Found on Road: Dead (thanks, FORD)

Kinja'd!!! "Jayvincent" (jayvincent)
02/21/2018 at 21:15 • Filed to: None

Kinja'd!!!1 Kinja'd!!! 11
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Ranger has a new whirring noise that increases and decreases with speed. Sounds like a bad wheel bearing, feels like a bad wheel bearing. No problem, parts are just $30 and plenty of how-to on the internet. Unfortunately after I spent a couple hours changing the front wheel bearing, the noise is still with us. Is it a) I changed the wrong wheel bearing, b) a sticking brake caliper that’s sounding like a worn bearing, c) rear wheel bearing (drum brakes - I’m not gonna mess with those bearings), d) rear end gear/pinion problem, e) none of the above... stay tuned for updates.

I’m tired of fixing this (my son’s) truck -. I just want it gone. It was listed for sale before the mystery noise started, so I am going to have to get it sorted out if I want someone to test drive it. It’s only got 115k and it needs seemingly constant repairs. Maybe I got a lemon, or maybe the previous owner beat the crap out of it, but it’s living up to the Fix Or Repair Daily FORD reputation. Hopefully your collective experience will be better, but I’m going back to Hondas from now on. Thanks for letting me vent


DISCUSSION (11)


Kinja'd!!! daender > Jayvincent
02/21/2018 at 21:35

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Is it a manual Ranger? Could be the throwout bearing. When pop’s ‘01 Ranger had bad front wheel bearings, the front end would shake at interstate speeds and when under braking.


Kinja'd!!! Jayvincent > daender
02/21/2018 at 21:41

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it’s the 2.3L I4 auto. base model as plain as you can get boring work truck.

No shakes at speed or braking, but definitely a wheel rpm related noise


Kinja'd!!! Urambo Tauro > Jayvincent
02/21/2018 at 21:43

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Did you change just one wheel bearing? Does it sound like it’s coming from the other side now? Sometimes one side is a little louder, just enough to mask the sound from the one on the opposite side.


Kinja'd!!! daender > Jayvincent
02/21/2018 at 21:46

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Hmm, hard to say then. Could be the other wheel bearing or possibly a bad or old noisy tire. Bummer yours is acting up so early on, those things tend to be cockroaches, especially with the ones with the Pinto-based engines.


Kinja'd!!! Jayvincent > daender
02/21/2018 at 21:59

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tires are only a couple of months old. They are oversize (diameter) which is why I was thinking wheel bearing...


Kinja'd!!! daender > Jayvincent
02/21/2018 at 22:01

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Yeah, should be the wheel bearing if there’s no rubbing anywhere else. Also, pop’s bearings acted up at about 85k-90k miles into ownership.


Kinja'd!!! Jayvincent > Urambo Tauro
02/21/2018 at 22:03

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I did just change one, so it’s possible you are correct and they both needed to be changed, or I changed the wrong one.


Kinja'd!!! E92M3 > Jayvincent
02/21/2018 at 22:25

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Jack the other wheel off the ground and rotate the tire slowly with your hands. You should be able to tell if it’s a bearing. If you’re still not sure, spin the tire with one hand, and put the other hand around the coil spring. If you feel any vibration/resonance in the spring, it’s the bearing.


Kinja'd!!! RacinBob > Jayvincent
02/21/2018 at 23:45

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If it is a wheel bearing, it should change with side to side steering load.


Kinja'd!!! Urambo Tauro > Jayvincent
02/22/2018 at 00:05

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Maybe that’s it then. Give the wheel a shake to confirm, or change it anyway since you’ve already done the other side.


Kinja'd!!! pip bip - choose Corrour > Jayvincent
02/22/2018 at 06:09

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at that sort of mileage you should always do them in pairs.