I have a dumb question

[Kevin H]

I have a 95 2500 chevy truck in the garage. It should be a simple repair. It needs a front wheel speed sensor.
I removed the wheel and caliper. Then I notice that the rotor does not simply slide off (the truck has 8 bolt hubs).
I removed the spindle nut thinking that I could then remove the rotor. No good. It seems as if the rotor is pressed on. I have no puller that would work.
I then removed the whole hub (rotor and all). What are you supposed to use to remove the rotor from the hub?

[rjschoolcraft]

I assume when you say that you removed the "whole hub (rotor and all)" that you found the four bolts on the inside that clamp the hub to the steering knuckle. I also assume that this is a four wheel drive truck.

The hub and rotor are separable. There is a permanently sealed and assembled duplex ball bearing set inside the hub that is not serviceable. At this point, you have access to the speed sensor and can change it.

[ 06-30-2004, 06:32 AM: Message edited by: ronniejoe ]

[Kennedy]

If you drive out the studs, the rotor can be removed, but I wouldn't suggest it. They can be machined as an assembly if that is what you are angling towards.

Is the wheel speed sensor REALLY bad? They typically built rust under the flange and "heaved" out. I had to R&R mine on my 96. I used dielectric grease beneath them when I reassembled.

[rjschoolcraft]

Boy, chalk it up to working too late, I guess. I originally said in my previous post that the "hub and rotor are not separable." The hub and rotor are separable...I've got four or five of them lying on my garage floor after replacement. DUH!

As Kennedy says, you can drive the bolts out and the rotor will come off. When you re-install them, be careful not to strip the little splines off. I've had to cut a couple of lug nuts off after this has happened because there is no way to hold the bolts to keep them from turning if the the splines strip. The OEM studs seem to be pretty soft and easy to mess up. The aftermarket replacements that I get from Carquest are harder and much less prone to this problem. I use two washers with grease between them to form a rudimentary thrust washer and turn a lug nut upside down to pull the bolt into place in the hub. You have to use an open-end wrench rather than a socket, but it gets the job done.

So far I have not found any shop around here with chuck jaws large enough to turn these rotors when separated from the hub. As Kennedy said, they can be machined while on the hub and I've done that a couple of times.

I don't know what went wrong in my previous post. I strive for accuracy and it really burns me when I screw up (as I've done twice in recent days). I am sorry!

[Kevin H]

Thanks guys,
When I got to the garage this morning I looked it over and seen what you guys just told me.
It has "inboard" rotors. I never seen those before.
The speed sensor was bad. It was an open circuit. I had to drive the studs out with my brass hammer to change the sensor.
I would not have had to remove the rotor if I didn't break the sensor off in the hole when I tried to twist it out.
After I removed the broken piece of sensor I installed the new one, cleared the ABS codes and it ran great.
The guy that owns the truck has another Chevy 6.5L. It's a 90' though. It's flagging an EGR code. I may get that to work on in the future.
First I have a 97 1 ton Dodge Ram pick-up with the Cummins in it. It has an ABS light on also.I think he wants brake shoes put on it too.
Thanks again guys.

Kevin