Brake stutter when coming to complete stop

[Truck2019]

I mentioned this in a longer post, but wanted to make this a stand alone topic. I notice almost every time I come to a stop there is a small clunk that I can feel. It usually happens after I stop and then let off the gas to start going again, or just before I come to a complete stop. How fast or slow I stop doesn't seem to make a difference. It's almost like a stutter, but the RPM's don't seem to move. It's like something is engaging or disengaging but I didn't notice it until a couple weeks ago. I plan to mention it at the first service but wanted to be armed with some ideas as to it's cause. Passengers have noticed it as well. It's not the start stop as I always have that off.

Thoughts?

Edit: Lariat FX4 SuperCrew

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[RedlandRanger]

I mentioned this in a longer post, but wanted to make this a stand alone topic. I notice almost every time I come to a stop there is a small clunk that I can feel. It usually happens after I stop and then let off the gas to start going again, or just before I come to a complete stop. How fast or slow I stop doesn't seem to make a difference. It's almost like a stutter, but the RPM's don't seem to move. It's like something is engaging or disengaging but I didn't notice it until a couple weeks ago. I plan to mention it at the first service but wanted to be armed with some ideas as to it's cause. Passengers have noticed it as well. It's not the start stop as I always have that off.

Thoughts?

If you can replicate it consistently, I'd take it to the dealer and/or ask to compare to another Ranger on the lot. I don't feel anything like that on mine. Sorry I don't have more suggestions.

 

[Truck2019]

If you can replicate it consistently, I'd take it to the dealer and/or ask to compare to another Ranger on the lot. I don't feel anything like that on mine. Sorry I don't have more suggestions.

It happens pretty consistently, I'd say at least 80% of the time. I'll let everyone know what I find out, but if anyone else has the same issue or any suggestions I'm all ears.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

I mentioned this in a longer post, but wanted to make this a stand alone topic. I notice almost every time I come to a stop there is a small clunk that I can feel. It usually happens after I stop and then let off the gas to start going again, or just before I come to a complete stop. How fast or slow I stop doesn't seem to make a difference. It's almost like a stutter, but the RPM's don't seem to move. It's like something is engaging or disengaging but I didn't notice it until a couple weeks ago. I plan to mention it at the first service but wanted to be armed with some ideas as to it's cause. Passengers have noticed it as well. It's not the start stop as I always have that off.

Thoughts?

Hi Truck2019

4x4 or 4x2?

Things like this are hard for a customer to explain to provide diagnostic direction. The condition sounds like slip/stick. Does the clunk change noticeably louder under aggressive braking vs gentle rolling stop? Can you make it clunk if someone pushes the nose of the truck up and down in a bouncing motion when static? How about rocking back and forth? Clunk then?...these sort of preliminary diagnostics can help identify which systems come in to play, be it front axle, suspension, Brakes etc. If a 4x4, it could be ring gear to pinion backlash, sticking hublock or ????

Sorry I cannot pinpoint this for you, but hopefully your dealer and you providing some answers to the above will result in a quick diagnosis and correction.

best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[Truck2019]

Hi Truck2019

4x4 or 4x2?

Things like this are hard for a customer to explain to provide diagnostic direction. The condition sounds like slip/stick. Does the clunk change noticeably louder under aggressive braking vs gentle rolling stop? Can you make it clunk if someone pushes the nose of the truck up and down in a bouncing motion when static? How about rocking back and forth? Clunk then?...these sort of preliminary diagnostics can help identify which systems come in to play, be it front axle, suspension, Brakes etc. If a 4x4, it could be ring gear to pinion backlash, sticking hublock or ????

Sorry I cannot pinpoint this for you, but hopefully your dealer and you providing some answers to the above will result in a quick diagnosis and correction.

best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

Hi Phil,

This definitely helps! I'll play around with it based on some of your suggestions. It is a 4x4 with the FX4 package. I think it's more of a feel than an audible sound, but it's definitely noticeable. When I told a passenger to pay attention while I stopped, they noticed it the first time so hopefully I can replicate just as easily with the dealer. When I come to a complete stop and the small clunk occurs and then I go forward 10ft and stop again (in stop and go traffic) it doesn't happen. It's only on the initial stop after driving at normal speeds. I'll try some of the other suggestions as well.

 

[CK_One]

I am also experiencing this exact issue. I have a Lariat 4x4 FX4. It feels like it's coming from the Rear. My build date was May 2019.

I'll will bring this up at my first service as well. But interested to know what you find out too

 

[P. A. Schilke]

I am also experiencing this exact issue. I have a Lariat 4x4 FX4. It feels like it's coming from the Rear. My build date was May 2019.

I'll will bring this up at my first service as well. But interested to know what you find out too

Hi Chris,

You may have provided a key piece of information with your assessment it comes from the rear...not that it pinpoints the concern, but in the diagnosis, a good diagnostician does not discount any information. Thanks for the additional info!

best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[lpgonzales]

I am also experiencing this exact issue. I have a Lariat 4x4 FX4. It feels like it's coming from the Rear. My build date was May 2019.

