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86 ranger horrific noise.


lukewarm

Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2012
Messages
5
City
Alaska
Vehicle Year
1986
1993
Transmission
Manual
1986 ranger stx, 2.9. 5 speed 4x4 .. i dont know the transfer case type atm, but it's original.

Anyway, this thing was my daily commuter this winter, and when spring hit i decided to put it into 2wd. That day, it started makin a horrific banging noise (that shudders the whole truck) when getting it to move in 1st and reverse.

It didnt do this in 2wd when there was ice (this is alaska, there was always ice for a while), but when the roads dried out, it started this.

I've put it in and out of 4 wheel drive again, it does it less, much less, in 4x4.

It's repetitive too, atleast when moving, it will sound like some one dropping bircks in the bed as we get movin. It got to the point where it just started to do it in second gear .. and i stopped driving it.

Now, it's parked. it has to be parked just right to make the noise. Leave the Ebrake on, and try to move it in first or reverse, and all hell breaks loose down there. But, if i pull 5 feet forward, it wont do it.

i cant get under there while it's running and see what it is, if it is a transfer case, or rear end. all the u joints SEEM fine when i move the drivelines.

... anyone know what this is? This was my dads baby, and now i have it. It's an amazing truck, and would hate to have to let it go for pennies because i cant figure this out.

Thanks...

Luke
 
Check those joints again, 4x operation may have taken some strain off of the rear joints.

You can put the rear on jack stands and put it in gear and check the rear operation that way, just use due diligence in safety. You can do the front as well to check the entire drive train, all four wheels off of the ground, but as said before, be careful.
With it off of the ground you can check both axles and transfer. A frame lift works well too if you know someone.

Good luck
Rich
 
got under there today with a prybar to try and see if i could get a wiggle from the ujoints...

and what i got instead was a driveline that turns about 1/4 a turn, without the wheels moving an inch.

it's hard to turn it (both hands on it, turn hard), but it does it. i cant recall anything i've owned ever moving that much. it turns till it 'hits' something, then stops... wouldnt think a broken gear would do this--it would just spin.

Now i can assume that a quarter turn in a driveline without the tires movin is abnormal--but the cause? seems to lock up into gear either way, but that play is HUGE.

.... ideas?
 
update for the problem. Pulled the rear diff cover off... and the spider gears are munched. They're not so bad as to fall out, but several of them are missing 3/4 of their teeth (by height, not by number), and allow the axles to hold still while the driveline moves.

Good thing, i guess, that it's been caught before they exploded and cost me even more than they will anyway.

cheers! and thanks.
 

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