A few questions from a new ranger owner

[shanep1987]

Hello everyone,
I have been browsing through alot these threads and have learned quite a bit already, I just wanted to see if anyone could help me out with a few things with the ranger I just bought.

-There is a wuh wuh sound which seems to be coming from the front end. I hear it most up to around 15-30 mph. Steering doesn't affect the noise whatsoever so i figure i can rule out a bad wheel bearing. i plan to take a look at it tomorrow. Just wondering if there were any common issues..

-I have the "bump" from taking off from a dead stop, and occasionally i notice it when im braking just before i come to a stop. The truck shifts fine so im pretty sure its not the trans. i bought some normal lithium grease from advanced and have learned to grease the slip yoke. I plan to grease it tomorrow. its a 2wd just wondering if there was anything i should lookout for before hand or any tips/tricks..

-The compressor on this thing. It seems to come on every 10-25 secs no matter if its heat or ac. I asked around and was told it was most likely low refridgerant. Air was already cold as s***, heat was hot as s*** so i wasnt too worried. I attempted to charge it,(while it was like 50* outside) and the compressor kept clicking dropping pressure, clicking again and a second or two later the pressure would gradually build back up. I didnt want to overcharge it so i stopped. Any Help?

-While the truck is idleing there seems to be a very slight stutter/miss. I have no check engine light, doesnt seem to affect anything just annoying. I ran some seafoam through it, hasnt changed any. Aside from changing plugs/wires etc i was wondering if there was any easy common fix for this?

-Last the power steering pump is LOUD! steering is fine,Fluid is good. I read this was common on these trucks so Im not too worried, Aside from changing fluid/vacuuming it i was wondering if there was any secret additive or trick to possible quiet it somehow..

Thank you all for any information in advance..

 

[the_gunslinger]

1. I wouldn't rule out wheel bearings on this one. But it could also be a bad tire. I've had a broken belt on a tire make that kind of noise. Look for a bulge in the tire. It may be a small one and it may be on the inside of the tire.

2. Check your U joints. Get under the truck and get a good grip on the driveshaft. If there is any rotational play in it, you habe a worn U joint.

3. Not too familiar with A/C, but your clutch may be getting ready to go. Dont hold me to that though.

4. Studders and misses can sometimes be a real pain to troubleshoot. Your motor needs 3 things to operate: air, fuel and spark. If any one of those 3 are having issues, it could cause a miss. Also check some of your vaccum lines. Bad vaccum can cause that as well.

5. Ahh... the classic Ford power steering whine. It's pretty normal for a ford. But you can look into a pump if it's bothering you that bad.

 

[adsm08]

1. What he said.

2. Don't use lithium grease in the drive shaft slip yoke. Use Teflon grease (PTFE lube)

3. A/C clutch is unlikely. You probably have bigger issues that just a low charge since the refrigerant is what keeps the oil moving through the system. Low charge means all the oil collects in the evaporator and drier and the compressor runs dry. It will eat itself quickly under those conditions.

4. Tune up and re-evaluate.

5. Change the fluid and re-evaluate. The C-3 pumps with the reservoir on the back of the pump are very noisy though.

6. Stop looking for "quick fixes". That is one of the biggest problems in America right now, everyone wants everything free, easy, and now. They don't want to bother to fix the problems correctly.

 

[shanep1987]

Thank you both for the advice. Any ideas on what to look for first for the ac?

 

[shane96ranger]

What type of fluid is in your power steering pump?

 

[shanep1987]

Not 100% sure, i just bought the truck about 2 weeks ago. its reddish so I'm guessing power steering fluid. I did read something about putting "atf" fluid in it.

Also another question..if it does turn out to be a wheel bearing making the noise, after doing a little research i seen that the bearing with the wheel hub assmebly for over 100 bucks, is there anyway to buy and replace just the bearing itself? and if so do i need any special tools to do so?

 

[the_gunslinger]

I can tell you from personal experience, spend the extra money on the hub. You can pull them apart to repack the bearings, but they are designed to be changed as a unit. The amount of time and headache it will save you is worth it. With just a hub change, it will take longer to jack the truck up and pull the wheels of than it will to just change the hub.

 

[the_gunslinger]

Check www.rockauto.com they range from $22 to $180 depending on your application.

 

[shanep1987]

Thanks for the help

 

[shane96ranger]

Not 100% sure, i just bought the truck about 2 weeks ago. its reddish so I'm guessing power steering fluid. I did read something about putting "atf" fluid in it.

My Ranger had a mixture of ATF and Power Steering fluid in it when I bought it (one of the many wonderful things the PO did). It made noise, and I was able to cure it. I was able to slowly purge his "mixture" out with a turkey baster over the course of a couple days.

The owners manual says to use ATF, but I put power steering fluid in it and it worked fine.