Help diagnosing 4WD noises!

[Kegworth]

Hello all! So i've been doing a bunch of repairs to the truck (1988 4x4 2.9 Ranger) and most recently, i did the one piece driveshaft swap. All went well there, and replaced all driveshaft u-joints in the process (2 in the front shaft, 2 in the rear). Did not change axle u-joints...yet. This problem however was occurring before the swap too but just wanted to put that out there.

Anyways. I have touch 4wd in the headliner button. When i'm stopped, and i click engage, the light comes on (no light on dash btw) but it def engages because it got me out of a muddy grass area. But it makes some scary noises when i'm moving. I haven't driven it above 5mph, just used it long enough to get me out of a slippery situation a couple times. But i have an audio clip from the outside of the truck of me engaging it and then getting out of a little ditch. But the clunking is very clear and was hoping someone can help me make some sense of what exactly is going on! Doesn't sound good.

Thanks for all of your help and input always!

Audio Clip: Ranger 4WD clunking

 

[dvdswan]

So when its making these noises what is the vehicle doing...
Is the suspension flexing a little/lot?
Are the front wheels turning left/right?
Is the noise from the front axle, trans, or t/case area?

The noise sounds like several things to me, I know its not, its just a what it sounds like..

Like a parking pawl trying to engage while the vehicle is moving slow.
Very dry bushings flexing.
Like a loose chain inside the t/case that jumps once in a while.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

It could be the axle u joints. TTB's dont like being steered.

 

[Shadowrider6661]

I don't know if this would work but, I would remove the front driveshaft and engage the transfer case and see if the problem is there. Then I would reconnect the shaft and proceed from there. I'm probably wrong, but its just a thought. "Unsolicited thoughts" from someone with too much time on his hands.

 

[Kegworth]

I don't know if this would work but, I would remove the front driveshaft and engage the transfer case and see if the problem is there. Then I would reconnect the shaft and proceed from there. I'm probably wrong, but its just a thought. "Unsolicited thoughts" from someone with too much time on his hands.

Haha wish I’d thought to try that while i just had both driveshafts out!
If i pull it, engage 4WD, what would i be looking/listening for to distinguish an issue w the transfer case?

 

[wildbill23c]

The clunk at about 3 seconds sounds like the initial transfer case engagement shift and I'm guessing with that clunk you are either moving or have slop in the u-joints or the ring and pinion up front.

The other noises could be several things, could be worn suspension components, springs, u-joints, an axle shaft not fully seated in the differential, a bad hub up front, hard to really say from just an audio sample. Pull your front drive shaft off, throw it in 4WD again and see if the problem still persists, if not its something up front in the axle somewhere, a bad locking hub (manual or automatic) can make popping sounds when they go bad, a bad u-joint in the front axle can make popping noises too as they bind up while trying to flex or while trying to turn. Hope you aren't in 4WD on dry pavement and trying to turn that'll really make a mess of things and can cause those noises as the drivetrain is trying to turn at different speeds and can't due to the stress of being on a high traction surface.

 

[Kegworth]

Gotcha, okay I’ll try that soon! And that was going from grass turning onto dry pavement.
One note, i do have manual hubs. I have them in the lock position, but I’ve noticed that one of them I’m able to keep turning and it’ll keep locking into a position. ie: rotate clockwise into “lock” position, but can continue that rotation into “unlock” and so on. Is that normal behavior? Or should it require just clockwise into lock, and counter clock wise to unlock?

 

[Shadowrider6661]

I would like to thank wildbill23c for answering the question you asked. I wasn't sure if what I suggested would work, hopefully it helps.

 

[wildbill23c]

Gotcha, okay I’ll try that soon! And that was going from grass turning onto dry pavement.
One note, i do have manual hubs. I have them in the lock position, but I’ve noticed that one of them I’m able to keep turning and it’ll keep locking into a position. ie: rotate clockwise into “lock” position, but can continue that rotation into “unlock” and so on. Is that normal behavior? Or should it require just clockwise into lock, and counter clock wise to unlock?

