clicking/clunking and jerking

[93rangerXLT4x4]

ok so it started out alright in the summer time, i engage 4wd and it would clunk and jerk and click(sounds like a stick in a bicycle wheel) going up a hill, eventually it got so bad i had no 4wd so recently i swapped the auto hub from driver's side to the passenger side and pass side to driver's side and it worked. well its winter now and i need my 4wd back, did a little wheeling yesterday with a couple of friends up the mountain in about a foot of snow but the clicking/clunking got so bad its doing it in 2wd and i can get it to 60km/hr before it starts clunking.

any help?? what the hell is going on??? guess im going to take off the auto hubs and see if that helps a little bit because right now i cant really drive the truck. thanks for any help.

 

[hondaxr650]

The "stick in a bicycle wheel" sound is usually the auto hubs going bad. They'll do it in 2wheel drive when they get really bad because they don't disengage completely. Mine did the same. Convert to manual hubs and you'll never have this problem again. Auto hubs from the junkyard probably won't be any better than yours, and new ones are about $375 EACH!

 

[93rangerXLT4x4]

sweet thanks. ya i can get warn manual hubs for $280.00 thats with the conversion kit.

 

[ironman2583]

i am having the same problem on my 95 ranger 4.0 and it sometimes sounds like the front end is gonna fall out! it acts like the hubs are engaging and then i will have to stop and back up to disengage them and continue on. can i jus remove the auto-loc hubs for now and still drive it untill i can get some manual hubs??

 

[AllanD]

You can get use manual hubs a bunch cheaper than new ones, and unlike
the auto hubs they are a lot more reliable...

Either a Junkyard 90-97 Ranger or a 1991-94 Explorer.

OR ask one of the forum "Yard Crawlers" (like me LOL

the only problem with manual hubs is that you must lock and unlock them with the knob...

This requires a bit of forethought.

AD

 

[93rangerXLT4x4]

i am having the same problem on my 95 ranger 4.0 and it sometimes sounds like the front end is gonna fall out! it acts like the hubs are engaging and then i will have to stop and back up to disengage them and continue on. can i jus remove the auto-loc hubs for now and still drive it untill i can get some manual hubs??

i think so, but only for a couple days because there's nothing really holding the shaft in. i pulled my tires off and took the auto hubs off and put the tires back on and the noise went away, i drove 30 mins to the nearest town, drove around town and 30 mins back home without any problems. right after i took my hubs off i took the truck for a test drive and my lug nuts loosened off so make sure you check your lug nuts after your test drive. so im going to buy some WARN manual hubs tomorrow.

should be able to get the manual's on soon.

 

[ironman2583]

cool thanks for your help! i will see if it makes the noise go away.

 

[93rangerXLT4x4]

clicking/clunking and jerking ***FIXED***

cool thanks for your help! i will see if it makes the noise go away.

yeah no problem!! also when i pulled mine off and looked at them they looked fine, but from what i've read that the hubs can look fine with no visual damage but they can be ****ed. easiest way to know if its the hubs is take them off and then drive the truck down the road, if the noise is gone its your hubs if the noise is still there then its something else.


i bought a set of WARN manual hubs today so im gonna toss them on tomorrow. finally got rid of them damn automatic hub crap.

 

[legoms013]

I had the autohubs for years, and recently ran them with a front lock-right and no problems....BUT i swapped em out for manuals just to be safe and they were well worth the money even though my autos were fine. The mental assurance of knowing that my manuals won't spontaneously grenade when I need them most is well, re-assuring to say the least.

Swapping to manuals was probably one of the smartest things I've done in my lifetime.

 

[93rangerXLT4x4]

well i finally fixed my problem. i got my manual hubs installed tonight and its awesome no clunking,clicking, skipping NOTHING YAY!!!!! did a quick test drive and 4wd works normally.

 

[feellnfroggy]

For what its worth, talk to a ranger auto hub expert who welds. I know one here locally and I have his old welded auto hubs. Its like running live axles setups. I love always having 4x4 now. I dont have to manually switch anything, nor do I have to worry about little plastic parts breaking. Im about to upgrade to 33;s so the mileage is gonna suck anyways,

 

[93rangerXLT4x4]

ya i did a little testing on the 17th and ****ed up the truck. its sitting in a tow yard right now, insurance wont cover it.. i have the choice to pay the 150 bucks to get it towed home and either attempt to fix it (considering i clipped another vehicle then hit the ditch and snapped a power pole off, it would take some work) or get it towed home and strip good parts off and try to sell them or just get the tow yard to toss it on the junk pile. not sure what yet.