Loud bang when 4x4 is on

[Karpov]

I just bough it.

It was about 50% cheaper than others in there Finlad but still okay.

In test drive i just shortly checked 4x4 and low range in sand but it was short about 20 meters.


So its probably been it.


When i first time drive forest and 4x4 at all i heared that.


You mean u joint not the whole shaft? In glove box is new u joint probably to front side.

 

[RangerX]

Yes, I mean just the u-joint. I saw a thread yesterday that mentioned that joint as a possible cause of banging, but today I cannot find the thread for you.

Have you looked around for price and availability of a pair of manual hubs? I would seriously go that route first before swapping out u-joints.

 

[Karpov]

Hubs are in Finland about 400$ and ebay about 150$ with assembly kit (shipping not included) so these are pretty expensive.


Ive been fever couple days so im not been checked car technically but today was snowing and i drive it.

Tyres was so crappy so i but 4x4 on because 2wd wont go anywhere.


Couple things what i noticed:


4x4 bangs when i get zero mph to move with medium or heavy gas. Light move was not banging.


In speed it goes great but if you accelerate more than light gas it wil knop knop and heavy gas will do bang bang etc.

If i slow down and turn for example parking slot, it wil bang allways. D or N its same bang.


So its must be u joint or hub i think.


But when im healthy again i will check that...



How about does abs work with 4x4?


I drive and brake several times and abs worked but then ABS light was on and it wont worked. When i switched back 2wd then abs was working.

 

[FR-425]

Couple of thoughts here.

Check front drive shaft.

the front drive shaft has a single u-joint at the differential and a double u-joint called a CV (constant velocity). CV joints can cause random binding when worn. To test shift transfer to neutral or 2wd, set parking brake for safety then get under the vehicle and rotate the shaft. If it will not rotate then your transfer case is not in neutral or both of your hubs are engaged. If only one hub is engaged it will be difficult to turn and you will be able to see the free axle shaft turning. This is also a method for verifying hub engagement. It is not necessary to correct this to continue the check. Just push up, down, left, right like crazy man, if it's sloppy there's your culprit.

 

[FR-425]

I found a small rock stuck in my CV once causing it to bind. It would actually lift the transfer case and hit the floor pan. Pried the stone out good to go. Excessive grease and dirt build up can do this also. In that case clean re-grease. Also if the slop is not to severe just pound it full of grease to free it up a bit should get you through until you can repair or replace. Hope this gets you rolling.

 

[Karpov]

So, litlle update!

When i but only 4x4, it was easy to rotate cv:s. In low range cv:s was nearly locked, only little movement.


I removed hub lock "cup" and then there was cv:s spline and end which comes to hublock.

It was loose. It moved up around. Passenger side was little bit loose like too but not so much than drivers side.


Is this normal?

If i remove cv, front differential will need oil refill?

 

[Karpov]

I watched video from youtube where some guy replaced front wheel bearing. Bearing was outside off shaft so worn bearing wont loosen the shaft like mine?


What is loose there inside?

 

[unclemeat]

What about the transfer case. An old chain driven transfer case can slip. The chain can stretch and slip. The sound is comming from under the driver seat in 4x4, transfer case.

 

[Karpov]

What about the transfer case. An old chain driven transfer case can slip. The chain can stretch and slip. The sound is comming from under the driver seat in 4x4, transfer case.

is it possible that loose chain stucks only one tyre? because in snow you can see driver side tyre not rolling smooth when you turn on give more speed. Sorry bad language i hope you understand. If it is chain, how difficult job that is and is chain expensive?

 

[OneofMany]

the Locking Hubs you should get are WARN 37780 cost $210.54 USD, the spindle nut kit Warn 32720 (includes 2) cost $57.59
When engaging 4x4 low (trans in neutral) you should feel a clunk. If not it may not be engaging into 4x4 low and check the 4x4 diagnostic thread. Auto hub locks do not tend to bind up that badly causing your banging, more of a clicking. try removing the auto hubs and driving like that to rule out the hubs. Also the axle shaft should not be loose when the hub is off. check your bearings- you should not be able to wiggle your brake rotor on the hub. I think you have several issues- transfer case shift motor or chain; and hubs. check the 4x4 diagnostic thread.

 

[Karpov]

When i but low range on, it clunks about in second when i have pressed low range button. When i press 4X4 off and car is stopped, if i drive snow etc it bangs one more time on 2wd and i dont mean shift on run. **** happens. 10inches snow, no garage and 2wd is sweeping my car side to side... dangerous.

