1999 Ford Ranger, 3.0 litre V6, 67,000 miles. I have a clunk which can be heard and felt in the steering only in warm/hot weather. In cool/cold weather nothing can be heard or felt. The truck has rack and pinion steering, with a power steering fluid cooler mounted on the steering rack. The clunking noise only seems to be heard when the power steering fluid gets up to full temperature. The hotter the fluid gets, the louder the clunking sound gets. My thinking is that the power steering fluid cooler is keeping the power steering fluid temperature low enough in cool weather to prevent the clunking noise (of course I may be off track). I have tracked down the clunk to the steering by process of elimination. I would list all that I have done, but I have posted this problem in the past before I tracked it to the steering. I did remove the outer tie rods to check the inner tie rods. I found no play of any kind with the inner tie rods. Has anyone come across this problem in the past? Thanks

 

Yes, i think i have the same problem as you. mine sounds like a cracking noise and it does when i give it gas or brake. I took it into the dealer and they said because of my lift the tie rods are loose and need replacing. Hope this helps.