Getting a new driveshaft- thump on stop/pull away and vibes at 0-15mph.

[silverflash]

I have this exact issue. My 2022 FX4 only has 25K on it. What part of the warranty covers this issue?

the bumper to bumper.

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[MountainGoat]

Mine started doing this too. Just under 29k miles. I ordered some grease and boot kit from this thread and am just going to fix it myself.

I already had the driveshaft bearing replaced a year ago when it started to squeal. Some drivetrain these Rangers have...

 

[TJC]

I did send an email, and I believe there was a email notification list I signed up for as well if the Tremor Driveshafts get produced. It does say "early 2024," so I am still holding out some hope haha

If Tom Woods builds it, you can trust it. Mine has been perfect!

 

[got3fords]

I can't understand with the symptoms some people are having, how replacing the driveshaft is a cost effective move for Ford. I mean, as long as it is machined properly, what could be wrong, joints, alignment, lubrication.

 

[TJC]

I can't understand with the symptoms some people are having, how replacing the driveshaft is a cost effective move for Ford. I mean, as long as it is machined properly, what could be wrong, joints, alignment, lubrication.

Poor design based more on cost than on performance.

Ford made the driveshaft to be disposable. I think maybe the labor and dealer costs to service are more expensive than replacement and installation costs.

Here is my reasoning

I had a team that built the desktop platforms for IBM corporate. 300K employees. I gave explicit instructions to the I/T service team. If you can't diagnose the problem in 15 minutes, take the system to the lab, and reload the image and migrate the data. If after diagnosis, you can not correct in 15 minutes, take the system to the lab, and reload the image and migrate the data.​

​

Here is why I gave the Service Techs those instructions. I had built an automated re-image and migration of data process that took a maximum of 45 minutes, and I knew with 100% certainty that the problem would be corrected in 45 minutes.​

​

I believe Ford is following similar logic.

BTW, Those replacing with the original driveshaft design will have the same problem again down the road. Ford sees It as a consumable part.

Some people simply ignore the problem and live with it.

I'm not one of them... it drove me crazy.

 

[EJH]

Poor design based more on cost than on performance.

Ford made the driveshaft to be disposable. I think maybe the labor and dealer costs to service are more expensive than replacement and installation costs.

Here is my reasoning

I had a team that built the desktop platforms for IBM corporate. 300K employees. I gave explicit instructions to the I/T service team. If you can't diagnose the problem in 15 minutes, take the system to the lab, and reload the image and migrate the data. If after diagnosis, you can not correct in 15 minutes, take the system to the lab, and reload the image and migrate the data.​

​

Here is why I gave the Service Techs those instructions. I had built an automated re-image and migration of data process that took a maximum of 45 minutes, and I knew with 100% certainty that the problem would be corrected in 45 minutes.​

​

I believe Ford is following similar logic.

BTW, Those replacing with the original driveshaft design will have the same problem again down the road. Ford sees It as a consumable part.

Some people simply ignore the problem and live with it.

I'm not one of them... it drove me crazy.

Absolutely spot on.
I get people (myself included) have a warranty and do not want to pay, for example, a Tom Woods replacement. But that replacement will work and your truck will drive better. The warrantied Ford driveshaft will still have issues.

I was so annoyed at the bump on stop and start that my dealer told me was normal, that I removed the shaft and lubed it, not one, but twice. I did it twice because the Ford repair kit sucks (crap teflon lube that didn't last). The second time I used a higher grade lube and I've been good for 8 months so far. If I had the shutter, I would have ponied up the $900 for the TW replacement shaft. Why live with a crapy driving $40k truck when it can be fixed and better for $900. Life is too short.

 

[TJC]

Exactly! And Tom Woods even installs a standard grease fitting to make lubing the splines simple. Once a year is enough.

The Ranger Driveshaft is only $699, and that includes shipping anywhere in the lower 48 states.

 

[cbkirwan]

@TJC how much did the Tom Woods install cost?

 

[EJH]

@TJC how much did the Tom Woods install cost?

Pretty sure most do it themselves. It is on the easier side of automotive DIY things.

 

[TJC]

@TJC how much did the Tom Woods install cost?

I'm 68 and I did the install myself. It took took about 1.5 - 2 hours. 4 bolts on each end for the new shaft. Two additional bolts to remove the center bearing for the original Ford shaft.

A mechanic could do it in much less time, probably an hour for them.

