1996 ford ranger 2.3 5-speed manual .. rear end slack

[joeweger]

I have a 1996 Ford ranger 2.3 5 speed manual transmission that I put a rear end about year and a half ago I bought the wrecking yard there's a lot of slack in the wheel between there and the yoke and makes a popping noise I have a video that's too big to post Could it Just be the axles. Is it more than likely something more than that The warranty ran out on it . Pick-A-Parts give me a 1 year warranty on it but I didn't put it in for about a month and then sit out here and I didn't drive it much until about a month ago. After paying over a $135 for that. can't wait afford it another one

 

[Curious Hound]

Doesn't sound very good. Are you talking about excess backlash? Or axle end-play?

FYI. Videos can't be posted here. You out them somewhere like YouTube or Google drive and post the link here.

 

[sgtsandman]

Moved to the axles forum.

It sounds like you may have gotten a bad axle from the yard. You may have to open up the differential and take a look at things for anything obvious. Then use a dial indicator to check back lash, assuming back lash is what you are talking about.

Also, since you have a manual transmission, you don't have a constant push on the drive line, keeping the ring and pinion engaged most of the time. So, you are going to get more noise from the differential as forces load and unload while shifting, engine braking while going down hill, and so on.

If we are assuming the wrong thing, let us know. Going by decription online without context makes it difficult.

As far as the video, using a file sharing site like google drive or something like youtube, then posting the link here should allow us to view and listen to it.

 

[joeweger]

I raised it up and put it on jack stands and I can turn my wheel back and forth very far before it turns the yoke. I don't know how much but it was quite a bit and it pops I bought the whole rear end . Does anybody know what the newest year will fit I feel the newer the vehicle the better the parts. I heard 2011 . It's 5 bolt hole pattern it's got 14 in wheels on it the one I had on it before had 10-in brakes. The one I had to put in there has 9 in. Brakes

 

[sgtsandman]

Something is defitely not right with the axle. They have changed stuff over the years on the axles but the basic axle is still the same.

If you are looking at an 8.8, I would stop at the 2009 year since they switched over to disc brakes in 2010.

If you have ABS, you might be more limited. I don't know if the 2009 still has the same pick up in the differential or not. The 2010 and 2011 will definitely will be different since the sensors are on the end of the axle tubes and there are two of them instead of one.

The 7.5 is probably the same but we'll need someone who knows better to say for sure.

Either way, I would take a good look at your current axle, maybe even take pictures, and make sure the new axle has everything in the right place before you agree to take it.

A web site like car-part.com can help with showing which axles are compatible just by what they list for your truck.

 

[joeweger]

So I need to take the cover off and have a look. I can move the wheel a lot before the yoke started to move. Is this called backlash. A terrible popping when I take off sometimes when I shift gears depending on how smooth I shift. Well the first thing I checked is the u joint. It's all good. . So say I take it a part that's what is wrong,and since I can't afford to buy another rearend of parts will welding the spider gears stop the popping and the slack. How much does it cost to rebuild it? I would have known this was going to happen I would have re built the original (I think) because it had 10 inch brakes on it. So how much would it cost for me to replace the axles and spider gears if that is the problem.. what's the least amount of parts I can get away with getting?

 

[sgtsandman]

Welding the spider gears is for a dedicated off road or race vehicle and a horrible idea for road driving.

Depending on what you find wrong, repairs might not be too bad, but you need to find out what is wrong first. If it gets into bearings for the carrier or the pinion, or replacing the gear set, it can get complicated real fast. Spider gears, which I don't think would effect back lash, would be pretty simple. But they could be the source of the crunch sound. Or it could be a bearing issue.

As far as the movement before engagement, yes that is called back lash.

Basically, you need to pull the differential cover and see what is wrong first and go from there. Until then, everyone is just guessing.

 

[joeweger]

I'm going to take it off yet cover but when I park it in gear without the emergency brake it rolled forward or backwards whichever way and pops. That's the slack I'm talking about

 

[SenorNoob]

That's what happens with mine when I don't get in gear... The shifter will go far enough to stay in place but not actually be in gear to hold anything else.

 

[sgtsandman]

I'm going to take it off yet cover but when I park it in gear without the emergency brake it rolled forward or backwards whichever way and pops. That's the slack I'm talking about

There is always going to be some movement as the slack in the components of the driveline move to engage each other.

As far as not using the emergency/parking brake, I hope that isn't a regular thing. If you saw how tiny the piece of metal is that locks the transmission, you might want to rethink that. I have also seen my former neighbor's truck end up in another neighbor's yard, against a tree after that pawl failed. A LOT of people never use their parking brake and have been fine. So, you be the judge, but that pawl can fail and I wouldn't depend on it being the only thing holding the vehicle in place.