TSB 20-2277 2019-2020 Ranger - Shudder/Vibration When Accelerating From A Stop

[navsnipe]

I checked the transmission fluid on mine. Have the burns on my hand to prove it lol. My fluid level was spot on. I don't notice the start up shudder after I set my pinion angle to 5.2*. I do still have the 1500rpm vibration which occurs each upshift or downshift as the rpm's pass thru 1500. I think many owners are calling that start up shudder. It's better in sport mode but I don't like cruising at 2700 rpm. The trans needs a major recalibration by Ford. Whoever tuned it to upshift so early and lug at low rpms like it does needs to go back to the drawing board. Reason why many guys say these issues get much better after an aftermarket or Ford racing tune.

Sounds like we'll have to visit you in Wisconsin to get the TSB done properly

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[Texasota]

Whoever tuned it to upshift so early and lug at low rpms like it does needs to go back to the drawing board. Reason why many guys say these issues get much better after an aftermarket or Ford racing tune.

Putting it into "tow" mode via the button on the console is a great solution for this problem. I often do that for city driving and it shifts perfectly.

 

[ChiefQM]

Putting it into "tow" mode via the button on the console is a great solution for this problem. I often do that for city driving and it shifts perfectly.

I have done that for a couple of days now and that makes all the difference. Smooth shifts and the RPMs are held above 1500 RPM. Starting a long trip tomorrow and will use the Tow mode in town, normal shifting on the highways.

 

[navsnipe]

A few thoughts on the start up shudder concern. I'm a 27 year Ford/Lincoln technician. Recently purchased a new 2021 Ranger XLT Crew Cab 4x4 FX4. Noticed it had slight shudder I guess you could say starting from a stop. It also has a higher frequency vibration and drone at 1500rpm most noticeable on decel around 30mph but happens on downshifts at any speed around 1500rpm.

Now having driven many trucks I kind of chalked it up to normal truck-isms. But coming across this TSB, got me interested if there were any improvement to be had. I did notice putting 200lbs of weight in the bed was enough to make a noticeable improvement in the start up shudder. I measured the pinion angle per the TSB and found mine to be 5.7*. Right in Fords spec of 5-6*. Adding weight to the rear I found the pinion angle to decrease slightly to 5.5*. So assuming a slight decrease would help, I ordered and installed the shims per the TSB. I installed the 0.5* shims as an attempt to get my pinion angle to 5.2* which Ford has as the optimal setting. I did achieve a perfect 5.2* after installing the 0.5* shims. And did achieve a marked improvement.

Is the truck smooth as glass? No, but it is better than where I started. It had no effect on the 1500rpm vibration which I feel is more engine or transmission related. I have read that a tune may help and noticed the problem is reduced in sport mode where the truck is rarely at 1500rpm.

After installing this TSB kit, I can see how dealer techs may struggle some. The directions are contradictory. Getting an accurate measurement to work from can be tricky. I see guys using these magnetic angle gauges incorrectly. The tool needs to be flush on the yoke flange or your reading could be off .5* easily. As long as you are using the gauge correctly you should be able to verify you did the adjustment correctly by remeasuring after the adjustments were made.

Lastly by reading some of the posts in this thread, I'm not convinced all the complaints are about the start up shudder. These trucks have other vibrations, sensations unrelated to to pinion angle or driveshaft induced vibration.

Did new u-bolts come with the TSB kit? The reason I ask is the u-bolts that were used with the TSB are longer than what was originally on the truck. The tech left the original flats shims, two on the left and one on the right, and added the angle shims. The tech writer told me the TSB says to do that but it is not what the TSB states.

It appears if they took out the flat shim on the right and replaced it with the angle shim there may not be enough threads left on the u-bolt. I have not tried to remove the flat shim to test but I did measure the threaded portion.

 

[JTDay]

I finally got my Ranger in to the dealer yesterday. When I first contacted them on 5/13, the attached list was a bit shorter. I'm pretty concerned that they won't be able to fix any of the issues and the long-term durability of the truck is not going to be good but we'll see. Best case scenario they fix it and it lasts 200k miles, worst case is lemon law and I buy a Maverick or maybe a Bronco assuming it doesn't have the same problems. I'll keep it updated.

 

[Sashimi_Moto]

I only occasionally experience the shudder when taking off from a stop in the first gear, but it's there and I can consistently make it occur with the amount of throttle application.

Once I attach my trailer ~7klbs, It will shudder in the first 3 goddamn gears. And I have airbags to alleviate the squat.

I need to sort out the easy button to remedy this myself - don't have time for dealerships and the ones in WA are so awful - they're why I bought my truck from a dealer in TX and had it shipped here.

