A vehicle axle assembly having an axle housing, an axle shaft and a
sensor. The axle housing has a tubular portion. A flat is formed on an
annular wall of the tubular portion proximate a distal end of the tubular
portion. A hole, which intersects the flat, is formed through the tubular
portion. The axle shaft can have an integrally formed target portion that
includes a plurality of teeth. The sensor is mounted in the hole and
abuts the flat to space a tip of the sensor apart from the teeth of the
target portion by a predetermined distance.