I'll will bring this up at my first service as well. But interested to know what you find out too

I am also interested in what anybody finds out. I also have the exact same issue. I have a 4x4 Lariat Crew Cab but I do not have the FX4 package. I have experimented with the problem and found that if I come to a stop with pretty aggressive braking it doesn't seem to happen. If I very, very slow roll to a stop it doesn't happen. But any other kind of stop and it happens almost 100 percent of the time. I can also feel it occasionally right when I take my foot off the brake to pull out from a stop, but this happens much less consistently. It does not seem to happen when braking in reverse but I need to pay more attention to that. I have had the truck a little over two weeks and I noticed it immediately. I have not taken it back in for service because I wanted to be able to explain what is happening. It almost feels like something is loose in the braking system. Either that or a transmission gear shift thing. As a passenger, if you pay attention, you can feel it as well.

 

[doug910]

I think I know what you are talking about. It doesn't happen very often in my truck (maybe once every few weeks?), but sometimes there is a clunk that comes from the rear when coming to the stop.

I want to say it has something to do with the torque converter locking/unlocking when coming to a stop. It typically just unlocks right before coming to a stop to prevent engine stall, but maybe it locks up sometimes when it's confused/thinks you might start moving again.

Again, this is just my hunch and I have not done anything to diagnose it since it happens so infrequently. If you can regularly replicate the issue, I would take it to the dealer (although I'm afraid they're just going to say "that's just how it is, the 10 speed is a busy transmission"...)

 

[Black Beauty]

I also have the same issue. Mine happens about 25% of the time. Doesn't shutter/clunk when stopping gently. I have a XLT 4X2. Not sure if it is something to do with the tranny/driveshaft or brakes. I had the tranny just updated a week ago but it didn't affect the shutter issue. I notice that the clunk feel happens right at the full stop. I had a couple of times when I pulled into the garage I would stop, then shift to reverse to use the backup camera to see if I was far enough in the garage. I would get a hard shift putting it in reverse and also putting it back in drive. I had it do it 5-6 times in a row one day. Could it be the U Joints. I also have the 1500 rpm miss feeling on the first start and drive in our community.

 

[t4thfavor]

I notice a similar clunk when starting off. It sounds to me like it's coming from the front though. It sort of sounds like the noise a spring would make if it were to bind, then unload.

It's not consistent enough for me to track down though. I figure I'll just see if it gets worse, then worry about it.

 

[Truck2019]

Well I'm glad I'm not alone! The best way I can describe it is that is feels like the brakes stick for a half second. Sometimes right before complete stop sometimes right after letting off the brake to go. If the brakes were sticking it would seem odd that the issue could occur both when coming to a complete stop as well as letting off the brakes when ready to go. It seems like sticking brakes would not have a "clunk" when coming to a stop, only when releasing.

Doug910 mentioning the torque converter seems like a good possibility. This would allow a "clunk" to happen on both leading into and coming out of a stop.

I don't believe I have ever had the "clunk" both coming into an out of the same stop. It seems to just happen once per stopping instance. Hmmm

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Well I'm glad I'm not alone! The best way I can describe it is that is feels like the brakes stick for a half second. Sometimes right before complete stop sometimes right after letting off the brake to go. If the brakes were sticking it would seem odd that the issue could occur both when coming to a complete stop as well as letting off the brakes when ready to go. It seems like sticking brakes would not have a "clunk" when coming to a stop, only when releasing.

Doug910 mentioning the torque converter seems like a good possibility. This would allow a "clunk" to happen on both leading into and coming out of a stop.

I don't believe I have ever had the "clunk" both coming into an out of the same stop. It seems to just happen once per stopping instance. Hmmm

Hi

If you can, while in Drive, click the + button on the shifter. A gear chart should appear on the right side of the instrument panel. See if the clunk occurs when the transmission drops into first gear and if the start up clunk is on the next upshift to 2nd or 3rd..

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[Truck2019]

Hi

If you can, while in Drive, click the + button on the shifter. A gear chart should appear on the right side of the instrument panel. See if the clunk occurs when the transmission drops into first gear and if the start up clunk is on the next upshift to 2nd or 3rd..

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

Hi Phil,

Just tried it out and I can get it to stutter even if I leave it in first. It’s not as replicable at slow speeds in 1st with automatic (because it wants to shift pretty quickly), but if I put it in manual sport and leave it in first it feels pretty similar to when I’m doing my normal driving and coming to a stop.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Hi Phil,

Just tried it out and I can get it to stutter even if I leave it in first. It’s not as replicable at slow speeds in 1st with automatic (because it wants to shift pretty quickly), but if I put it in manual sport and leave it in first it feels pretty similar to when I’m doing my normal driving and coming to a stop.

Hi,

That pretty much takes shift quality out of the equation. Wonder if there is some sort of driveline shutter occurring? Is your truck a 4x4? Is it a Supercab or a Super Crew? The Super Crew is a two piece rear driveshaft, and these are prone to shutter at the center bearing. U joints have acceptable performance limit of about 4° so in long wheelbases, a two piece drive shaft is used. There is also a critical speed and long shafts reach critical speed at much lower driveshaft speeds. Critical speed is where the driveshaft starts to become like a jump rope. You can increase critical speed by use of lightweight materials like composites or aluminum for example, but usually the design will dictate a two piece rear driveshaft.

There are some cases where you can shim the center bearing and minimize shutter, but this is trial an error and I do not recommend doing such.

Short answer is you may have to live with the shutter as it is symptomatic of the two piece design.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

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