Clutch difficult to downshift from 3rd and weird sound
 

Hey everyone, not sure if these 2 symptoms are related or not.

I have a 1998 Ranger XLT 3.0L manual 4x4. I bought it in August with 202K miles on it, and it has 207K on it now.

1st Issue: Less than a week after I bought it, the clutch died, so I got it replaced. I also asked the mechanic to inspect the transmission, and he said it looked good. So now, 5K miles later, I am having clutch problems again. If my speed is above 20 mph, I cannot shift from 3rd to 2nd. If I am slower than that, I can downshift about half of the time. Otherwise, I have to come to a stop, and shift into 1st, then continue on my merry way. Seeing as how I had the clutch replaced so recently, why am I getting this malfunction?

2nd Issue: About 2 weeks ago, I drove 110 miles away, then came back. On the return trip, I started to hear a loud noise that sounded like when you drive over a corrugated surface or the rumble strips on the side of the freeway. Every time I heard it, I pulled over, turned off the engine and waited a few minutes. Then, the sound would come back within 5-10 minutes of driving. I drove it again a couple days ago about 4 miles, and the weird sound started within 2 or 3 minutes.

I am at my wits' end with both of these issues. Any pointers or tips you have would be greatly appreciated.