Umm that hub should not just keep turning, it should turn to lock and stop, and from lock to free and stop, shouldn't just keep on turning. That's probably almost 100% certain your noise issue...the other issue is turning from grass onto dry pavement, that's going to bind up the system and cause all sorts of bad noises.

Clockwise to lock, counter clockwise to unlock, no further turning in either direction should be permitted with a properly functioning hub.

 

[Kegworth]

Umm that hub should not just keep turning, it should turn to lock and stop, and from lock to free and stop, shouldn't just keep on turning. That's probably almost 100% certain your noise issue...the other issue is turning from grass onto dry pavement, that's going to bind up the system and cause all sorts of bad noises.

Clockwise to lock, counter clockwise to unlock, no further turning in either direction should be permitted with a properly functioning hub.

Great to know. Just my driver side hub keeps going. Should i just replace both hubs while at it?

 

[wildbill23c]

Great to know. Just my driver side hub keeps going. Should i just replace both hubs while at it?

I'd recommend replacing both usually they come in a set anyways, at least the ones I've replaced have. If one hub is shot, most likely the other is going to follow shortly LOL. They're pretty dang easy to swap. I had to replace one on my 88 Bronco 2, I just bought the set.

428 Mile Marker Locking Hubs Set of 2 New for Pickup Ford Ranger Explorer Pair 758626004284 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 428 Mile Marker Locking Hubs Set of 2 New for Pickup Ford Ranger Explorer Pair at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[Kegworth]

Do i need just the caps or the whole unit with the actual part that bolts to hub? Preferred brand other than warn? The WARN ones are a bit pricey

EDITTTTT; just realized that you linked a set of the Mile Marker hubs. Just looked straight up like a targeted ad lol so i ignored it. So recommend those over others?

Edit2: ha. Looks like u linked the 428 which is for 90-98 rangers and the 427’s are for my year (88). They’re $162. for the set. Should i rock those then?

 

[wildbill23c]

Do i need just the caps or the whole unit with the actual part that bolts to hub? Preferred brand other than warn? The WARN ones are a bit pricey

EDITTTTT; just realized that you linked a set of the Mile Marker hubs. Just looked straight up like a targeted ad lol so i ignored it. So recommend those over others?

Edit2: ha. Looks like u linked the 428 which is for 90-98 rangers and the 427’s are for my year (88). They’re $162. for the set. Should i rock those then?

You need the whole hub assembly.

You wanted cheaper than Warn, the Mile Marker hubs are cheaper than Warn by a lot and work just as well.

$162 for a set is pretty reasonable compared to almost $300 for the ones that say Warn.

I've had the Mile Marker hubs for almost 5 years now on my 88 Bronco 2, no problems at all with them. You just pay more for the Warn name just like you do for their Winches and anything else that says Warn, doesn't mean they work any better or last any longer and for double the price I'm not going to sport their name on a hub knob LOL.

Yes, you'll need the 427's if that's what fits your Ranger, not sure why it linked the 428's because your Ranger and my Bronco 2 use the same 427 style hubs LOL.

 

[rumblecloud]

Hopefully the bad hub fixes your problem. The sounds you recorded sound a lot like a bad hub bearing. I just replaced the two front hubs on my on my wife's Sport Trac. Sounded like the front end was falling off - popping and cracking.

 

[Kegworth]

Replaced the locking hubs with the new ones from Mile Marker. Fit like a glove and seem to lock as they should. I went to a neighbors house with long uphill gravel driveway to test out the 4WD. Def seems to be an improvement, didn't hear much popping sounds except at what seemed like a regular interval while going straight at low speed. Couldn't differentiate between sides, which made me wonder if it could be the transfer case chain. I read a few posts / watched videos about how the chain inside the transfer case becomes loose on these older models and slips. Sounded like that, reminiscent of the early days of riding a bicycle and switching gears / ie; chain slipping a bit whilst jumping to the next sprocket - but amplified obviously.

How likely is it that could be the/an underlying issue?