need help with my '91 when in 4 Wheel Drive.

[Zuerc]

when i put my truck in 4-wheel drive it seems fine but if my front tires spin it bangs and something slams really hard and loud. and when i am braking fast it does the same thing? what is it? it is bad i know that.

 

[rsw2008]

check your radius rod bushings. there bad on mine.making the same noise.

 

[nismotunedgtr]

What year? Do you have auto hubs?

I HAD auto's in my 1992 Ranger and they were junk. Made a loud banging noise all the time. Have manual hubs in and I can do 4 wheel peels on dirt and snow with no noise. lol

 

[Pollarican]

Does it make the noise braking hard when out of 4 wheel drive? If so it's probably Radius Arm Bushings like rsw said. You can buy replacements for about $25 a pair, and there is a bunch of info about how to replace them on this site with pictures. Search Radius Arm Bushing and you should get a bunch.

 

[Michiganbear]

if the ra bushings are bad, check the bracket they go into. if the hole is worn at all from the metal of the radius arm, get new brackets too. they are not expensive, but can be hard to replace, since there are a couple big rivets that need to be dealt with

 

[Zuerc]

thanks guys, but i i know that it only does when i am in 4 wheel drive and driving on the concrete. it seems that if i accelerate it bang like it trying to catch but it isn't catching because the front wheels don't spin. could it possibly be transfer case motor or the transfer case itself?

 

[HahnsB2]

A combination of garbage auto hubs and bad RA bushings.

 

[Burns]

Why are you driving your truck on the concrete while in 4WD?

Thats a no no right there.

I would suspect the hubs are trying to lock in but are bad. Been there while on trails. Swapped to manuals and never had the problem again.

 

[Zuerc]

well it isn't the radius arm bushing. would the differential make a loud banging sound if it is trying to engage?

 

[Dannyboy]

yeah, especially if you are driving on pavement in 4x4, lots of binding and popping.

 

[Zuerc]

Hey Dannyboy why is that? is that a problem? but it does it even when i am on the snow or ice. like when my tired slide from braking or just accelerating.

 

[HahnsB2]

well it isn't the radius arm bushing. would the differential make a loud banging sound if it is trying to engage?

It's the auto hubs!!! And don't drive on pavement in 4x4, the auto hubs break if you look at them funny, engaging 4wd on pavement is a sure death sentence.

 

[DeRocha]

Sounds like exactly as Burns has indicated.

AutoHubs sort of act like the clutch mechanism on a cordless drill. When New the HUBS are at the highest setting and handle all the power coming from the axle. As the autohub wears it begins to allow the axle to slip at lower and lower torque.. For you it seams like the hubs are fine during normal driving, but will slip/ratchet/unlock under heavy load.

 

[Zuerc]

ok thanks guys