How am I going to get the ABS sensor out!?

[surferfletch]

I got the new rear ABS sensor for the rear differential. As discussed in other posts, it's stuck in there pretty good. I took the bolt out. After banging it a couple of times, I can rotate it in it's hole and wiggle it back and forth maybe a millimeter. Before I resort to the BFH and drop the diff cover to recover the plastic bits, can anyone suggest a way to remove it in one piece? Thanks for any help!

[surferfletch]

When the truck comes back this afternoon, the first thing I'm going to try is grabbing the sensor with a visegrip and banging up with a hammer. I've got all day for suggestions!

[surferfletch]

After about 30 minutes I got it. Here is a picture of the removed one (minus the plastic and magnetic shards still in the driveway), in order of removal.

I pried under the little flange for the bolt first. Snap.
I pried between the body of the sensor and the top of the pumpkin. Snap.
I began digging at the plastic surrounding the magnets in the bung, eventually getting a corner of screwdriver into the top magnet and pried it out. Some more digging at the newly exposed plastic really loosened the remaining sensor in the bung and got the o-ring out, and I used the first magnet that came out to draw the remainder of the sensor to the top of the bung and pulled it out. Maybe suction from the o-ring kept it snug. No remnants made it into the differential. Penetrating lube may have made this a much easier job.

Oh...and the RrABS and BRAKE lights are out!

[surferfletch]

Time effort and $$ wasted apparently. The lights are back.

[KanuDave]

I had the ABS light on and used codes found on this site to determine that is was the rear that was giving the bad code. Bought and replaced the sensor, light was intermittent (mainly on) for over a year - probably close to two before I decided to try the "cut out the connector" idea. Problem solved and I probably would not have had to purchase a new sensor. I would try replacing the connector that is on the drivers side frame near the rear wheel. This site has step by step instructions for replacing it. One of the wires was broken just before the connector on mine and when I saw that I knew what the problem has been these past two or so years.

[surferfletch]

Thanks Dave. I know the connector issue you're talking about. Maybe I'll crawl up under there again and splice the wires. In the '97, the connector is on the passenger side and there is only one sensor, in the rear.