Harmonic droning in cab 53-60mph

[Shoran12]

So I’ll preface this and say I really do enjoy this truck so I’m not complaining but want to get things looked at while I’m still in warranty and on a day my wife has off so I’ll have a ride home. I have an appointment at the larger ford dealer in my area early March. Posting this in the event it may help someone else out in the future.
I’ve had a minor droning at roughly 53-60 mph but never paid it much attention. Chalked it up to truck characteristics or possible wind turbulence. Well today with the radio off I noticed it a bit more. It comes on at a constant speed (no acceleration or deceleration) and is felt kind of like a harmonic resonant wave throughout the cab within this speed range. It’s not wind turbulence and engine rpm doesn’t seem to change it (although it may appear slightly louder in Sport mode but the jury is still out on that) I noticed there is an SSB for an unbalanced front axle and my axle number is 1 below the affected range. Maybe this is it? Maybe drive shaft or front differential? Tires? Tires are stock. Anyway I’ll be getting this looked as well as transmission shifting because well I may as well since I’m taking the day off anyway. I don't think I’m bringing up the take off shudder or auto stop start solenoid click I have because I don’t want to come to a dealership with a list of problems and look like I’m crazy (which I am but this I already know ?).
Anyway not crapping on the truck just posting this and a follow update (depending on if my concerns are looked at) so it may be referenced by future OCD Ranger owners much like me. Suspension goes on this Friday so hoping they won’t give me crap about it but I’ve had this appointment scheduled for some time and won’t cancel it. I’ll do a follow up on that as well.

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[JasonTremor]

Is your truck leveled? Kinda looked like it in your profile picture. If so, be mentally prepared for dealer to blame that.

Could be driveshaft or tire related as well. Just throwing out ideas to consider.

 

[Shoran12]

Is your truck leveled? Kinda looked like it in your profile picture. If so, be mentally prepared for dealer to blame that.

Could be driveshaft or tire related as well. Just throwing out ideas to consider.

Nope fully stock. I have an appointment Friday for Bilsteins on all four corners and global leaf spring install that been scheduled out for a little over a month. Dealer appointment is early March which is the earliest they had. Might screw me over having the suspension upgrades done. I fall one axle number out of that SSB range so I don’t know if that may help the case. Thought about cancelling the suspension appointment but really don’t want to since an availability is scarce.

 

[JasonTremor]

Yeah, if you go forth with the suspension upgrades, the dealer may blame that unfortunately. Might check your driveshaft over and the center support bearing. There have been a few of those being replaced lately based on the posts I've seen.

 

[Shoran12]

Yeah, if you go forth with the suspension upgrades, the dealer may blame that unfortunately. Might check your driveshaft over and the center support bearing. There have been a few of those being replaced lately based on the posts I've seen.

Appreciate it. I looked those over but saw no real issues. This is the dealer I bought the truck from used with 1700 miles on it. Still deciding on the best path to take. May be able to just pretend like the suspension was like that the whole time when I purchased it, who knows. They turned the truck around in 2 days to me from the time when the customer sold it back to them.

 

[9zero1790]

i hate to say it but i agree that if anything not stock is on the truck its gonna be blame game. i would hold off until the dealer has seen it and made some sort of determination / action. hope it turns out well. mine goes to dealer in the morning for similar issues ? mines stock except for rear shocks. i expect a run around but who knows. maybe i will get lucky.

 

[Shoran12]

i hate to say it but i agree that if anything not stock is on the truck its gonna be blame game. i would hold off until the dealer has seen it and made some sort of determination / action. hope it turns out well. mine goes to dealer in the morning for similar issues ? mines stock except for rear shocks. i expect a run around but who knows. maybe i will get lucky.

