2.5L ('98-'01) radiator fan direction

[youngbuckwithapickuptruck]

i took my radiator fan off the clutch plate and now im not sure what direction to re-install it. any pictures i can find, the view of fan orientation is blocked by the fan cover. advice?

also: seems like fan design changed three times for the 3rd gen ranger and 98-01 has its own specific fan setup.

also it feels like the spindle that the fan sits on has *a lot* of resistance. is this normal? im getting a loud vacuum noise coming from under the hood and i was told that its either a major vacuum leak or a bad fan clutch.

plastic fan is also cracked the hell and back near the base of each blade. is this normal? will the blade explode ob me soon enough?

 

[scotts90ranger]

You have it the correct way, the fan covers the clutch and looking at it from the front the fan turns clockwise which means the blades in your picture are cupped correctly.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Fan cracking is normal... as in it happens. But... it's not good. It needs to be replaced.