Is there anything on the rear suspension that can make a clunking sound you can feel from start off, or is it my U-joints going bad,

 

need more details

 

supercab 4x4s were notorious for a slip shaft "bump" upon acceleration. search on how to grease the slip shaft and start out there

 

^X2 Mine has the same issue, greasing the slip joint should solve the issue for 15,000-20,000 miles. Not difficult, just takes time.

 

My 03 extended cab does this too. Has around 70,000 miles on the clock. I didn't know about the slip shaft though. I'll be looking that up right now. Thanks for the heads up!

Edit: Alright. I did a little research and it seems that some people are cutting the factory clamp off the boot, packing the splines with grease and using the hose clamp to hold the boot in place. I know this isn't the factory way to fix the problem. My question is, won't the hose clamp throw the drive shaft out of balance?

Kris

 

mine has the same thing!!! is it harming anything?

 

https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ight=slip+yoke

heres the answer to the clunk

 

My 01 edge 4x4 did the same thing, was new to the ranger world so I didnt know how to fix it so I took into the dealership and they fixed it in 15-20minutes (if you bring to a dealership they may charge you a diagnostic fee) unless you tell them exactly whats wrong and they should only charge you $25-$30, i only paid for $25 on top of the dianostic fee)

 

I wouldnt recommend a hose clamp because of balance issues (as little as .125oz you will feel at high speeds) i always use two zip ties and place the big ends 180* from eachother

 

i have the saem clunk except im 2wd and it only happens when its wet out.

 

it could be that oversized hood ornament you have on your truck...


though it looks quite nice, it must block your view something fierce

 

I have owned 3 Rangers and they all had the slip/bump syndrome. The problem is related to axle wrap. Under acceleration, the axle rotates against the leaf springs and the nose of the diff pushes up and forward. The slip yoke is designed to allow the driveshaft length to vary throughout the suspension travel but it can also move when the axle counter rotates against the torque applied to the rear wheels/tires.

When freshly greased, the splines slide freely and the slip yoke takes up the axle's motion smoothly and there is no bump. After time, the slip yoke can begin to bind when torque is applied across it. When the push of the diff overcomes the friction in the splines, it allows the axle to jump to its new position. This sudden movement is the bump that is felt through the chassis.

I have greased the slip yoke splines and it does eliminate the bump. The problem is that the slip/bump always returned in a few weeks or a few months. I also tried the special Ford PTFE grease specified in the TSB for this application ($25/can!). Same story.

When I installed James Duff traction bars on my current Ranger, the problem was corrected immediately at its source. Control the axle wrap and you eliminate the slip/bump. I have had no further problems since the installation of the JD's five years ago.

 

take blocks off axle and you wont get axle wrap

 

You won't get as much axle wrap w/o the blocks but it is still there. I had a 97 without blocks and it did it too.

 

The Rangers have a 2 piece rear driveshaft which has a "plastic dipped" spline in which you put grease on the shaft. The grease wears out over time and causes the splines to "stick" to one another then slop to the other "side" if you want to call it. But that is only a felt "thud" but no noise will be heard from that. There is also another problem on the Fords as their output spline hub off of the transfer case will make a distinct metal-to-metal pinging sound. They make a revised hub thats like $300 bucks from a Ford stealership. I have the same problem on my '98. Its either spend $300 bucks or live with it. It wont hurt anything.