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thorne

ABS and an exploding tyre-tread

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While doing 110kph down the Hume Freeway, my driver's side rear tyre suddenly decided to shed its grip without warning: there was a surprisingly loud bang, quite a bit of smoke, and a sudden determination not to plow sideways at speed into the semi-trailer in the other lane as I struggled to control the vehicle into the emergency lane without suddenly losing control.

 

The force of the explosion - or the speed of which the grip left the tyre - appears to have completely severed the wiring for that tyre's ABS, which is why when I'd finished jacking up the car and putting on the spare there was a "Check ABS" lamp now illuminated in my console. A subsequent look at the suspension located the cable.

 

Taken when I got home last night:

20160102_001909_zpswz7gyxpg.jpg

 

The tyre exploded with such force it even dented the body work:

20160101_161744_zpswwvtwujt.jpg

 

The tread flew out of the wheel-well and nearly took off my wing-mirror: you can see grease and tread-marks halfway down the car:

20160101_161750_zpsqljxtksf.jpg

 

What's left of the tyre:

20160102_002146_zpsmahaowdf.jpg

 

So, two questions:

1) How easy is it to reconnect the ABS for that tyre? Is it something I can do with a soldering iron?

2) What's the best way to get all that fucking tyre-grease off the bodywork? That shit appears quite difficult to budge!

 

Cheers,

t.

 

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Tyres looked ok but they must have been pretty old to let go like that, might be a good time to check the age of your tyres. Look for the date stamp on the side wall and it tells you the week and year that they were made. I bought some cheap tyres a while ago that were brand new but the local tyre fitter wouldn't fit them coz they were more than 7 years old. They said after 7 years air and sunlight can break down the rubber and make it unsafe. 7dbb6a4acf13d3a8d7010b307bccfc9b.jpg

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That Dunlop tyre looks quite ancient.

 

Having those lines around the sidewall, often means the tyre is a re-tread.

 

Alternatively, being a 1tonne van, that tyre could be one of the originals.

Not many people kept the load rated tyres on the 1tonne vans, because they're grip poorly and are quite noisy.

Dunno that I'd trust Hifly brand tyres either, tbh.

 

The bosch part number for rear ef/el-series ABS wheel speed sensor, is - 0 265 006 230

The EF/EL genuine number is - 96DA 2C204 AA

and/or EL 2C204 A

 

The earlier numbers are - 91DA 2C204 AB

and/or ED 2C204 A

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I might have one of those sensors if you get the part number off it. For memory I think it's a 10mm bolt that holds it into the backing plate of the brake rotor. I've taken them out of the 95 model diff I've got to put into my xf sedan. Yours free if it's suitable

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Try some wax and grease remover to get the tyre stuff off.

 

How old and what condition was the tyre in?

 

Can you recommend a decent brand? Sounds strange but I don't usually have those sorts of things hanging around at home.  :)

 

Tyres looked ok but they must have been pretty old to let go like that, might be a good time to check the age of your tyres. Look for the date stamp on the side wall and it tells you the week and year that they were made. I bought some cheap tyres a while ago that were brand new but the local tyre fitter wouldn't fit them coz they were more than 7 years old. They said after 7 years air and sunlight can break down the rubber and make it unsafe.

 

Current wheels were fitted nearly a year ago as part of the RWC when I bought it, but that doesn't tell me the age of the tyres themselves. I'll check them as soon as I can.

 

If your insured make a claim. Pay the 5-$600 excess. Will get the tyre replaced body work sorted and ABS fixed all in one go.

 

That might be worth looking into, only I'm not too sure I can afford the excess at the moment. First priority is a new spare, second is ABS, third is panelbeaters. If this means I can get then done one at a time as I can afford them, then I guess that's the way I'll have to do it.  :(

 

That Dunlop tyre looks quite ancient.

 

Having those lines around the sidewall, often means the tyre is a re-tread.

 

Alternatively, being a 1tonne van, that tyre could be one of the originals.

Not many people kept the load rated tyres on the 1tonne vans, because they're grip poorly and are quite noisy.

Dunno that I'd trust Hifly brand tyres either, tbh.

 

The bosch part number for rear ef/el-series ABS wheel speed sensor, is - 0 265 006 230

The EF/EL genuine number is - 96DA 2C204 AA

and/or EL 2C204 A

 

The earlier numbers are - 91DA 2C204 AB

and/or ED 2C204 A

 

That's the first thing I considered as I was yanking the shredded Dunlop off my rear axle on the side of the Hume, but it wasn't until I took a photo of it later that it sank in. I've never had a normal tyre release a grip like that before, and at high speed on a warm day on a busy highway with small bits of god-knows-what on the road must have melted the glue/bonding agent holding the tread to the retread/remould tyre.

 

The annoying thing is the Dunlop was my spare: I had a puncture earlier (drove over a fucking tech-screw at the carpark at work, grrrr), put the Dunlop on, and only got the original back a few weeks ago; this is what I get for not immediately swapping the spare back in. I hadn't even noticed the Dunlop was a retread, to be honest: had I known earlier, I wouldn't have left it on for so long.

 

I know, the Hifly tyres I've got on at the moment aren't ideal (see above regarding new tyres by previous owner for RWC), but they haven't been too bad so far after a few long-distance drives, and all four typres are matching at the moment. Once I can afford to swap them over with a decent brand I probably will - I was considering replacing the original 12 slotter rims with some FTRs in the near-future, and I'd need new tyres then - but I can't afford to at the moment.

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by the look of how that tyre ended up, looks like a re-cap. i refuse to have re-caps because of that reason, they are like playing Russian roulette.

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Just to bring the thread to an end, I had to book her into the garage for a front-end re-alignment earlier this week, so I asked the resident auto-sparky about it, and he took care of it for me. He suggested it was better a professional did it (ie: him) as he had the experience and also the tools to ensure ABS would trigger correctly once it was all fixed (which I guess I didn't initially consider, I figured as long as the console didn't say "CHECK ABS" all would be fine).

 

He even drove an XG ute.  :D

 

Best to leave it in the hands of professionals I guess!

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Just to bring the thread to an end, I had to book her into the garage for a front-end re-alignment earlier this week, so I asked the resident auto-sparky about it, and he took care of it for me. He suggested it was better a professional did it (ie: him) as he had the experience and also the tools to ensure ABS would trigger correctly once it was all fixed (which I guess I didn't initially consider, I figured as long as the console didn't say "CHECK ABS" all would be fine).

 

He even drove an XG ute.  :D

 

Best to leave it in the hands of professionals I guess!

 

In E-series / XH's, there's nothing to set really.

The sensors can only go on one way, and there is no adjustment.

 

To test the ABS.

Find a quiet Rd, drive along, stand hard on brakes, note for pulsing brake pedal - indicating ABS actuation.

 

Any logged faults will eventually self clear/ overwrite, with ignition cycles.

 

If it didn't cost too much, then no harm done.

Where did you end up getting the ABS sensor from?

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Something I'll keep in mind for next time, this car is the first I've ever owned with ABS.

 

It was still attached at the other end: I was careful to fold everything away that night when I got home, and was only charged for labour to reconnect everything again. Or so I understand it, there was no replacement ABS parts I was charged for when I paid and looked at the receipt.

 

Then again, that garage has a working relationship with my workplace: we get our fleet cars repaired there, so they're more than happy to look after our personal vehicles. They even came out to pick my car up during work hours, drive it back to their garage, fix it, and deliver it back again before it was time to drive home. Saves me having to book five Saturdays ahead!

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