Ford Ranger / B-Series :: 2002 - Knocking Felt In Steering Wheel
Oct 21, 2003
I have a 2002 Ranger 2.3L 5spd w/ 16,000 miles. Have noticed this problem for 6 months, been to dealer 3 times now. They say nothing is wrong. What I am "feeling" more than hearing, is a slight knock in the steering wheel, particularly when driving over dips and mild to moderate bumps. This is usually when moving in a fairly straight line, not much tension on the wheel.
It reminds me of problems I had on much older cars/trucks when there was a loose shock/strut or play in a ball joint or tie rod. It is annoying because it feels like something is wrong. Dealer can't find anything. Perhaps something not installed properly that loosens and bumps/knocks into other components thereby transferring vibrations through the steering column?
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I have a 02 F250 4x4 5.4. As I drive and when pulling into a driveway I hear a clunk that can be felt in the floor and the steering wheel. I've replaced the wheel bearings and seals, shocks, ball joints, sway bar links and bushings, tie rod ends at the gear box and "right hand inner". The other two tie rods are tight and so is the track bar. I cannot duplicate the sound if I jack it up and move parts around with a pry bar. I can however move the steer box sector shaft upwards about an 1/8. I've adjusted the screw but it didn't do anything. Could it be the steer box or the springs? I've even mounted a GoPro underneath but everything moves and I can't tell why it is.
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I had a friend do an alignment on my truck yesterday. Afterward, we tried to center the wheel the best we could in the shop. But when I drove it home I noticed that when going straight, the steering wheel is ever-so-slightly turned to the right. Is there and easy way to adjust this without me going back to the guys' shop and bugging him again? I know the alignment is dead nuts, but the wheel is just a tad off.
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My 04 ranger edge steering wheel is locked the tumbler is out but the little gear box on the tumbler is broke off and still in the assembly how do I get it out to install a new tumbler?
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My speed control has not worked in years and I do not use them any more any way. I want to remove the control area on each side of the steering wheel, the covers are all messed up so I would like to make it look like it came without them. Can I do this and if so how?
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While in the locked position, the steering wheel was purposely jerked hard to disable the mechanism on a 1996 Ranger. Now the truck will not steer easily or smoothly and a popping noise is evident when turning. I'm not concerned about having the wheel lock, but would like to be able to return driveability to normal.
The same guy who caused this damage also damaged the ignition. No key is needed to turn the switch now.
I'm lost as to how the steering locking mechanism works and wondering if I need to tear apart the column or if maybe there is a locking pin accessible that needs to be removed to regain driveability.
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I recently bought a 1998 f-250, regular cab, long bed, 4x4, 5.4l triton, automatic. The truck was involved in a wreck by the previous owner and I am trying to repair the damage. He hit some ice, slid off the road, and collided with a log cabin.
The visible damage was done to the driver side front. The bumper, grill/surround, header panel, headlight, turn signal, fender, and hood all need to be replaced. When you drive the truck there is a shimmy coming from the front that can be felt in the steering wheel. When going straight and releasing the steering wheel it pulls to the passenger side. The driver side front rim might be bent? Which might prove interesting if I have to replace it (7x150mm).
This is my first Ford truck. I was willing to take the gamble on fixing it up. I hope that it works out and I am able to do so. What years/models can I source these parts from?
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5.0L ... I'm having one of those moments, you know after you do a mod to your truck and all of a sudden you notice something about your truck that could have been there all along but now you notice it as something new? Ok earlier in the week I had my exhaust resonator removed and replaced with a straight-pipe by a reputable exhaust shop. IMO the work looks to be pretty good for what it is.
That said I have always been nervous about getting exhaust work on any vehicle because it always seems like tampering with or removing the OEM plumbing for aftermarket or custom work tends to develop a vibration at some point.
So here is what I've noticed over the last couple days, when driving my truck it is extremely smooth, almost like glass. When I come to a complete stop say at a traffic light about 1-2 seconds after making the complete stop I feel this slight harmonic vibration in the steering wheel. For those of you that have an iphone it would be like having your phone bolted to the steering shaft somewhere and it on constant vibration if that makes sense.
Just to prove it only happens when I'm sitting still and idling in (D)rive I sat in my driveway with the truck idling, set the park brake and released the brake pedal holding the truck in place in (D)rive with the parking brake. No vibration, smooth as glass engine idle, as soon as I put my foot back on the brake pedal the vibration comes back. It's as if the extra draw of applying the brakes puts an extra load on some sort of accesory drive or componant under the hood and the result is this harmonic vibration.
Just so everyone knows, the vibration is very noticeable to me because I drive the truck daily, most people wouldn't pick it out if I didn't tell them first. Case in point if my wife drives the truck she can't feel it unless I tell her what to look for. There are going to be some of you that just say my truck doesn't do this and has had a smooth idle for XX,XXX miles I believe you but let me know now that I have explained exactly what to look for. Like I said for all I know it's done this since day one.