 

[Whiplash]

I'm 68 and I did the install myself. It took took about 1.5 - 2 hours. 4 bolts on each end for the new shaft. Two additional bolts to remove the center bearing for the original Ford shaft.

I'm 65 and about the same install time.... Hardest part was the many times I had to slide out from under the truck to set parking brake or put truck in neutral to spin shaft to access or get leverage on the bolts...Having some one sit in the drivers seat would have saved me a bunch of time and effort...

A mechanic could do it in much less time, probably an hour for them.

 

[TJC]

The older you get the harder it is to keep crawling out from under the truck! Spin the wheel or drive shaft, then pull the e-brake. Crawl back under, Unbolt, repeat several times. Do it all over again when installing,

Not technically difficult, just paying the price for being older!

It is almost as difficult working under the hood as I need a step stool just to reach anything on the 2020 Ranger.

Changing spark plugs, points and condenser was very easy in the 60's and 70s, even on V8s. Plenty of room. Not so much any longer on a V6. Much harder to get to them on my 2005 Ranger 4L V6. Lots of stuff in the way.

 

[Rotortech]

I think the OEM Ford driveshaft has 4 problems. I think the vibe / shudder issue is a combination of incorrect angles for a two piece shaft, a super soft crappy center support bearing, and a crap balance job from Dana. (I think that is who Ford sources the assembly from) If you look at my OEM assembly, there is an absolute comical amount of weights tacked all over it. Like they gave a child a box of weights, and said, "here you go, have fun!" The 4th issue being insufficient and incorrect grease type used on the splines of the slip joint.

I went round and round with this issue a year ago. My stock 2021 FX4 had horrible takeoff shudder, as well as start /stop thump from the slip joint. The Tom Woods shaft fixed the shudder for sure. However the start / stop thump came back again with the Tom Woods shaft. I eventually discovered that was MY FAULT. I used the Lithium based grease that I already had in my grease gun on the new Tom Woods shaft. Tom Woods website specifically says to use Calcium Sulfonate based grease as the superior grease for slip joint splines. I found this to be 100% true. Once I switched to a grease with a CS base, it eliminated the start / stop thump. I had no idea that grease type would make such a difference in this application.

 

[TJC]

You have a very good handle on the situation Rototech!

My 2020 SCab 4x4 Sport with locker had the same symptoms. Tom Wood's Driveshaft cured them all. My driveshaft is due for it annual grease right about now.

It REALLY made a difference in drive-ability of the truck.

Ford cut corners everywhere with the Ranger. There always are compromises in performance vs cost, and reliability vs cost.

But Ford went too far with the reliability vs cost equation, and they are paying for it with dramatic increases in warranty work and loss of repeat customers.

I am done with Ford until I see a dramatic change in reliability.

 

[carnut122]

so i have owned my 2021 fx4 since new. i noticed right away a thump when coming to a stop and also when pulling away from a stop. I also noticed a vibration when accelerating from a stop till about 15mph. I took it in to my selling dealer who applied a tsb where they added shims to the rear.

here is a more recent one but it's basically the same as the one from 2021.
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2023/MC-10233590-0001.pdf

it moved the vibes around a bit but didn't do away with them. The thump, well they weren't too excited to address but i had found threads on this being due to lack of lube and presented my case to them about ordering a clamp and lube kit so that they could lube the spline. It was on backorder and they basically jsut dropped the ball, and i said eff it, and I've jsut driven that way since then. Hasn't gotten worse in 20k miles but i have moved to a new area and decided to take it in for the above issues as well as the trans shifting wonkiness.

They came back saying trans is fine and that i need a new driveshaft- which they have ordered and they said, "driving with it like this, may cause more damage".

I did some searching and found a tsb:

Technical Service Information 23-2251

So they are replacing the driveshaft and i am hoping that fixes the shudder AND the thumping coming to a stop.

With that said, as I have the shim kit already installed, how will that interaxt with the new driveshaft? Will they need to remove that?

Being that I am up on doing my own maintenance myself (rear diff done etc), what will they touch that i will need to check behind? Will they have to drain the rear diff? Will they have to remove the rear wheels?

thanks!

Aside from your truck being under warranty, I bought the boot kit and the Ford blue synthetic grease. If you're gentle removing the band, the boot kit is not necessary as the boot and band can be reused. While I had it up in the air, I also changed out the wheels and tires. Either way, my thump has not returned since I did this a couple of months and a few thousand miles ago. too bad Ford didn't spend a couple bucks more on each truck and supply them with sufficient lubrication.

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