ABS Tone Ring Repair - Fault Code C0226/C0222

[suprasteve]

ABS tone rings are prone to failure and happens when corrosion starts between the tone ring and axle shaft. The corrosion causes the diameter of the shaft to increase and can induce enough stress in the ring to cause it to crack. Once cracked, the ring can move around axially and cause a variety of ABS fault codes.

 

Despite having chronic problems on other vehicles, such as the Escape, Ford does not offer a replacement tone ring for the first gen Edge/MKX. My local dealer wanted $420 CDN + tax for an entire new shaft assembly. With the rest of the shaft in good shape, I attempted to repair it myself.

 

After a full year year of driving (including a Canadian winter), I think it's safe to share this with others as a viable way for at least short-term inexpensive repair. $10 is a lot better than $400!

 

Likely OBD Codes to appear when this happens:

 

C0035 - Left Front Wheel Speed Circuit Malfunction

C0226 - Left Front Wheel Speed Signal Missing

C0227 - Left Front Wheel Speed Signal Erratic

C0040 - Right Front Wheel Speed Circuit Malfunction

C0222 - Right Front Wheel Speed Signal Missing

C0223 - Right Front Wheel Speed Signal Erratic

 

My Edge had a C0226 code

 

The crack may not be easily visible and is difficult to see with a wheel on or the car on the ground. Try to rotate or move the ring by hand or a light pry with a screwdriver. If it moves at all, it is likely cracked and will need to be repaired.

 

here's what I did:

 

1. Put the vehicle in park and apply the parking brake.

2. Jack the affected wheel up and remove the wheel. remove the hub cap and re-install the wheel

3. Lower the vehicle onto the ground and remove the axle nut. It can be quite tight. A large breaker bar or impact gun may be necessary.

4. Re-install the axle nut by hand. Only thread on enough to protect the end of the threads.

5. Raise the vehicle and secure on jackstands. Remove the wheel

6. Remove the clip holding the hydraulic brake hose to the strut

7. Remove the two large bolts that hold the knuckle to the strut

8. Move the wheel hub/knuckle assembly outwards away from the strut slightly to allow extra play in the driveshaft

9. Hit the end of the axle with a hammer, preferably a dead-blow or rubber coated to avoid damaging the threads. A block of wood or even a direct hammer hit may do the trick. Use your discretion here. This should separate the splines from the hub. A direct hammer hit worked for me.

10. The axle can now be moved inboard while pulling the knuckle more outboard. It may be necessary to gently tap the axle inboard until all the splines are cleared. A brass punch is useful here.

11. Tie up the axle to the coil spring to prevent the shaft from over-travelling and allow a good working position.

12. The tone ring can now be removed by hand. You should be left something like this:

 

 

 

13. The cracked tone ring needs to be cleaned. Emery paper, scotchbrite pads ore very fine sand paper are all acceptable methods. Use the gentlest method you have available. A very fine scotchbrite pad worked well for me:

 

 

14. Clean all rust from driveshaft where the tone ring rides. I used a combination of a wire wheel on a drill and 120 grit flap wheel on a dremel.

 

15. clean driveshaft and tone ring with brake cleaner and ensure fully dry

 

16. Mix and apply a thin layer of JB weld to both the inside of the tone ring and the axle shaft mounting location. I also applied a small amount to the fracture itself. Finish with the fracture facing up so you can easily see it.

 

17. Install the tone while slightly rotating until seated.

 

18. Remove any excess JB weld that may have gotten on the tone ring.

 

19. Install large hose clamp (~3") and tighten as much as possible without stripping. It should easily close the fracture on the tone ring. The hose clamp will be wider than the ring, so allow the extra width to hang over the front edge.

 

20. Clean any excess JB weld again with a small screwdriver of other tool, including the fracture itself.

 

 

 

21. Allow the JB weld to set overnight

 

22. remove the hose clamp. Finished product should look something like this:

 

 

Re-assemble all components

 

Strut bolt torque - 166lb-ft

Axle nut torque - 258lb-ft

 

It is always recommended to get an alignment after any suspension or steering components have been removed. I elected not to, as previous repairs I have done on similar designs has shown it to be uneccessary. My car drives fine and tires are wearing normally. If you haven't had an alignment done in some time, this is a good excuse to do one.

Edited April 27, 2017 by suprasteve

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

Here's to hoping it holds!

[akirby]

Topic pinned. Excellent write-up!

[Moegilla]

BUMP.

 

I would just like to say that I did this exactly as detailed and it worked! THANKS SUPRASTEVE! ABS code said it was front right sensor, but when I got down there, the tone ring was literally just hangin around. Replaced sensor anyway since already paid for and whole damn wheel assembly was apart anyway. Let it sit overnight, put it all back together and no more ABS issues. No more losing my gas pedal as i'm coming around a curve. I'll try and remember to post an update of how long it holds together.

 

https://ibb.co/jieFoS

 

<a href="https://ibb.co/jieFoS"><imgsrc="https://image.ibb.co/exAc2n/IMG_4329.jpg" alt="IMG_4329" border="0"></a>

 

Should I get an alignment? took it on highway and she was dead straight. No pull.

