Clunk Clunk Whirrr zzzzz mystery.

[Thor]

Here's one for ya.
-93 ranger autohubs A4LD autotranny w/OD.-

4x4 electronic engaement not working last month. Stared working 2 weeks ago. Noticed a rubbing type sound speed dependent.

Had mechanic take a look we decide it is hubs. Friend is sending NOS autos from a 97 ranger for free (I only do snow).

Travelling home on highway....clunk like a hard shift. Five minutes later...clunk. As I pull to shoulder zzzzzzz speed dependent.

I'm thinking tranny but then think maybe the autos finally grenaded.. limp home 6 miles at 30 mph.

But that night the tranny doesn't want to reverse when in R. I hear a kind of metallic whirr. I engage 4x4 and disengage and it goes into reverse as normal..still clunking and one more episode of no reverse on way to mechanic.

We are changing out the, worn spindle washers and auto hubs (albeit w/newer autohubs). Is there any chance this is transfer case/ hub related or am I taking a trip to tranny town?

...it's turning out to be a chilly tale...

 

[Gui]

check for loose u-joints would explain the clunk maybe when u let go of gas

 

[Thor]

Yeah GUI when the transfer case engaged after not working since spring there was some rubbing type noises at a regular interval which was speed related.

Had mechanic inspect universal joints and grease them also check oil levels. u-joints were a couple years old but got fair use back in Winterpeg.

The clunking came later which is similar to a loose u-joint "picking up" an automatic hub because of moving the shafts around but the u-joints seem sound. Not sure if this much racket and weirdness would be caused by hubs alone (although that would be a nice cheap fix).

Friend is sending me a set of 97 hubs like new this week so we will swap that out of the equation.

Was thinking the transfer case is not coming competely out after switching out of 4WD but 4Hi indicatior light does go off.

Should know more tommorrow.

 

[Bruce]

Sounds like cross shaft in transfer case has worn the puckets out where the shaft sits in the case and is letting the HI LOW shift fork move in and out and when you back off of gas it goes zzzzzzzzzzzzz and when you step on gas it goes clunk back into gear.

just my 2 cents

 

[Earl43P]

I agree this sounds more like a transfer case shifting issue.

 

[Thor]

Having the mechanic swap out the transfer case with one from an explorer we got from a wrecker. Will post the results.

Also removed the gears/bearings from the hubs so the front autos won't engage. Will be replacing with a 97 auto set next week complete with bearing nuts etc.

 

[Gillbilly]

Almost the same exact thing happened to my 96 3.0 (w manual Lock in hubs)about 4 weeks ago. I too thought it was the tranny...or possible u Joint problem...It was making very similar sounds as yours for about a week and after some tinkering (thought maybe fluid was low or bad...then I thought that the carrier bearing was causing it... so I swapped out to the straight shaft) during a test drive it finally went completley -- no drive except in 4 low...didnt even think of transfer case until mechanic told me otherwise. Replaced with Salvage Transfer case and now seems to be working fine.

I paid $350.00 for the transfer case and 200.00 for the shop to put it in.

 

[metalmacguyver]

And that resolved the issue?

 

[Bruce]

200 bucks to install transfer case ...wow that like a 1 hour job tops i could change it in 30 minutes give or take. Shop must have a very high shop rate.

 

[Thor]

Fixed it.

As for my saga...

The T-case from the wrecker $275 (CDN) and $270 (CDN) labour.
Includes road test/removing the guts from my automatic hubs which were also suspect at the time.

Seems to be working good now, haven't got around to putting on my NOS '97 auto hubs yet.

BTW - When I ordered new spline washers the buggers gave me the '93 set rather than the upgraded ones, man they're tight. Guess I should have been more specific, mind reading being what it is. ;-)