Road Noise

[raycebickel]

1991 Ranger. 4x4 3.0. Loud road noise coming from front passenger area. Sounds similar to road noise cause by knobby tires at high speed. Keep in mind I run BFG All Terrains. Ran cheap street tires before that. Noise has been persistent. The noise gets louder the faster I go. Engine RPM has no effect on the noise so it must be in the drivetrain somewhere. Turn to the right, noise gets louder. Turn to the left, noise is completely eliminated. New wheel bearings up front, new axle bearings and spiders in the rear.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Are the tires scalloped... alignment good... wheel bearing properly adjusted?

Did it happen after you went to AT tires?

 

[4.0blue98]

Rotate tires and see if it moves.

My tires are worn out and scalloped on the inside so my roar changes sides when I corner. I have Firestone Destination ATs with about 60k on them.

 

[raycebickel]

Tires are new. Good shape. When I first bought the truck, the tires were used but in good shape. Never rotated them. The noise was prevalent at that point. The noise continued with the new ATs I put on. Never had an alignment done so could be out of wack. However, the truck does not wander at all. Does not pull one way or the other. Drives and steers quite well for a 91. As far as the bearings, they are not adjusted right. I dont have a socket for it. Although, if my memory serves me, the bearings are torqued to 20 or 30 inch lbs according the the manual. Seems super low to me but the nut was not very tight when I took them apart.

 

[raycebickel]

Are the tires scalloped... alignment good... wheel bearing properly adjusted?

Did it happen after you went to AT tires?

Tires are new. Good shape. When I first bought the truck, the tires were used but in good shape. Never rotated them. The noise was prevalent at that point. The noise continued with the new ATs I put on. Never had an alignment done so could be out of wack. However, the truck does not wander at all. Does not pull one way or the other. Drives and steers quite well for a 91. As far as the bearings, they are not adjusted right. I dont have a socket for it. Although, if my memory serves me, the bearings are torqued to 20 or 30 inch lbs according the the manual. Seems super low to me but the nut was not very tight when I took them apart

 

[Uncle Gump]

Without the socket... it's tough to preload the bearings prior to torqueing them. Also... the jamb nut should be torqued well above inch pounds.

I would jack it up a wiggle the wheel and see if the bearings have come loose.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Wheel bearings, either loose (just get a socket) or the locking nut backed off and they loosened up.

The little washer with the pin is kind of a halfhearted attempt to lock it, there is enough flop in that to cause an issue.

The outer locknut is supposed to be torqued to 150lb-ft IIRC

 

[raycebickel]

Wheel bearings, either loose (just get a socket) or the locking nut backed off and they loosened up.

The little washer with the pin is kind of a halfhearted attempt to lock it, there is enough flop in that to cause an issue.

The outer locknut is supposed to be torqued to 150lb-ft IIRC

Ford spec for outer nut is 18 ft lbs to preload. Back off and torgue to 22 to 25 in lbs. That's what the manual says. Is this incorrect?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Ford spec for outer nut is 18 ft lbs to preload. Back off and torgue to 22 to 25 in lbs. That's what the manual says. Is this incorrect?

@4x4junkie says to go to 250 lb-ft, my torque wrench goes to 150 which is the actual spec so that is what I do.

TRS Magazine - Ford Ranger Manual Hub Swap

therangerstation.com

FWIW if you have automatic hubs it might be different, I have never been around them.

 

[Josh B]

Ford spec for outer nut is 18 ft lbs to preload. Back off and torgue to 22 to 25 in lbs. That's what the manual says. Is this incorrect?

That is correct sir. After the initial torque you back it off, very critical not to at all move anything that will upset its position, then you can almost finger tight it. Remember to move it forward to next lock position.
Are you certain the bearing grease is the proper type?
It must be high temp lithium

 

[4x4junkie]

@4x4junkie says to go to 250 lb-ft, my torque wrench goes to 150 which is the actual spec so that is what I do.

TRS Magazine - Ford Ranger Manual Hub Swap

therangerstation.com

FWIW if you have automatic hubs it might be different, I have never been around them.

Yeah the auto hubs are different than manual, the wheel bearings have a single nut that is tightened to 35 ft-lbs to seat the bearings, then backed off and retightened to approx 15 inch-lbs, then the locking key is inserted to hold the nut from turning.


The part about turning right and the noise getting louder / turning left and the noise getting softer points quite squarely to a wheel bearing issue (most likely it's at the left-front wheel given your description).

OP, you said you put new bearings up front... Did you buy your bearings & races as sets (Timken #SET-37, for example), and use the race that was part of the bearing set?

 

[Josh B]

Are you also using brake caliper grease ?
I got the can with the brush, use it on any metal to metal in the brakes

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

spiders in the rear.

Well there's your problem.

Classic case of spiders in the rear.

They're a real pest. Happens to the best of us.

Easy solution.

Call terminex.

They'll arrive in a Ranger.

Knock exterminator out, and swap out your busted ass ranger with his fleet ranger. You know it's been well kept.

Flip him a few hundo to look the other way when he wakes up.

Drink a beer with him, bitch about the Gen 5, and call it a day.

Works every time. Can probably skip the knock out the exterminator part.

 

[sgtsandman]

I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t like it if I got spiders in my rear.

 

[raycebickel]

Yeah the auto hubs are different than manual, the wheel bearings have a single nut that is tightened to 35 ft-lbs to seat the bearings, then backed off and retightened to approx 15 inch-lbs, then the locking key is inserted to hold the nut from turning.


The part about turning right and the noise getting louder / turning left and the noise getting softer points quite squarely to a wheel bearing issue (most likely it's at the left-front wheel given your description).

OP, you said you put new bearings up front... Did you buy your bearings & races as sets (Timken #SET-37, for example), and use the race that was part of the bearing set?

Yes. Ordered and I stalled as a set