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

[navsnipe]

Has anyone gotten this TSB done that hasn't been given a line of crap?
My truck is going in Monday for a minor cosmetic fix and to have them check the vibration that seems to meet the language of the TSB. I hope I have a better experience. I hope i don't regret leaving Audi after 14 years because I wanted a truck again.

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[commbubba19]

I contacted the dealership service dpt where I bought mine and they tried to tell me that unless I had already brought the truck in for this prior to the TSB, they cannot address it without pre-approval from Ford... I informed them that is not what the TSB states but they tried to claim that the information I have is incorrect. So requesting to speak to the service manager was even more aggravating when he tried to tell me that the TSB didn't even apply to mine since it was a 2WD and this TSB is specifically for the FX4 models only.

My exchange with the service manager...

Me "You are looking at TSB 20-2277 correct?"
Him "Yes sir"
Me "OK.. So it states 2019-2020 Ranger correct?"
Him "Yes sir"
Me "Shudder/vibration when accelerating from a stop, correct?"
Him "Yes sir"
Me "So where does it state this is only for the FX4 models?"
Him "It states Some 2019-2020 Ranger vehicles may exhibit a shudder/vibration. That's referencing the FX4."
Me "So you're saying that the use of the term "some" in this TSB means FX4?"
Him "That is correct"
Me "...Really?... I'm just trying to clarify this here.. You're telling me that Ford, a multi-billion dollar company. One with an entire team devoted to ensuring that releases such as this are worded so that there is little to no opportunity to be misinterpreted would willingly and knowingly use an innocuous term such as "Some" to stand in place for FX4? Correct?"
Him "...Well um.. That's the information we have on it is this is only for the FX4's and your truck is only a 2wd so even if it has similar vibrations there is a different reason for that, such as an out of balance tire, suspension damage, modifications made, or simply coming from the road."
Me "...Well thank you for doing your part to build loyalty to the dealership and Ford, have a nice day."

So now I am waiting for the general manager to call me back about this. I don't plan on taking my truck back there as a result of this and may still contact Ford about it as well.

It never ceases to amaze me how dealership service departments seemingly go out of their way to push customers away. Clearly where there's enough vehicles with the same issue that the manufacturer releases a TSB on it, the service departments are not out anything as they will be reimbursed for the labor and parts, yet some such as this and what @ChiefQM have done go way out of their way to actively strive to refuse to honor the TSB's.

Find a different dealer. That one obviously sucks.

 

[ChiefQM]

Find a different dealer. That one obviously sucks.

Find a different dealer. That one obviously sucks.

I took mine to a different dealer (before the new TSB came out last month) and got pretty much the same runaround. They found a truck of theirs that had the same issues and said it was normal. I think Ford is telling them to make us go away thinking that it's normal and as good as it gets.

 

[RedlandRanger]

I took mine to a different dealer (before the new TSB came out last month) and got pretty much the same runaround. They found a truck of theirs that had the same issues and said it was normal. I think Ford is telling them to make us go away thinking that it's normal and as good as it gets.

I would respond "If it is as good as it gets why did they create the TSB?". All the dealer stories are infuriating.... I'm just glad I haven't had to deal with any of that. I still need to get the recall for the taillight done, but I'm not worried about it.

 

[ChiefQM]

I got under the truck this morning and took the measurements as described in the TSB instructions. The truck was level, evidenced by 0 degrees on the angle finder. I measured the horizontal face of the rear axle flange yoke and got 6.25 degrees (probably a skosh more than 6.25, but as I am using an analog angle finder, it is my best estimation.). Per the TSB instructions and subtracting 5.25 from 6.25 gives me 1 degree of shim necessary, give or take. Which leaves me wondering how the service advisor got the figure of 5.4 degrees he quoted me?

As @navsnipe mentioned, to get the angle difference between the two pinion flanges, I also measured the face of the rear end pinion flange as shown in the video he posted above and got 86 degrees, or 4 degrees off 90 degrees. I was unable to get a flat surface on the pinion flange to take an angle measurement at the aft end of the center carrier, but the face of the transmission output pinion flange was 84 degrees, 2 degrees difference from the rear end pinion.

The rear driveshaft is also out of phase by about 5 degrees.

Can one of you engineers tell me how what I just measured would relate to having the rear end shimmed solve my problem?