I have a feeling that the straight pipe might have been welded in slightly longer than the oem section that was removed thus putting more tention on the exhaust and engine if that makes sense, the end result being a slight vibration?? I know that manufactures put these little rubber bushings along the exhaust system on cars/ truck to absorb harmonic vibrations and for all I know my resonator might have been designed to balance out harmonic vibes in the exhaust system as well as quiet down the exhaust.
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I have an issue with my new 2011 F150 FX4 super crew with 5.0. I put a Rough Country level kit on the front struts which raised it 2.5 inches and looks great. The issue is that there is a low speed knock heard on the left side and felt through to the steering wheel. The truck has been aligned to factory specs. all bolts have been tightened, the strut has been taken off to check the top mounting bolts. Nothing appears to loose. Can't find anything. Am I forgetting something. Rough Country said it can't be the kit. It has bee used for sometime with no issues.
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I have a 2003 F150 manual 4WD with 4.6L engine and 165000 miles. When i am driving i feel a vibration in the steering wheel and on floor board that intensifies when i press the accelerator. I do hear an irregular humming that sounds like it is coming from the driver side front. I checked the wheel for any play but it was very tight. i check tie rod ends, ball joints no play. i recently changed both u-joints on the rear shaft and the bearing hub on the passenger side front. Also, the steering feels a little 'wobbly' when i make sharp turns. it almost feels like it is giving. What else should i check?
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When I accelerate at 70+, I get a very noticeable vibration that is felt into the steering wheel and throughout the cabin. I have 14,000 miles on the car, so I seriously doubt that it's the CV joint. Could it be possible that I lost some wheel weights, and it's become imbalanced?
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I drive a 16 sonata sport with 2300 miles. Dealer says it is normal but at 80+ mph, there are vibrations that can be felt in the steering wheel and seats. At low speeds car is smooth but starts to shake at 80+.
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I have a 2011 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T Limited. The 1st. problem is in the steering. Low speeds driving around a parking lot I hear steering knocking noise when turning the steering wheel in either direction.
2nd problem when going over a little rough bumpy roads sounds like the front drivers side wheel is going to fall off. allot of banging noise felt into the steering wheel.
3rd problem sometimes when driving I hear a metal pop sound coming from under the rear of the car.
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Had mine for 5K service and had them check alignment. Steering felt sluggish and wheel was a few degrees off center from the day it rolled off the lot.
Both front wheels had toe-in over 1/2". Makes you wonder if this is due to spring settling.
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My 75 Corolla wagon (2T-C 4 speed, rear wheel drive) has developed a terrible shimmy that can be felt in the steering wheel and shifter, as well as the whole car. It only does this when I am in 3rd or 4th gear doing between 35-45 mph. Over the past few months this has gotten worse, and instead of being an intermittent thing (once a week or so) it happens every time I am in the 35-45 mph range.
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2004 Toyota Tacoma... I drive 40 miles each way to work daily and sometime, usually 20 minutes into the drive, I get a vibration in the front end and felt through the floorboards and steering wheel, that get progressively worse until the entire cab is shaking. It lasts approximately 10 minutes and then it stops only to happen again on the next drive. Wheels have been checked.
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Had the top half of the intake off (2.3L) and fixed some vacuum leaks and replaced a power steering pump. Started truck and it ran funny like missing on one cylinder then cleared up then started making a loud knocking noise and running rough. Assumed that it swallowed something when I had the intake off and it got into a valve or into the cylinder. I pulled the plugs and there are no obvious signs of a problem. I also did a compression test and all 4 were around 150psi.
Put the plugs back in and started it and the same noise was there. Removed the serpent belt just in case it was power steering pump related and the noise was still there when I started the truck. Sounds like something is inside the engine still. Going to get a friends bore scope to check further. I guess I will split the manifold again and run the scope in there. Pending that I may also look down the plug holes with the scope. This is a major bummer. Not what I needed.
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I just bought a 87 Ford Ranger 2.9L v6 4x4. It has a tick to it. It doesn't stop, it doesn't increase with acceleration it stays the same. I sprayed some SeaFoam in it and It improved the performance a lot (More horsepower, better reaction to the pedal.) But it is still knocking. I have never tore apart an engine before or messed with lifters or anything. I'm not completely sure how to fix it. I know knocking is not a good thing either.
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Well I replaced the spark plugs on my 2000 ranger 2.5 l . Because the tabs for cylinder 3 and 4 I had to take of the intake. After all this i go to start it and it runs fine. When I drive it up the street it starts knocking and stumbles and dies. Now it runs with some sort of knock. Should I take it to a mechanic?
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My 2003 Ranger 2.3L When I purchased it in 2005 I never noticed this tapping noise until in 2007 when Tennessee forced 10% Ethanol added to fuel. That is when the noise started.
What this could be. I have since moved to Texas and found a station that sells Ethanol Free gas, but that does not remove the noise.
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I have a 2001 ford ranger 2.5 and a standard 5 speed. Its been knocking for a while now and recently its made a much lower tone knock, I am thinking I may have thrown a bearing. Also I am wondering what other engines I can use, besides the 2.5.....
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