Need knowledge on ABS system...

[linneje]

My son had a new hub bearing placed on his front left wheel at a repair shop. An expensive one. Now he is getting a code from that hub. I have a bearing that is going on my van in a few days, can I troubleshoot the wiring by hooking up the bearing from my van on a hoist (but not installing the bearing of course), and starting the car just to see if the ABS light will turn off. This will narrow the problem to the bearing, and not the wiring.

Or, do different bearings send different signals to the ABS system? In which case the ABS light would not turn off anyway. Does anyone know the specifics of the signal from model to different model?

 

[Mooseman]

If you have an old hub, it would be easier to do that or just get a sensor. It could be defective. Wouldn't be the first time.

What brand was it?

 

[gmcman]

Double check the electrical connector, make sure it's fully seated or for a pulled or broken wire, also check for any contaminants that may have fallen into the ring gear.

 

[rcam81]

I have an 07 TB. Last year I had a front hub replaced with a Timkin hub. Last January I started to get ABS code and intermittent abs action at low speeds. I had to replace it again with only 8500 miles on it. Timkins lifetime warranty covered the part.

 

[Chickenhawk]

I second what everyone above has said. Aftermarket hubs are notorious for the sensors going bad sooner than OEM. Even the top brand (Timken) has some rare premature failures. As my learned friend Mooseman asked, what was the brand?

Just because it was "expensive" at the shop, does not mean it was the "best." Timken seems to have the highest quality on our platforms and we have heard of some brands going bad within a few months of installation.

 

[linneje]

It was SKF, which is an expensive brand (even on RockAuto). That is why I am asking, because I just couldn't see a sensor failure so soon. I did check the connection, reattached it but it did not change the ABS light appearing and the code indicating left front. From the posts here, though, it seems to me that it could still happen. Disappointing, considering the expense of the shop doing it. I will replace this one myself.
I am not aware of any lifetime warranty for SKF, but I didn't put it in.

 

[Mooseman]

If it was installed by a shop and you have the receipt, go back there. They might be able to do something. From RA's site:
SKF Warranty Information
Hub Units - 36 months /45,000 miles

And this just proves that an expensive brand is no better. I have cheap Amazon white box hubs and they've been great so far.

 

[Sparky]

FWIW I put Timkens on my TB, the one failed within just a couple K miles. No ABS codes, it just started howling something fierce again. Replaced under warranty and that one was fine, and the other side never gave me trouble.

If after checking connections it all looks good I'd just get the thing warrantied.

 

[Mooseman]

I had a set of Raybestos, which were THE WORST. Within a month, one failed catastrophically all of a sudden. It just fell apart. Good thing I was just around the corner from home. Replaced both with Timkens. That was 5 years ago, no issues since.

 

[Chickenhawk]

I guess the other possibility is a counterfeit bearing. SKF is the most counterfeited bearing in the world. Not likely if the shop bought from a legitimate distributor, but if I were counterfeiting bearings, I would do them for American SUVs before I would start on Ferrari wheel bearings. (Of course, in an expose of counterfeit airline parts a few years ago, they found counterfeit parts on Air Force One.)

 

[linneje]

Okay, so I decided to try this test because it only took 5 min. Took the tire off my sons car, disconnected the wheel speed sensor and connected a new hub for a different vehicle, but the ABS light remained on after starting. My suspicion is that the sensor signals are different for the different vehicles, even though they are both GM. I will replace the hub.