 

[Milkmaster]

My Ranger vibrates a great deal and enough I have been spending the effort to figure it out. I was beneath my Ranger this weekend looking at the rear end drive train. Man the light springs holding the rear axle let the rear end flex so easy. I was getting groceries out and noticed how just a ten pound bag of sugar on the tailgate made the truck drop about an inch. I did a little test as well. I watched the rear end try to move with the emergency brake on fully. My wife would put it in gear and add just a slight amount of accelerator pedal while I watched. No wonder it shudders when you take off after what I saw. The rear end springs are so light the axle will turn a surprisingly amount thereby making the U joint oscillate. I know all rear drive vehicles flex a little, but I haven't seen any vehicle in my 62 years flex this amount just putting it in gear and slightly applying a little power. I checked and no leaf springs are broken. I wish I had a gopro or some sort of camera to set up and see it in action during normal driving acceleration.

 

[navsnipe]

My Ranger vibrates a great deal and enough I have been spending the effort to figure it out. I was beneath my Ranger this weekend looking at the rear end drive train. Man the light springs holding the rear axle let the rear end flex so easy. I was getting groceries out and noticed how just a ten pound bag of sugar on the tailgate made the truck drop about an inch. I did a little test as well. I watched the rear end try to move with the emergency brake on fully. My wife would put it in gear and add just a slight amount of accelerator pedal while I watched. No wonder it shudders when you take off after what I saw. The rear end springs are so light the axle will turn a surprisingly amount thereby making the U joint oscillate. I know all rear drive vehicles flex a little, but I haven't seen any vehicle in my 62 years flex this amount just putting it in gear and slightly applying a little power. I checked and no leaf springs are broken. I wish I had a gopro or some sort of camera to set up and see it in action during normal driving acceleration.

I met someone last year that had a 2011 or 2012 F-150 crewcab with V-6 Ecoboost that had a similar issue and became worse when trailering. Ford shimmed the rear axle angle, shimmed the center bearing, and reprogrammed the transmission to no avail. Ford issued a TSB which replaced the leaf springs with a multi-spring leaf pack which resolved the issue. He sold the truck shortly after that.

He mentioned he would have some severe axle windup with the original setup and temporarily resolved it with helper/overload springs but Ford told him it would void the warranty or make the truck ineligible for any TSB resolutions so he removed it before the TSB mentioned above.

 

[CompDude]

I met someone last year that had a 2011 or 2012 F-150 crewcab with V-6 Ecoboost that had a similar issue and became worse when trailering. Ford shimmed the rear axle angle, shimmed the center bearing, and reprogrammed the transmission to no avail. Ford issued a TSB which replaced the leaf springs with a multi-spring leaf pack which resolved the issue. He sold the truck shortly after that.

He mentioned he would have some severe axle windup with the original setup and temporarily resolved it with helper/overload springs but Ford told him it would void the warranty or make the truck ineligible for any TSB resolutions so he removed it before the TSB mentioned above.

I had the TSB done it helped some but after I shimmed the center bearing 3/4 of an inch it is finally gone..

 

[navsnipe]

I had the TSB done it helped some but after I shimmed the center bearing 3/4 of an inch it is finally gone..

Is your suspension height stock level? What was your pinion angle after the TSB?

 

[CompDude]

Is your suspension height stock level? What was your pinion angle after the TSB?

Yes.. Around 6

 

[Big Blue]

My Ranger vibrates a great deal and enough I have been spending the effort to figure it out. I was beneath my Ranger this weekend looking at the rear end drive train. Man the light springs holding the rear axle let the rear end flex so easy. I was getting groceries out and noticed how just a ten pound bag of sugar on the tailgate made the truck drop about an inch.

Not to doubt your observations, but after reading that a 10 pound bag of sugar lowered you truck an inch, I had to measure my FX4. I went out and measured the height of my tailgate with nothing in the bed of the truck. Then I sat my 175 pound butt on the edge of the tailgate. It dropped almost exactly 1 inch. So unless the FX4 springs are much stiffer than the 4X2 springs or my bathroom scale is way off, that was one heavy 10 pound bag of sugar. A 10 pound bag of sugar will bearly take the slack out of my tailgate cables.

 

[navsnipe]

Not to doubt your observations, but after reading that a 10 pound bag of sugar lowered you truck an inch, I had to measure my FX4. I went out and measured the height of my tailgate with nothing in the bed of the truck. Then I sat my 175 pound butt on the edge of the tailgate. It dropped almost exactly 1 inch. So unless the FX4 springs are much stiffer than the 4X2 springs or my bathroom scale is way off, that was one heavy 10 pound bag of sugar. A 10 pound bag of sugar will bearly take the slack out of my tailgate cables.

Maybe it was one of those blivit bags.

 

[Meangreen92lx]

Yes new u-bolts came in the kit. There is only a 6mm shim on the left that gets removed. The new shims come in different thicknesses depending if you are installing them on the right or left. The left side is 6mm thick plus the taper they incorporate to change the pinion angle. The right is very thin with a taper.

 

[navsnipe]

Yes new u-bolts came in the kit. There is only a 6mm shim on the left that gets removed. The new shims come in different thicknesses depending if you are installing them on the right or left. The left side is 6mm thick plus the taper they incorporate to change the pinion angle. The right is very thin with a taper.

Did your truck have one existing flat shim on the right and two on the left? I've noticed not all Rangers have have an existing flat shim on the right.

Were the U-Bolts that came with the TSB longer than the U-Bolts than the original U-Bolts on the truck?

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