Does nobody know will loose chain effect only one tire? make no sense to me because in asphalt you can clearly feel and see on hood that right side only is jamming and banging

 

[Fless]

I had a similar issue with the auto hubs on my '94. Did some rather hard 4-wheeling on a Colorado mountain road to get to a hiking trailhead. The bang came from the driver's side and I could feel the sound coming through the floorboard. Switched auto hubs left to right but no change. When I converted to manual hubs -- great idea, by the way -- and took off the driver's side cam it came apart. That's what was making the bang on mine.

The manual hubs are much stronger, and don't have to 'engage' when changing directions alot (like when rocking out of a snowbank).

 

[OneofMany]

A transfer case chain failure would not only effect one wheel, thats for sure. it seems you have an issue on that side...take it apart and check your half shaft ( it only spins in 4x4), bearing and hub. check the 4x4 diagnostic thread to verify Hub failure. you should be able to move the mechanism in the hub out to lock and in to unlock. I think it snaps into place to where it doesnt slop back and forth (like mine did b4 i replaced them)

 

[OneofMany]

. When i press 4X4 off and car is stopped, if i drive snow etc it bangs one more time on 2wd and i dont mean shift on run.

check the 4x4 diagnostic thread to verify proper engagement/disengagement of your transfer case.

 

[malohnes]

Sounds like a u-joint issue in combination with possible hubs issues as well. The fact that a difference was made in the noise by swapping positions of the hubs indicates hubs, but the other descriptions mentioned by OP leads me to believe the u-joints in the D35 are the culprit. The front drive shaft u-joints could also be suspect, but I would concentrate on the axle first.

It has been my experience that a 20 year old rig is bound to have some old original parts that can fail together with other parts, either simultaneously, or tightly sequentially. I think this is the case here.

 

[Karpov]

Thank you all again.

My english is very bad, i have to think and think and little bit translate so that i could understand properly.


I have looked u joint spindle gear change topic. Is something to notable when i take front drive shaft off?


And does wheel bearing support shaft or is it hub systems?


I have to order needed parts soon, christmas is coming too and postal hysteria.

 

[OneofMany]

You CAN take out the drive shaft on one side in theory, but this is not required for diagnosis. you should be able to tell if a ujoint is really failing just by turning the shaft with a pair of pliers on the splines. U-joints dont typically make a banging sound like that, they would squeak or squeal while driving and break apart. But it doesnt hurt to inspect the shaft and hub bearing. Have you tried driving with the locking hubs off?

 

[Carguy3J]

You CAN take out the drive shaft on one side in theory, but this is not required for diagnosis. you should be able to tell if a ujoint is really failing just by turning the shaft with a pair of pliers on the splines. U-joints dont typically make a banging sound like that, they would squeak or squeal while driving and break apart. But it doesnt hurt to inspect the shaft and hub bearing. Have you tried driving with the locking hubs off?

I disagree. I have had a couple of Ranger/Explorers, with bad front u-joints, bang/hop,etc.. One, as I recall, even did it in 2wd, they were so bad. Remember, those front outer joints, at the knuckle, move in some "funky" ways, that a driveshaft u-joint doesn't.

Also, you can remove the driver side shaft entirely, and the outer half of the passenger side shaft (at the slip joint), with the diff/beam still in the vehicle. The inner half of the pass. shaft is held in the diff with a c-clip, only accessible with the diff out of the truck. This would allow you to change the (2) outer u-joints, but not the one inner, on the pass. side. (Actually, that MAY be possible, to do, with it still in the diff, but it would not be "fun")

Also, to the OP:

For hubs (on sale Mile Marker $145.97):
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mmk-428/overview/make/ford/model/ranger/year/1993

Conversion Kit $44.99:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mmk-95-27997

I'm pretty sure Summit ships internationally.
I have had the Mile Marker hubs for over 3 years, with no problems. They should be fine for "normal" driving. They may or may not be up to "hardcore" off-roading. I wouldn't know. I don't do that stuff.

You can probably piece together the conversion kit, from Dorman, for less money, but you need to know what to buy, and their catalog doesn't make it easy. Plus, the one thing I can't find separately is the star washer, plastic washer, thin washer, and c-clip, at the outer end of the axle shaft.

 

[Karpov]

So spindle bearing is gone for sure if axle wiggles. Brake rotor is stiff but it has different bearing? Or axle shaft bearing?


I must try driving without hubs today.

 

[RangerX]

A small amount of 'wiggle' is normal. Maybe 1/8".