My 1997 Ranger (2wd, extended cab, 4 cyl, 5 speed, 219,000 miles) is becoming more and more of a handful on the highway. It wanders/floats all over the road, and is very tiring to drive as a result. Thinking back, it hasn't ever felt quite right since new front tires were installed about 8,000 miles ago and Sears aligned the front end. But it wasn't real bad until recently. I jacked up the front end, and the wheels didn't seem to have any play in them that. The linkages all felt tight, and there was no free-play between the steering wheel and the wheels. The truck does not pull in either direction consistently, but just wanders back and forth.

Here is the problem: I am at school 300 miles from home, and do not have many tools with me, or anywhere to work except a parking lot. Nor do I know of any good mechanics around here. Is there any way I can at least determine what is wrong, so that I can make a decision about whether it is safe to drive it home (and then fix it myself of take it to my mechanic) or bite the bullet and try a mechanic here?

One other thing I noticed- the rear tires have very different amounts of wear (I don't rotate them, ) They are both pretty old and worn, but significantly different. (And putting my rear snow tires on didn't make any difference, so it isn't the tires themselves.)

 

I had some BFG's on my 5.0Ho Stang and they drove me crazy, it was all in the tread pattern. Also the more blocky the tread the more you'll feel that wandering.

 

That's what I figured after the tires were put on (they're Michelin Weatherwise all seasons). This is something more, though. I'm almost afraid to drive the truck on the highway, it's so tough to control. (And I'm not known for being overly cautious about these things... ) I am constantly correcting the path, sometimes quite significantly. If a truck or bus passes me (I can't take it much past 60 the way it is now, so this happens a lot) I really have to fight to control it against the high/low pressure systems in front of and behind the truck.

All of this has gotten a lot worse in the last few thousand miles, which makes me wonder if it is more than just regular wear, because it happened so fast.

 

I'm wondering if they didn't tighten the control arm bolts properly when they did the alignment... allowing the control arm to move around on you...

Jack the front wheels off the ground from UNDER the lower control arm. Grab the top of the tires and push in and out - there should be AT MOST very little play. If there is play then have someone push in and out while you look at the upper control arm. Is the whole arm moving? Or just the wheel knuckle?

If it's the whole arm it's possible the bolts are loose... or the bushings may be worn.

Also check the lower ball joints while you're at it... pry upwards from underneath the tire while looking at the lowest part of the knuckle. There should be no up and down movement at the lower ball joint (well ok.. ok.. ford says you can have .030" of movement)

Now grab the tire at 3 and 9 o'clock positions and try to turn it left and right, making sure there's no play in the tie rod ends.

Another thing you might check is the rear leafsprings and bushings. Make sure the springs aren't broken and the bushings are intact. Play in the rear end will cause a significant wander and uneven rear tire wear.

Good luck!

 

How old are your shocks? When I purchased my 91 Ranger a little over a year ago, it was a real handful on the highway. It bounced and wandered all over the road. Had a mechanic check it over - he said I needed new shocks. I had them installed and new tires rebalanced - It rides and handles like new.

 

Shocks are of unknown age, but I haven't touched them in the 20K I've had the truck. I just looked at them, and they are black and don't have any stickers on them, which almost makes me wonder if they are original... I suppose that might be part of the problem

I guess this begs the question- Will it become truly unsafe to drive in, say, the next 600 miles, before I can get home to my garage and/or a mechanic I trust?

 

How about putting those worn out rears on the front to eliminate the tires as a cause, I know you can't leave them on there but it would knock one thing off the list.

Also, what kind of wear did the rears have?

 

Putting the worn-out rears on the front isn't really an option because they're not mounted on rims. I guess I could try putting the snows on the front and the Michelins on the back, for a quick test.

As far as the wear, each tire looked to have normal (even) wear. The problem was that the tire that was on the passenger side had considerably less tread than the one that had been on the driver side. I guess it could have just been a defective tire, too.

 

Update: I was just looking at the thing, and noticed that I can easily push the rear-end of the truck quite aways sideways. Lots more than the front. Don't know if that's normal or not; but when I do, I get a fairly loud sqeaking from behind the right rear wheel (about where the spring mounts to the axle. Nothing there looks loose or broken, but I don't know what I'm looking for. Anyone have an idea what might squeak in this area?

I haven't jacked it up yet because I only have the factory jack, and no jack stands. I'm going to try and borrow some stands, at least; no way I'm going to get any part of me under the truck when it's only supported by the factory jack!

 

Sounds like you on the right path, the back end shouldn't move side to side, the only thing that will allow movment are the tires.

 

If your truck seems to be steering it self at times you could have a broken centerbolt in your rear springs.
That will let your axle slide back and forth on the spring which actually steers the truck around. If that is the problem you will really notice it coming out of a turn one way worse than the other. That might explain the rear tire wear too.
Should be easy to see if you look.