04 ranger makes weard noise

[wvfarmer]

04 ranger 4.0 auto trans in 4x4 makes a loud clunking noise a bout ever thousand feet in 4x4 only its like sonething is catching and leting loose, all 4 tires are the same size it has had anouther rearend put in not long ago dont think its comming fron the front end we have check all axels and drive shafts has any one had a similar problem dont do it in 2 wheel drive has around 145k showing any ideas???

 

[franklin2]

I would make double dog sure that rearend that was swapped in is the correct gear ratio. Don't take anyone's word for it, check it yourself.

 

[fastpakr]

Are you driving on pavement when this happens?

 

[wvfarmer]

Are you driving on pavement when this happens?

yes on pavement, pritty sure its transfur case bad chain real loose

 

[fastpakr]

That's your whole problem. Don't use 4wd on dry pavement like that. It's a part time system that isn't engineered for that use.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

yes on pavement, pritty sure its transfur case bad chain real loose

DO NOT use full time 4x4 on pavement! It binds up the transfer case and will break something... If it hasn't already. There are some systems that allow "4x4" use on pavement, but I don't know if yours is one.

 

[wvfarmer]

DO NOT use full time 4x4 on pavement! It binds up the transfer case and will break something... If it hasn't already. There are some systems that allow "4x4" use on pavement, but I don't know if yours is one.

your rightand i know better aswell i work part time in a garage and its a customers truck i was helping trouble shout it turns out transfer case is bad

 

[franklin2]

I disagree with the 4x4 not being used on pavement. Yes, on most all 4x4's, making a tight turn on pavement is a bad idea. But just driving straight down the road with slight turns should not be a problem.

What am I supposed to do when there are snowy or icy patches on the road? Keep shifting in and out of 4x4 as I am driving on dry pavement, and then snow on pavement?

From my experience, what most people call "full time" 4x4 systems are designed to run on pavement. They have special transfer cases with a set of spider gears inside the case, or they have viscous couplers that divide the power front to rear all the time.

 

[fastpakr]

You can do that with a full time system, yes.

These aren't full time systems.

 

[franklin2]

You can do that with a full time system, yes.

These aren't full time systems.

Part time 4x4 systems can be run on pavement, as long as you do not make tight turns. Don't wait till you are in the ditch to activate your part time 4x4 system.
If you are in town where speeds are slower and you will be making lots of turns, I would take it out of 4x4.

If you are on the interstate or a back road, the pavement is dry and then patchy snow and then dry again, there is nothing wrong with leaving the part time 4x4 active.

 

[fastpakr]

You can generally get away with it on dry pavement if you're only moving in a straight line. But it's not good practice for obvious reasons.