 

[navsnipe]

I got under the truck this morning and took the measurements as described in the TSB instructions. The truck was level, evidenced by 0 degrees on the angle finder. I measured the horizontal face of the rear axle flange yoke and got 6.25 degrees (probably a skosh more than 6.25, but as I am using an analog angle finder, it is my best estimation.). Per the TSB instructions and subtracting 5.25 from 6.25 gives me 1 degree of shim necessary, give or take. Which leaves me wondering how the service advisor got the figure of 5.4 degrees he quoted me?

As @navsnipe mentioned, to get the angle difference between the two pinion flanges, I also measured the face of the rear end pinion flange as shown in the video he posted above and got 86 degrees, or 4 degrees off 90 degrees. I was unable to get a flat surface on the pinion flange to take an angle measurement at the aft end of the center carrier, but the face of the transmission output pinion flange was 84 degrees, 2 degrees difference from the rear end pinion.

The rear driveshaft is also out of phase by about 5 degrees.

Can one of you engineers tell me how what I just measured would relate to having the rear end shimmed solve my problem?

I had some trouble getting the some of the angle measurements too. My analog gauge is bigger than the device shown in the TSB. I may borrow a digital angle gauge from a friend to get a more accurate measurement before Monday's visit to the dealer.

 

[navsnipe]

anyone have luck using their phone app to check angles?
i really dont feel like buying a tool to use it once

I hadn't thought of that. I will give it shot tomorrow morning.

 

[navsnipe]

Just installed the Clinometer app on my phone. Very cool, my wife is looking at me like I'm nuts checking the dining room table level. I have to resist the urge to go out and check it now. It's a little dark out.

Ranger Pride, thanks for the suggestion!

 

[Metalshift]

I got under the truck this morning and took the measurements as described in the TSB instructions. The truck was level, evidenced by 0 degrees on the angle finder. I measured the horizontal face of the rear axle flange yoke and got 6.25 degrees (probably a skosh more than 6.25, but as I am using an analog angle finder, it is my best estimation.). Per the TSB instructions and subtracting 5.25 from 6.25 gives me 1 degree of shim necessary, give or take. Which leaves me wondering how the service advisor got the figure of 5.4 degrees he quoted me?

As @navsnipe mentioned, to get the angle difference between the two pinion flanges, I also measured the face of the rear end pinion flange as shown in the video he posted above and got 86 degrees, or 4 degrees off 90 degrees. I was unable to get a flat surface on the pinion flange to take an angle measurement at the aft end of the center carrier, but the face of the transmission output pinion flange was 84 degrees, 2 degrees difference from the rear end pinion.

The rear driveshaft is also out of phase by about 5 degrees.

Can one of you engineers tell me how what I just measured would relate to having the rear end shimmed solve my problem?

All 3 angles should add up to zero.

 

[Rp930]

 

[Jfleming]

I have a digital angle gauge in my wood shop so I thought I would measure my 2020 Ranger per the instructions in the TSB just to see what I get.

Let me say, my truck has absolutely no vibration or shudder at all. I was just curious what results I would get. Plus I was bored and happen to own the angle finder they recommend using already.

I "zero-ed" the tool on the long flat part of the frame under the left doors. (See Below)

Next I measured the angle on the pinion flange as shown in the TSB. Mine was 5.2 degrees. (See Below) Ford is apparently looking for 5.25.

As for the carrier bearing (some people have talked about shimming that as well, although it is not part of this TSB) I put the angle finder on the rear shaft and zero-ed the gauge. Next I put the gauge on the front shaft to determine the difference or how co-linear the two shafts are. Mine had a difference of 0.1 degrees. In other words the two halves of the drive shaft are pretty darn straight while at rest. Virtually the same as if it were one solid shaft.

Not sure if this will help anyone who is experiencing an issue with their truck or not. Just posting this as a reference. My truck was assembled on June 11, 2020 and currently has a whopping 700 miles on it. (I don't get out much)

 

[Big Blue]

As a designer that worked on high speed converting equipment, I'm still having trouble with the line shaft phasing. Only reason I can come up with is to adjust the frequency of the pulses to get them to where they are not noticeable. Any time you run a universal joint there are speed pulses unless the joint is dead straight. And, running a universal dead straight is not advisable as any slop in the joint will show up in the system as drive shaft slap. In the case of a double joint shaft the center section will always see speed/phase pulses even though the input and output are running smooth and in phase. Just the nature of the beast. These pulses are normally once per revolution. The phasing of the shaft yokes is probably to Induce an irregular pulse to effectively increase that frequency. Got to make balancing a nightmare.