Yeah appreciate the advice. That’s now what I’m thinking. I hate to push off the suspension appointment but I think I will have to. Today on the way to work I’ll set the cruise at 55 again to make sure I can consistently reproduce the issue. If I can then I guess I really have no choice but to keep it stock for a bit longer. I’m hoping whoever looks at it will take my concern’s seriously. I’ve got the runaround before at dealerships and boy is it a waste of everyone’s time. The transmission I’m guessing they’ll do a reset and send me on my way. In the meantime I may try to find a road where I can do the transmission learn procedure properly. I’m thinking that has a lot to do with the funky shifting patterns in these transmissions when new. I’ll ask them to check fluid level while I’m in and I’m tempted to mark the dipstick in some way so I can tell it was actually checked. I may play the dumb card and ask them if they would be kind enough to let me watch them check it so I can learn for future reference. I’d do it in my driveway but my driveway isn’t a very level surface. Good luck on your appointment today. Let us know what you find out.

 

[Shoran12]

Well went ahead and rescheduled the suspension appointment for two weeks after the dealership appointment. I put the truck in cruise at 55 today and while it wasn’t as loud, the droning is still noticeable. I may get the “we don’t notice anything” response or “that’s normal” but I’ll ride with the tech and show him the best I can. If nothing is done, I can live with it. As so eloquently quoted in The Departed, “I'm f****** Irish, I'll deal with something being wrong for the rest of my life.” ?

 

[9zero1790]

dropped it off this morning and the service writer was friendly (and attractive). She seemed to take notes of some of what I said so hopefully it will get fixed. We shall see. im not holding my breathe. this dealer did not have a huge crowd in the service area or rows of cars and trucks waiting so maybe its a good sign

 

[Dr_Strangelove]

Shane I think it was smart of you to not do the suspension before you ask them to troubleshoot this issue. While it very well may not have anything to do with your problem - changing something on the truck gives them an "offramp" to pass the buck for diagnosis. Keeping the truck stock at least you can point to that and say "it shouldn't be like this from the factory." Good luck!

 

[SilverSlugger]

Mine has the same thing going on from 67-72mph. It's been exactly the same since I bought it, roughly 20k miles ago. I've never had Ford look at it but depending on what they tell you I may go through the process.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Appreciate it. I looked those over but saw no real issues. This is the dealer I bought the truck from used with 1700 miles on it. Still deciding on the best path to take. May be able to just pretend like the suspension was like that the whole time when I purchased it, who knows. They turned the truck around in 2 days to me from the time when the customer sold it back to them.

Hi Shane,

It is important to have the dealer run their NVH diagnostic equipment to determine the frequency and order. This will help to zero in on what is going on with the droning. Otherwise it is likely a crap shoot

 

[Shoran12]

dropped it off this morning and the service writer was friendly (and attractive). She seemed to take notes of some of what I said so hopefully it will get fixed. We shall see. im not holding my breathe. this dealer did not have a huge crowd in the service area or rows of cars and trucks waiting so maybe its a good sign

What issues did you tell them you had if you don’t mind me asking? Did they tell you if they had any idea long will they expect to have your truck?

 

[Shoran12]

Hi Shane,

It is important to have the dealer run their NVH diagnostic equipment to determine the frequency and order. This will help to zero in on what is going on with the droning. Otherwise it is likely a crap shoot

When I drop off the truck should I ask for this type of testing to be done or is this something they do standard with these types of complaints?

 

[Shoran12]

Shane I think it was smart of you to not do the suspension before you ask them to troubleshoot this issue. While it very well may not have anything to do with your problem - changing something on the truck gives them an "offramp" to pass the buck for diagnosis. Keeping the truck stock at least you can point to that and say "it shouldn't be like this from the factory." Good luck!

Appreciate it. I’ll keep everyone posted. I can live with these issues but I need to at least attempt to get it addressed while still under warranty. My guess is it will be chalked up no a normal characteristic of these trucks (same with transmission) but all I can do is try. If these are both normal so be it and I’ll continue on with the suspension upgrades and most likely a tune in the future.

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