I have a 1998 Ranger XLT 4X4 and recently had the driver's side hub act up. The front wheel started "clicking" in 2wd, I put it into 4x4 then back and it stopped. The problem eventually got worse and occasionally there would be a "thunk" in the same wheel (axle) when turning left (fully). This after I had front brakes done. The front end was rechecked and bearings repacked. The mechanic told me the hub was probably shot so I got one from a junk yard. The problem seemed to stop.
This problem has occasionally started to resurface, but not as bad.
I have heard about manual hub replacements but I am not sure if this is the solution to my problem.
Has anyone else run into this type of 4x4 probem on their rangers?
I do not want to dump alot of $ into it, but I need to make it last a few more years. FYI there is 114K miles on this beast.
Since Owning it I had to replace broken leaf springs, ball joints, wheel cylinders, U-joints, transfer case flange and nut, fuel regulator valve,......................
This had been a mechanical pig.

Any thoughts would be apprechiated.
Thanks
ewp

 

Welcome to FTE!

Your truck has the "Pulse Vacuum Hublock" 4x4 engagement system. You can get a lot of info on that system from this thread:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...hreadid=113363

 

Is the 1996 model of the XLT the same style as the 1998 for automatic hubs?

 

Check this out...

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...t=Hub+Fix+Pics

 

No, your '96 does not use the PVH system.

 

Thanks.
I messed up thinking of my wifes car. My Ranger is a 1996.

 

My Ranger does the same thing, but rather the problem starts when 4x4 High is engaged, and finally stops when after having been in 4x2 for a few minutes and a heart dropping clunk in the front end driverside. But I'm heading into midas with my list of to-do's and the 4x4 will be one of them...

So far, to solve the problem, i've left it in 4x2. Hopefully if I ignore it, it won't get worse until I can work up some money.

By the way I've got a 98 Ranger XLT 4x4 4.0l

Ryan

 

I doub't Midas will work on your hubs. They are a Ford-only unit, and the bearings are contained within the hublocks themselves. Because of this, the bearings are not even greasable, and when just the bearings go, the entire hub has to be replaced.

I would recommend trying to trace the vacuum hoses throughout the system try and to see if there is any leakage occuring. I recently replaced mine at the wheel ends, they looked shot. This thread might help you with that:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=248585

 

Thanks for the input.
Good luck with yours, and I agree I do not think that Midas will be able to fix it let alone troubleshoot it.
I had mine at a good tire shop and they only assumed the hub at the first go around by not putting the hub back on and driving it without any of the symptoms occuring.
My ranger is a 96 not a 98 as I mistakenly noted and it is the electronic version.

 

On my '96 4X4, it had a similiar noise when I bought it. I took the auto hubs apart and cleaned and properly lubbed them. Now, things work great. Get a book and read up on it and take care of the problem. Converting to manual hubs is not to bad, just runs about $200 if you do it yourself. I will get rid of the auto hubs as soon as the money is there.

Az. Pete

 

I thought I had the problem taken care of. Atleast it does not happen as often.
I got a used hub from a truck that hit a pole at the junk yard.
Took brake clean to it with a rag and an air hose, then used bearing grease to re-lube.
I too am short on money to convert.
Thanks

 

Bearing grease may be to stiff for the lube also. I used vasaline on mine and it works great. There is not much movement there as it is not like a bearing spinning.

Az. Pete