Jim Oaks
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- Joined
- Aug 2, 2000
- Messages
- 13,500
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- 8,716
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- Location
- Nocona, Texas
- Vehicle Year
- 1996 / 2021
- Make / Model
- Ford Ranger
- Engine Type
- 4.0 V6
- Engine Size
- 4.0 / 2.3 Ecoboost
- Transmission
- Automatic
- 2WD / 4WD
- 4WD
- Total Lift
- 6-inches
- Tire Size
- 33x12.50x15
So I performed a test today that may sound stupid....
With the truck running and in 2WD, the front axleshafts shouldn't spin right? Engine vacuum should disengage them.
I took some blue painters tape, wrapped it around each axle, and attached the other end to a swaybar link. I backed down the driveway a little, pulled back up, and the tape was intact.
I drove around the block getting up to 25 MPH and pulled back in to the driveway to check the tape. The tape on both sides had broke and wrapped around the axleshaft, which tells me the front axleshafts are turning in 2WD. I don't get any noise from the hubs trying to engage on either side, I can just feel that the wheels are connected to the axle, and get a humming sound at higher speeds from the shafts turning.
So both hubs are fully engaging when driving down the road. Wouldn't that be more of a problem with the vacuum system itself? I would think if one IWE was bad I would just get that shaft spinning. Maybe if there was a leak in one, it would cause a reduction in vacuum to the other side, and cause it to grind because it's not fully engaging, but both of mine are engaged.
My axle code is 15, which should be a 3.31 ratio with an open differential, so I wouldn't think that one front axle would be causing the other to spin.
SO......
Neither front axle spins at low speed.
Both fully engage driving down the street.
No grinding from partial engagement.
Does this spark any suggestions?
With the truck running and in 2WD, the front axleshafts shouldn't spin right? Engine vacuum should disengage them.
I took some blue painters tape, wrapped it around each axle, and attached the other end to a swaybar link. I backed down the driveway a little, pulled back up, and the tape was intact.
I drove around the block getting up to 25 MPH and pulled back in to the driveway to check the tape. The tape on both sides had broke and wrapped around the axleshaft, which tells me the front axleshafts are turning in 2WD. I don't get any noise from the hubs trying to engage on either side, I can just feel that the wheels are connected to the axle, and get a humming sound at higher speeds from the shafts turning.
So both hubs are fully engaging when driving down the road. Wouldn't that be more of a problem with the vacuum system itself? I would think if one IWE was bad I would just get that shaft spinning. Maybe if there was a leak in one, it would cause a reduction in vacuum to the other side, and cause it to grind because it's not fully engaging, but both of mine are engaged.
My axle code is 15, which should be a 3.31 ratio with an open differential, so I wouldn't think that one front axle would be causing the other to spin.
SO......
Neither front axle spins at low speed.
Both fully engage driving down the street.
No grinding from partial engagement.
Does this spark any suggestions?