abs problem after birfield repack fixed (1 Viewer)

[ogsuv]

I don't really have a question, just sharing my experience to maybe help others.

So I do my first birfield repack last weekend, couldn't have done it without help on the list and also had my laptop in the garage for step by step pics and explanations (thanks guys)

Anyway afterwards, ABS light on intermittantly and truck veers violently right or left on stops. I assume grease/etc... on rotors and figured it would go away.. wrong.

Next I search the archives and read 20 or so semi related posts, most stating they think the sensor was damaged during install or they need new ones,( I removed mine before even getting close to the birfields, so I refused to believe they got damaged)

So I pull one wheel off, take off the abs sensor, THOROUGHLY clean gunk off of mounting surfaces scrape with a screwdriver, etc... so it is REALLY clean wipe sensor down, remove more gunk, reinstall, and problem improves by 50% so I repeat on the other side, and problem completely fixed.

Like I said, I searched the archives, and didn't see anything about cleaning, reinstalling, and curing. Hope this helps.

 

[OGBeno]

Nice addition...I like it when seemingly scary, big problems are easily solved by just cleaning parts...

By the way, noticed you had a Grand National...nice...one of my fav. cars ever...how much do they go for these days??

ah...oh, this is going to be thrown into chit-chat in literally five minutes...

Later.
-onur
Akron, OH

 

[mabrodis]

In my experience the grease did not affect the sensor, but the metal particles suspended in the grease did. I don't know where all the metal comes from, but in my '97 I had some fairly large pieces of metal stuck to the sensor, I'd clean that off and it was fine then. Next month or two I'd do it again and find less metal...

 

[ogsuv]

Another good point, not sure if mine had metal on it, just lots of fresh grease, I do remember a few pieces when I first pulled them out.

I am thinking the gunk affected how deep the sensors sat in their homes, so it must be a matter of millimeters, didn't seem like I cleaned off that much. In that case, the sensors should probably have mounts on both sides, rather than one to hold it down snug.

 

[atijerino]

When I did my birf job I also noticed that the ABS sensors since they are magnetic had some mix of grease with metal shavings. I cleaned the sensors real good before installing them back and did not have any problems.

 

[carolina_cruiser]

You probably noticed in the archives that I had the same problem a couple months ago. I agree that you're spot-on with the solution. Cleaning the metal flakes off the ABS sensors solved the problem completely, I've had no problems with the ABS since.

 

[concretejungle]

Hey scott, nice to see the star with such few posts. I thought about it before i purchased my star and realized all the help i get from this board was worth $20. Congrats on fixing the problem.

 

[ogsuv]

You bet!

After I used all the write ups and pics on the website and got some fast realtime answers on my first birfield repack, I think it was well deserved and a small price to pay.

Now if I could just figure out how to get my avatar to work, can anybody help with that? Not exactly a tech issue, but kind of.....
I had a friend shrink a photo for me, but still having format issues........