A three joint two shaft system makes all this even more complicated as none of the shafts are parallel. Throw in the changing pinion angle due to suspension movement (vehicle loading, acceleration, etc) and shaft speed. This now becomes a very complicated if not interesting problem. The best you can do is to get close and minimize the problem. Now throw in a lift/level and all the angles change.

Not trying to make excuses or say some trucks don't have an issue. Personally, I have not experienced the issue with my truck. Mine is a bone stock XLT FX4. Just trying to maybe understand the issue and why some things were done the way they were. Evidently the window between having an issue and not is fairly narrow and tweaking an angle half a degree one way or another is enough to minimize it.

Hopefully this long dissertation makes sense and is helpful to someone. and if someone more knowledgeable than me has a better explanation I would love to hear it.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

As a designer that worked on high speed converting equipment, I'm still having trouble with the line shaft phasing. Only reason I can come up with is to adjust the frequency of the pulses to get them to where they are not noticeable. Any time you run a universal joint there are speed pulses unless the joint is dead straight. And, running a universal dead straight is not advisable as any slop in the joint will show up in the system as drive shaft slap. In the case of a double joint shaft the center section will always see speed/phase pulses even though the input and output are running smooth and in phase. Just the nature of the beast. These pulses are normally once per revolution. The phasing of the shaft yokes is probably to Induce an irregular pulse to effectively increase that frequency. Got to make balancing a nightmare.

A three joint two shaft system makes all this even more complicated as none of the shafts are parallel. Throw in the changing pinion angle due to suspension movement (vehicle loading, acceleration, etc) and shaft speed. This now becomes a very complicated if not interesting problem. The best you can do is to get close and minimize the problem. Now throw in a lift/level and all the angles change.

Not trying to make excuses or say some trucks don't have an issue. Personally, I have not experienced the issue with my truck. Mine is a bone stock XLT FX4. Just trying to maybe understand the issue and why some things were done the way they were. Evidently the window between having an issue and not is fairly narrow and tweaking an angle half a degree one way or another is enough to minimize it.

Hopefully this long dissertation makes sense and is helpful to someone. and if someone more knowledgeable than me has a better explanation I would love to hear it.

Hi Lee,

U joints are 2nd order or two pulses per revolution of a shaft.... What you say is pretty much spot on...the Ranger appears quite sensitive to driveline shudder. My Ranger is silky smooth...like your's is too.

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

 

[navsnipe]

I have a digital angle gauge in my wood shop so I thought I would measure my 2020 Ranger per the instructions in the TSB just to see what I get.

Let me say, my truck has absolutely no vibration or shudder at all. I was just curious what results I would get. Plus I was bored and happen to own the angle finder they recommend using already.

I "zero-ed" the tool on the long flat part of the frame under the left doors. (See Below)

Next I measured the angle on the pinion flange as shown in the TSB. Mine was 5.2 degrees. (See Below) Ford is apparently looking for 5.25.

As for the carrier bearing (some people have talked about shimming that as well, although it is not part of this TSB) I put the angle finder on the rear shaft and zero-ed the gauge. Next I put the gauge on the front shaft to determine the difference or how co-linear the two shafts are. Mine had a difference of 0.1 degrees. In other words the two halves of the drive shaft are pretty darn straight while at rest. Virtually the same as if it were one solid shaft.

Not sure if this will help anyone who is experiencing an issue with their truck or not. Just posting this as a reference. My truck was assembled on June 11, 2020 and currently has a whopping 700 miles on it. (I don't get out much)

This gives hope that if you have a stock truck and have the shudder the TSB, applied properly, should be the answer.

 

[Big Blue]

Hi Lee,

U joints are 2nd order or two pulses per revolution of a shaft.... What you say is pretty much spot on...the Ranger appears quite sensitive to driveline shudder. My Ranger is silky smooth...like your's is too.

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

Hi Phil,

Thanks for the correction and comment. I should have remembered the second order thing. Vibration analysis wasn't a strength of mine, we had experts for that.

I'm just the son of a journeyman machinist who built subs and worked in shipyards during WWII. learned a lot from him. Only have a 2 year degree but 45 years of experience. So, I did pick up a few things along the way.

I really enjoy all your stories from your time at Ford and racing. You add a wealth of knowledge to the forum and your opinions are well respected.

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