ABS front sensor for 2005 Freelander 1 TD4

Ive been trying to get my wifes 2005 TD4 FL1 booked into a local Landy specialist to sort out the current 3 amigo's on the dash. Unfortunately as he's really busy he cant fit it in until the new year so with all of the snow about at the moment I want the ABS and TC to be working so I opted (against my better judgement) to book in into a local Hi-Q franchised garage as they where advertising a 'specialist' ABS diagnostics and repair service. Now I would never usually use these kind of places as I'm aware that most of the monkeys that work there are fitters at best and certainly not mechanics but needs must!

Anyway my wife dropped off the car this morning then went back in this afternoon to find out that they'd done precisely nothing!
The guy behind the counter said that the code reader initially came up with a left front ABS sensor code but then also both rear ABS sensors. He said he could get the rear sensors ok but the front sensor was a 'special hub sensor' that was £260 plus VAT and he didn't want to order one without speaking to my wife first.
The cheeky f***er then proceeded to tell my wife that Landrovers are always known to have loads of ABS issues and itd probably end up costing a fortune to fix so she'd be better selling it and getting a Japanese 4x4!!

She then phoned me at work and asked what she should do and I promptly told her to tell the cheeky f***er that he didn't have a clue what he was on about and just leave which she did (without the expletives id have used if it was me!).

My question is, is there any difference between the rear ABS sensors and the front ABS sensors on the FL as from what I can see they all look like exactly the same kind of sensors?

The actual sensors are different part numbers. But they are of the same design and similar cost. They are talking crap about the price. The 02 onwards sensors are cheap as chips.
Front
https://www.lrdirect.com/SSW000010-...Eh9Exd6qJrPYjxlarvKWh6iP7GplkOuxoCB_UQAvD_BwE
Rear https://www.lrdirect.com/SSW000020-...NbdEXXVcvIw17ACeJWv2tb22GdLzBmXBoCoTQQAvD_BwE

Thanks Nodge, that's exactly what I thought! This is the exact reason why I don't usually use these places. Absolute bunch of clowns!

Also does this model use a magnetic pick up in the wheel bearing? The car had a wheel bearing changed before we bought it and im wondering if hes put in a bearing without the magnet?

Elv73 said:

Also does this model use a magnetic pick up in the wheel bearing? The car had a wheel bearing changed before we bought it and im wondering if hes put in a bearing without the magnet?

Click to expand...

Just done a rear bearing on my 04 (facelift) which I guess will be similar to yours, and it was a magnetic bearing. Make sure it’s the right way round!

yes your car should have the magnetic bearing I bet they have put a ordinary one in thus coursing the problem

That's what im thinking! Can you tell by looking at it if its the correct bearing or not?

I assume that the front ABS sensor is in the hub on an '05 as it is on my '01? In which case, best that you didn't leave it to the spotty monkeys. For me, it involved taking the hub off the car and bashing the old sensor out by abusing a 1/4" drive extension... Replacement ABS sensor was cheap as chips off the bay of fleas - I seem to recall paying a princely 14 quid or so (and that wasn't the cheapest one!)

Elv73 said:

Also does this model use a magnetic pick up in the wheel bearing? The car had a wheel bearing changed before we bought it and im wondering if hes put in a bearing without the magnet?

Click to expand...

The bearing needs to be the correct magnetic type and also needs fitting the correct way round. It's also easily damaged by the wrong fitting technique.

Im not too sure Rob as ive not had chance to look at it yet. I need to see if theres a way I can visually confirm if its got the correct wheel bearing fitted and if it has ill just order a sensor off T'interweb and have a go at replacing it this weekend.

Elv73 said:

Im not too sure Rob as ive not had chance to look at it yet. I need to see if theres a way I can visually confirm if its got the correct wheel bearing fitted and if it has ill just order a sensor off T'interweb and have a go at replacing it this weekend.

Click to expand...

The bearing magnetic side shield is a black/ brown coloured composite material. The non magnetic side shield is a standard steel colour.
There's no way to tell simply by looking at it, without doing some stripping down.
Once you can get the drive shaft out the hub. You can look at the bearing side shield from the ABS sensor side of the hub, you can see what you need. If the shield black/ brown then it should be ok. If you see a silver shield, then the bearing is in the wrong way round, or the wrong bearing is fitted.

Cheers Nodge, guess I need to read up on removing the driveshaft now!

Elv73 said:

Cheers Nodge, guess I need to read up on removing the driveshaft now!

Click to expand...

Removing the 32 or 36mm driveshaft nut is the first job to do. Next you pop the bottom ball joint off the hub carrier. Then push the drive shaft out of the hub, pushing the whole strut assembly outwards slightly. You just need to get the shaft out the bearing far enough to be able to look at the inner bearing shield, illuminating it with a torch.

Nodge68 said:

Removing the 32 or 36mm driveshaft nut is the first job to do.

Click to expand...

You will need a good breaker bar, scaffold pole and some to get the nut off. They don't like shifting.

In the end I gave up trying to jump on stuff and used a jack to raise a steel tube over the breaker bar to undo the nut...



The tube still bent, and there's a lot of force going on, so be careful.

What ever you do, don't try and get it off with your socket set ratchet, you'd have to be a plonker to try that

Cheers for the info guys ill have a go at it this weekend.

I used the hub nut as an excuse to buy a nice new compressor and a hi-torq windy gun! LOL Made the whole job a piece of cake

Perhaps Santa will be kind this year?

I do actually have a 25l compressor (and two windy guns) but its about as much use as a chocolate fire guard for removing stubborn nuts. Doesn't even have enough oomph to remove wheel nuts most of the time!
It only gets used for inflating tyres and blowing dust, swarf and general crud off things!

You can read about the whole process here: https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/abs-sensors-which-one-to-buy.311266/
It's a different sensor to the one you need, but I suspect that a lot of it is applicable to your car too.

Also a bit of problem shooting on why my compressor was equally ineffective... (cheap Lidl air line had a lot to answer for!)

Just read your thread Rob, I really hope getting mine out doesn't end up like that!
With regards to the compressor I think I have the same problem you had, low output compressor and cheap windy guns. Need a bigger compressor and a hi torque windy....time to get scouring ebay

Another question! If the sensor is the problem, will the 3 amigo's clear on their own on a facelift model once the sensor is replaced or will it need the fault codes clearing with a diagnostics code reader?