Thought I had it clean but I’ll try something more aggressive in there. Thank you

 

[Curious Hound]

I agree with PJ. Clean out the hole. Wire bore brush on a drill or even use some fine sandpaper.

 

[sgtsandman]

I've seen the sandpaper thing done on those. Perhaps a Dremel bit with a sandpaper barrel would be small enough to work? I've seen people use something to hold a strip of emery cloth but the holding method or type of holder being used is escaping me at the moment.

 

[ShyTown]

I've seen the sandpaper thing done on those. Perhaps a Dremel bit with a sandpaper barrel would be small enough to work? I've seen people use something to hold a strip of emery cloth but the holding method or type of holder being used is escaping me at the moment.

I like the dremel concept

 

[Jazzer]

I think I used a brake cylinder hone on mine.

 

[RobbieD]

You can try bubba-honing it; slip a skinny strip of sandpaper into the legs of big cotter pin, chuck the head of the cotter pin into a drill.

Wrap the sandpaper strip around the pin, into a coil, and then go to town. Low speed works best, and pick the paper grit based on how aggressive you want to be on the victim part.

I know, that's shade-tree as hell, but it works.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I wouldn’t be afraid of running an appropriate sized drill bit through there even. It’s not a part that requires a press fit. I usually use some grease on reassembly to help keep the rust gremlins at bay.

 

[SenorNoob]

We have a piece of all thread with a slot cut in one end using a cut off wheel for cleaning nozzle bodies at work. Chuck it up in the drill and fold a piece of emery cloth or sandpaper double to squeeze into the slot. Very similar to the cotter pin above. Slightly more centered.

 

[ShyTown]

Thanks for all the great responses, a little rolled up sandpaper did the trick.