Ford front ABS Sensors

[xcnick]

Originally Posted by Viva

I bet someone(s) searching in future are going to be really glad this information was saved.

I am already inspired to remove the tape covering the ABS light.

[MadScience]

On a 96 I think you're looking at a rear wheel only setup. It should just be a matter of finding the right sensor that will work with your system.

The rear sensor on the differential is super easy to swap. One screw and a plug. The fronts do require pulling the wheels, calipers and rotors off (easy enough, but lots of heavy parts if you're not built for that -- I'm not).

I used http://www.fordparts.com/ to look at the sensors for different years (slight pain, but not too bad compared to pulling the rotors off and splicing cables). What you want is a part that will work the the control unit you have and fit the axle(s) you have. If you get too modern you start running into the ESP tone ring issues, at which point you might as well buy modified axles from someone like ujoint. The older stuff however, can, for the most part, be pieced together with existing components, at least as far as I can tell.

Oh, on the front end the van seemed to use the same connectors, but of the incorrect gender. I ended up fixing up the van side to make an future sensor swaps easy.

A cheap scan tool that will read ABS codes is probably worth its cost here. It's not like anyone but a seriously specialized shop is likely to help you with this.

Thanks for the interest BTW! I hoped this would be of value to someone sooner or later. Since I really don't have any skin in this game other than making my own van work better, I figured the time spent sharing this is an easy choice for me to make.

[xcnick]

I have had several shops try to get codes with no luck. They would go after the problem if I gave them authority to spend unlimited time to chase it down so I baulked.

thanks for the heads up about the rear sensor. I will go there because it is easy and hope to get lucky.

My 2wd '96 does have front abs.

[MadScience]

Originally Posted by xcnick

I have had several shops try to get codes with no luck.

Interesting. 96 was the first year for OBDII, so perhaps ABS codes were even more manufacturer specific then, than they became later on.

Originally Posted by xcnick

They would go after the problem if I gave them authority to spend unlimited time to chase it down so I baulked.

That's always hard to swallow. By the same notion it's what I tell my management chain all the time. It's not really unlimited time, but some non-trivial number with no guarantee of success. Funny how that's hard to stomach when it's my own money. Perhaps that's because I'm not as well paid as the top of my reporting chain. More likely it's because I'm in the business of covering my costs and saving to retire. Unlike most companies, which are in the business of taking all the business there is to take at any cost.

Originally Posted by xcnick

thanks for the heads up about the rear sensor. I will go there because it is easy and hope to get lucky.

My 2wd '96 does have front abs.

I don't think any of them did. Neither e or f series, which should limit the matrix a little for you. Those sensors are also pretty cheap, particularly the third party ones. Take a look at what you have, in terms of the connector, to start with. Then go from there. Don't dismiss the idea that you might have had the right thing, but it just went bad.

What's your rear axle?

[xcnick]

Sticker says C2 what ever that means. 4.10 gears and limited slip.

[MadScience]

Hold on, you have a stock 2wd van, right? Sensor should be simple on it, I'd have expected a shop to check that first. Then there's inspecting the tone ring (you'll probably need a mirror for that), search for a youtube video on that.

You'll need to select Brake and then "ABS Components" to find a potential list of parts:

http://www.fordparts.com/Commerce/Catal ... ine#Search

Looks like the rear sensor is BRAB 130 and that 4 wheel ABS did exist, at least as an option.

[carringb]

Originally Posted by xcnick

I am already inspired to remove the tape covering the ABS light.

Older 4-wheel ABS ('91-'96 vans) had a corrosion problem. Basically the hydraulic control unit rots from the inside out, and once it goes it can't be fixed. If it gives a fault for the HCU, it's basically done.

Shops do need a special Bendix ABS scanner. OBD scanners can't read it. If it won't scan, its still probably the HCU. For a while there was no replacement, but now it looks like the aftermarket has stepped in.

[xcnick]

[quote="carringb If it gives a fault for the HCU, it's basically done.
[/quote]

I don't know what a HCU is but it doesn't sound cheep.

[MadScience]

HCU stands for hydraulic control unit. I'd have called it the valve body, not sure if there's a distinction between those terms.

And yes, for your van it's $ouch, at least from Ford. See the parts search above if you really want to know. That's the 4 wheel abs unit though.

[xcnick]

Bendix ABS code reader is what I will remember for my next opportunity. Knowing this will be key even if I am at a Ford dealer.