Rear ABS Sensors?

[Blacksheep Josh]

As always, this is for a 1993 Ford Explorer. Currently has front disc brakes, and rear drum brakes.

Hopefully I'll be able to do the rear axle disc swap this weekend. Was wondering about the ABS connectors. Are the same type used in the Second Generation?

I'm just worried that I'll get the axle in, and the current Anti-Lock sensors wont' work. Anybody done this swap yet and have a straight answer? From what I've read on teh threads for converting to disc brakes, and installing a whole nother axle, I'm getting the feeling the old sensors will work?

Thanks

 

[rustbucketMI]

Are you doing a complete axle swap with an axle with disks, or just a disk conversion?

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

I'm planning swapping out the entire rear axle. It's cheaper for me to do that then to buy everything that's needed. I can get an entire axle, with calipers, pads, rotors for 110 bucks.

 

[Noved1987]

might get more answers in the modified section.

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

Well I looked on autozone's website, and the ABS sensors are listed with the same part number. So I'm going to assume they are the same. But if someone can verify this, that'd be great.

 

[James909]

The sensors are either the same or are compatible. I swapped in a complete axle from a '99 into my '92 and the connector plugged right in. Also it been kind of snowy lately and my RABS is definitely still working.

 

[rustbucketMI]

All the abs sensor is, is a wheel speed sensor. the way they work is essentially they have a magnet on wheel, or gear, and every time is passes the sensor it makes some sort of circuit. If you are getting the complete axle with the sensors already included i would hope that Ford was lazy enough to use te same output signals. I'd say if the conectors are the same it'll probably work

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

The sensors are either the same or are compatible. I swapped in a complete axle from a '99 into my '92 and the connector plugged right in. Also it been kind of snowy lately and my RABS is definitely still working.

EXACTLY what I wanted to hear!!

Anything I should watch out for? I"m leaving it spring under axle, so I know I'm goign to have some heavy lifting coming my way, lol. But from whta I've read it should pretty much be a bolt in/bolt out job.

 

[Willard]

EXACTLY what I wanted to hear!!

Anything I should watch out for? I"m leaving it spring under axle, so I know I'm goign to have some heavy lifting coming my way, lol. But from whta I've read it should pretty much be a bolt in/bolt out job.

I'd be prepared for some brake line repair...mine rusted through already once up there and I couldn't get that rubber flex line off if my life depended on it.

 

[James909]

EXACTLY what I wanted to hear!!

Anything I should watch out for? I"m leaving it spring under axle, so I know I'm goign to have some heavy lifting coming my way, lol. But from whta I've read it should pretty much be a bolt in/bolt out job.

It's a very straightforward job. I think that swapping the rear end was the only work that I've done to my truck that actually went smoothly without any unexpected problems. So I can't really think of any advice to give right now but if you have a problem just let me know and I'll do my best to help. I think the hardest part was getting the rear end onto the springs. It's very heavy and hard to manipulate so make sure you have a helper or two for that part. The other thing is you may want to consider doing the U-joints while you're under there since you already have half the driveshaft down (or all of it if you're 2wd). I opted to not do the U-joints which I regret since they are so cheap and they just went bad about 10 months after I did the axle swap.

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

Gotcha. I think I'm going to look at the entire assembly first, and go from there. I'm planning on installing new rotors/pads and doing a caliper rebuild if necessary on the rear. If I can find one that was pulled into the yard recently, I may not do those things. But it all depends on the condition of everything.

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

James909,

I've thought about doing the U-Joints, but I'm not sure yet. I'm going to inspect them and see what they look like, and go from there. I don't want to get to deep into this as I'm coming home from college and have to take the same vehicle back to college a day later, lol.

Trying to keep it "as simple as possible"

 

[James909]

Yeah if you decide not to the U-joints it's easy enough to do them later if they ever become a problem. I guess I just regret not doing them because I had to do my U-joints last week and since I don't have a garage it wasn't much fun pulling the driveshaft while lying in a pile of melting snow, lol.

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

Lol. I think mine are probably doing fine. We get a good bit of rain where I'm from, but no harsh conditions like snow and ice. But I'll see.

I'm looking forward to this conversion though! I've conned a friend into helping me, adn we're thinking a solid 8 hours total of both of us working should enable us to do it. We both are pretty inclined to do this type of stuff, and I figure a couple bottles of PB Blaster won't hurt either.

Can I reuse all the old hardware? Spring perches, U-bolts and all that stuff?

 

[James909]

It's fine to reuse the old hardware given it's in decent shape. When you get the rear end you may want to consider getting the sway bar too. The 2nd gen sway bar was much sturdier compared to the stock 1st gen one. Also try to get the lug nuts too. The stock lug nuts that were on my truck wouldn't fit on the 2nd gen studs. The studs were just a hair too wide. I'm not sure if this because the rear end I got was from a V8 Ex or if all 2nd gens use a bigger lug nut stud. Just an FYI.

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

Good lookin out. Thanks.