 

[PaulSchott]

I didn't do an alignment when I replaced my drive shafts on both sides. The strut holes do not have any adjustment slots and this is really the only thing removed that can screw with alignment. This was 40,000 miles ago and the tires are still going strong with out any wear problems. Before I removed the first bolts I marked their position. When they were reinstalled there was no movement.

Great write-up. I'll bet this is a permanent fix. There is no way for water to get under the tone ring and JB weld should be strong enough to hold everything in place.

[Skora]

Hi, 1st post just to say thanks for this write-up!

I did what would be a "lite" version of this. While changing the struts out, I epoxy'd the ring back in place with the band clamp. Took a little elbow grease, a small wire brush, and some parts cleaner to clean up the ring seat, but is holding so far. I had enough room by sliding the ring forward to apply the epoxy without removing the entire steering knuckle. The one thing I would do differently would be file down just a touch of the crack in the ring. The epoxy the squoze up kept it from completely closing back together. Since the same spot on the other rings will always show the same spot on the axles, I don't think it will have any effect on the ABS system. 

Thanks again!

[suprasteve]

Small update. It has now been 3 years and the repair is still holding perfectly.

 

Happy this is working for others, too. Cheers!

[suprasteve]

Update today C1233 code returned and the tone ring has broken again, in a different spot. I think I'll replace the shaft this time around.

 

If I was to do it again, I would also apply some rust converter like POR-15 metal ready as direct before applying the JB weld as I believe the rust continued in the pitted areas. Still, happy this worked for a couple years!

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

2 years is nothing to sneeze at, and thanks for following up!

[slb2387]

What kind of issues were you experiencing with the broken tone ring?

 

My mechanic is trying to tell me that is my current one and only problem with the vehicle, but I believe he is just covering up for a few bad brake jobs.  He was 100% adamant that this issue now has nothing to do with any of the prior brake work, even though the sounds and symptoms are exactly alike. 

Brake work included:

1/24/19-  first time checking it out after making weird brake noises-  pads are rotors were fine- found 'hanging' calipers which were cleaned and lubed which was supposed to fix the problem.....  noises went away for  few weeks then slowly came back...

4/18/19- inspection time; front pads and rotors are now needed (how could they have been fine in Jan then less than 4 months later I need pads AND rotors); replaced left front caliper ONLY...... ran relatively smoothly for a few weeks to months but by August noises slowly started returning again (as well as what they and some transmission guy referred to as a 'misfire' but I'm wondering now if that was associated with the loss of power caused by caliper issues?) until the noises and 'misfire' became the worst yet in November

12/3/19- rear pads and rotors are now needed as well as 2 new rear tires.... ran smooth for a few days then noises came back again and just like before they've progressively gotten worse 

2/28/19-  now they say as stated before that the current problem with brakes is this ABS tone ring and that is it.  The ABS light NEVER came on, not a single flash!  Car also is shaking a bit when braking, leaking a bit of fluid, experiences that 'misfire' or loss of power feeling, doesn't make all the noises at every stop.... 

 

I am completely ignorant when it comes to the mechanical workings of vehicles, but an easy google search has me questioning whether I'm getting totally taken advantage of (not only do they say he needs the CV axle thing but 2 more new tires and a left front sway bar due to a supposedly rattle noise they heard which is the one noise I haven't heard!)......

[Moegilla]

The ABS sensor/tone ring issue is verrrrry distinct from normal brake pad rotor issues. You’ll hit the breaks and feel a stuttering under your foot. That’s the abs pumping the break pad so it doesn’t lock up. It’s not a screeching noise or vibrational frequency thing that you’d feel if one pad was too low. No matter how hard you push on the pedal there isn’t an increase in breaking pressure. It’s not a grinding noise. Scratchy but not continuous. Pulsed. 
 

wrote this while driving so hope it helps but can’t reread. Also, take a flashlight to the drive shaft. On the fat part closest to the rotor you’ll see the ring. Prop up the car and turn the wheel. You would 100%see a crack in the ring. Could be a bad sensor too but you’d get the abs light on that. 

[Jstepina]

Has anyone tried to bring this into their dealer under recall concerns? I'm having the same issues and was having a hard time even finding a cv shaft replacement to buy at my local stores. A little bit more digging and I found that there has been a recall for 2012-2014 Edge Axle Shafts. 

 

I've got the wheel assembly completely taken apart and am replacing the abs sensor and outer tie rod. Considering putting everything back together and seeing if this can be covered by the recall. Very frustrating that I cannot just buy a new tone ring to fix this. Hard to believe that there's not an aftermarket part that is the same. 

[Skora]

Update to my fix, it has also broken again at the original crack. The rest of the ring is still in place, just the gap at the crack and its lifted a little bit. 2 winters out of it is still a win. Thanks again SupraSteve for the guide. With the extra ideas after the fact, hope someone can get a permanent fix. 

[guyina4x4]

I'm trying this today. I had to sand pretty hard to get all the rust off.

I see OP failed again after almost 3 years. 

Mine is an 08 with just at 200k miles. If it lasts almost 3 years i think that'll be long enough as I'll be around 300k by then. 

[Moegilla]

I’ve long since sold my Edge, at like 175k miles. She was running fine but it was the “family car” and for long trips, needed more space. 
 

The tone ring repair I performed held fine. As long as you sand it down and properly tighten down over the JB weld with a clamp, it should hold up. 
 

good luck!