Removing rear ABS sensor on a Xantia

[Neil Taylor]

im sorry if my advise is give you probs,

Just ignore me, I've just had a zero progress day on the car so feeling sorry for myself.

,but i would not sudgest removing these sensors when just replacing arm bearings,

If I was confident that the arms would be serviceable I would agree with you, and I may just end up taking them off with the sensor wiring still attached, or attempt unplugging, but I have to say I can't even get my hand in the gap that far, so unless I can get one of the kids to do this, and re-attach....... this all seems too marginal, otherwise I'd have gone this route by now. But if I do need new arms, then I still have to either remove the sensors or ensure the replacement arms have serviceable sensors with intact wiring. While whoever gives me a lift to the yard boils in the heat indefinitely while I struggle with the removal - arrgghh!

also if you went to the breakers you could remove the arms yourself and keep the wire intact,even then you may need to fit new beariongs to these arms,

I've already bought the bearing kits, as I understood from this forum that once removed, it would be necessary to fit a new bearing kit?

where did you get a price from as GSF PART No.N64516 PRICE £52.20+vat

That's £122.67 for the pair. By my calculations by the time I've paid for 3 new spheres (to replace the heavily rusted originals), bought 2 serviceable arms from the scrap yard, and including the bearing kits, that ads up to nearly £312, plus new tyres to replace the scrubbed ones, brings that up to nearly £400. The front tyres will also need replacing for MOT in Sept, and I'm not confident the front suspension won't need some work, so you can see my fear of the potential cost of keeping this 12yo car on the road beyond this point might be uneconomic. I am OK to do the bearings, replace the arms at £35 each and the spheres, but beyond that I don't want to go.

Throwing it back together, getting a partial refund on the bearing kits and running it to end of Sept and tax/MOT and then throwing it away may be the most sensible option, but I would like to keep it going if I can as I like it, and the engine/transmission is excellent. It's the best car I've ever owned for driving, and the worst for working on!

But I do appreciate you guys hanging in there with me. without the help of this forum I wouldn't have managed to make it last this long, & as for the Haynes manual, well.........

[deian]

There's some stuff called Plus Gas (blue tin) for corrosion on metalwork such as bolts and nuts.

[citronut]

the plug blocks are cliped onto the top of the subframe,if you put your fingers over the top between the spare wheel rack the side sections you should be able to prize the clips out then you will gain better access and unplug these wires.where abouts are you in the country
regards malcolm

[Neil Taylor]

the plug blocks are cliped onto the top of the subframe,if you put your fingers over the top between the spare wheel rack the side sections you should be able to prize the clips out then you will gain better access and unplug these wires.where abouts are you in the country
regards malcolm

Thanks Malcolm, I'll investigate this possibility properly tomorrow.

I'm in Milton Keynes, north Bucks.

[Neil Taylor]

Just a note after the event for future sufferers!

Although I did eventually get the sensors off it was more like 3 hours a piece, although I suspect it was waiting for the oil and paraffin to work that really did it as after another couple of days wait they just gave it up.

Despite looking fairly bruised and battered, the resistance readings indicated that they would work, and indeed they did put out the ABS light when plugged in to test them. However, I went with the ones that came with the replacement arms from the scrap yard in the end since they were original fitment and therefore undamaged.

My message is if you have to remove the arm to replace the bearings, unplugging the sensor is definitely the way to go, awkward as it is, but achievable from the inboard side. A tree tie pushed up through the hole where the original tie is held makes a good substitute to hold the wiring in place if you can't manage to open the original tie, and I couldn't. And this side of suicide if you can't manage that gymnastics, cut and solder the wire if you absolutely have to, but it is probably preferable to simply apply the oil and paraffin to penetrate the rust holding the sensor on a week ahead of doing the job. The bearings are already smashed, most of the damage done, so you might as well drive it one more week, and buy yourself a much easier time!