SERIOUS drivetrain issue, '04 Ford Ranger 4x4... HELP!!

[Stangman]

I was driving my truck home from work yesterday evening, and I went around a lefthand corner as i was getting close to home, heard a sort of "pop" and then like something was rubbing on my tire... you know, the whole "wwooowwwwooowwwwooowww" sound?

So, I get out, nothing is touching or hanging or hitting... creep it home, park it.

At first I think maybe I lost a brake pad and my caliper is getting killed by my rotor? Took the brakes apart, everything looked fine. Checked play on the front driveshaft, didnt seem to find any. Everything looked good.

So I go to leave this morning for work, and the truck barely wants to move after it rolls in reverse a few feet... then I start hearing gawd awful noises, clanking/thunking, creaking, metal grinding/twisting type of noises, and the truck barely wants to move... I pull onto the road, and try to go forward, and it's just as bad.


So I stop, back up, and pull it back in the driveway and take the mustang to work today, thankfully no ice.

Does anyone have ANY idea what the problem is?

Everything "looks" okay! I dont get it!

For your information, the truck does not have "hubs" the front end is always locked, and it has CV shafts. No vacuum operated 4x4 engagement.

I literally cannot drive it anywhere. :mad:

[BlazinEagle]

front end banging, bucking and making a metallic clunk like it is in 4 low? Maybe it is the front axle speed sensor calibration in the computer causing the clutch packs to engage/disengage at different times and speeds?
Or maybe one of the cv shafts broken

[Stangman]

Maybe it is the front axle speed sensor calibration in the computer causing the clutch packs to engage/disengage at different times and speeds?

What?!?!?


front end banging, bucking and making a metallic clunk like it is in 4 low? Or maybe one of the cv shafts broken

Yes, and... maybe? but it locks in 4x4...

[graysonracin]

The front diff itself seen it happen? Check for play were the cvshafts go in maybe idk.

[Goldeneagle]

The front diff itself seen it happen? Check for play were the cvshafts go in maybe idk.

Yeah what he said + check the sensors, (ABS) if one is bad or has a bad connection, the system will lock down thinking one tire has locked up.

[03z06vette]

The greese in the ft auto hubs may be frozen, stuck in partiall in 4x4. happens alot in cold weather. id remove the ft hubs and try to drive it.

[Dirtyd0g]

Put the transfer case in neutral and push it to see if the sound still exists. If it is still there the problem has to be in the transfer case, differential or hubs. Are you sure it doesn't have automatic hubs? They have made tons of different types over the years and many of them do not need vacuum to operate. Could be some stripped out junk in there, the old explorers were good for that but I don't know what they did in 04.
Alan

[Stangman]

The greese in the ft auto hubs may be frozen, stuck in partiall in 4x4. happens alot in cold weather. id remove the ft hubs and try to drive it.

No 4x4 hubs. Just a CV shaft, with a nut on it, going thru the front spindle hub bearing. Just had it apart last night


Put the transfer case in neutral and push it to see if the sound still exists. If it is still there the problem has to be in the transfer case, differential or hubs. Are you sure it doesn't have automatic hubs? They have made tons of different types over the years and many of them do not need vacuum to operate. Could be some stripped out junk in there, the old explorers were good for that but I don't know what they did in 04.
Alan

Truck does not have a lever to put the transfer case in neutral. I have a knob on the dash that says "2wd, 4-hi, 4-low". No levers on the floor or anything

I'm 100% sure this thing's front axle is locked in 100% of the time, the transfer case does all the work.

[5.0calypso93lx]

Do you have this posted up on the rangerstation?

[Dirtyd0g]

They just use a solenoid to shift it so I guess they took out the neutral position. Does it change if you put it in 4wd?
Alan

[Stangman]

Do you have this posted up on the rangerstation?

Just signed up this AM :bigthumb


They just use a solenoid to shift it so I guess they took out the neutral position. Does it change if you put it in 4wd?
Alan

It seemed to get louder in 4wd..

[Dirtyd0g]

How are the front propleer shaft u-joints. If the hubs are locked those will turn all the time.
Alan

[Stangman]

How are the front propleer shaft u-joints. If the hubs are locked those will turn all the time.
Alan

It has CV halfshafts for front axles...

[Dirtyd0g]

It is rare to see failure on those, but possible. Try unbolting the front shaft and driving it to see if the problem is in front or rear of the propeller shaft.
Alan