Anti-lock brake question

[Doug Watts]

I've changed out brake pads, rotors, bearings, etc. in the past, but never on a vehicle with ABS. Last weekend I changed out the bearings, rotors, and pads on the ST. Greased up the brake pins because I had a pad that was hanging which caused me to go down to the metal backing on the pad and gouge the rotor. :angry:



When I changed everything out there were metal shavings on the ABS sensor so I cleaned them off like a good boy. Here's the problem... ever since I changed things out the ABS SOMETIMES kicks in when coming to a gentle stop causing me to go a couple feet further than I want to go. I've adjusted my braking distance to account for this, but why did it just start? Everything I've found says it's a bad sensor, but it was fine before I changed out the brakes. I don't remember even coming close to the ABS sensor wires to possibly cause a problem.



I thought it might have been because the rears were out of adjustment too, but I fixed that this yesterday and it's still doing the same thing.



Could cleaning the metal shavings off of the sensor have caused a change in the sensors magnetic field and all I need to do is disconnect the battery to reset the computer? I'll be trying that tonight, but I wanted to ask.



Thanks in advance.

 

[EddieS'04]

When you pushed the caliper pistons back in did you open the bleeders ?...if not you may have pushed some contaminated fluid into the ABS controler...

 

[Doug Watts]

Eddie,



I didn't open the bleeders, but took the cap off the brake fluid resevoir to release the back-pressure. The fluid pushed back up into that.

 

[Kevin Palmer]

Ensure there is no debris on the ring where the ABS sensor reads. I have seen several posts where the ring is different than the OEM. As a result the reading is wrong and the ABS is activated...

 

[Todd Z]

Even opening the reservoir you can push debris back into the system valves.

Check the ring spacing from the sensor to the ring.

As kevin stated check the teeth on the ring, the new rotors may have different rings causing the problem...

Todd Z

 

[Doug Watts]

Kevin/Todd,



How can I tell if the ring is different? Unfortunately, I've already tossed the old rotors. The weird thing is that the ABS doesn't kick in everytime, only sometimes. I can feel the right front one kick in first, then the left one kicks in.