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

[ChiefQM]

So I got the TSB done. The shudder is still there but there is an improvement. I took a look underneath at the leaf springs. I noticed that I have 2 shims on the left and 2 thinner shims on the right. Can someone clarify if that seems right or wrong. Based on what I gathered from the TSB instructions, I should only have 1 thick shim on the left and 1 thin shim on the right. Is that correct?

That was how I understood the instructions.

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[rdgallo]

Full disclosure: I'm one of the lucky ~75% of the people who do not have the problem. My truck is bone stock, I occasionally pull my ~4000 lb travel trailer or haul stuff in the bed.

I find it hard to believe that drive shaft angles are that critical. Any time you load the truck, hook up a trailer or cause the rear end hight to change those angles change.

But spitballing here. Why do 75% of the people answering the pole not have the problem if it is a physical design problem with the drive shaft? Yes, I can see this if only people with lifts had the problem as they are intentionally changing the angles. But, this is not the case as stock trucks have it too. Why is the drive shaft being singled out so much as the source? Because it is the easiest thing to mess with? Trucks have had two piece drive shafts before, you would think they would have it done by now. Why not look at other possibilities? How about transmission fluid fill level, been a known issue from the factory in the Passed?

Just seems like a blinders on focus on the drive shaft, without much real success. Even by Ford! Treating symptoms and not the real problem, what ever it is.

I agree with you for the same reasons you state. I think it is caused by something else. My vibration is there the majority of the time, but does go away every once in awhile. It goes away without me changing the load in the truck or anything else for that matter.

 

[navsnipe]

I agree with you for the same reasons you state. I think it is caused by something else. My vibration is there the majority of the time, but does go away every once in awhile. It goes away without me changing the load in the truck or anything else for that matter.

This shudder is enough to drive you batshit crazy. I put in 1/4" shims in the center bearing this past weekend. All was good and smooth until I got to a 1/2 tank of gas. A light shudder came back and also got some vibes in the steering wheel around 55mph. I may try a thicker shim tomorrow and see what happens. I hope someone finds the magic bullet. I will buy them a keg of their favorite beer, or whatever they drink.

 

[rdgallo]

This shudder is enough to drive you batshit crazy. I put in 1/4" shims in the center bearing this past weekend. All was good and smooth until I got to a 1/2 tank of gas. A light shudder came back and also got some vibes in the steering wheel around 55mph. I may try a thicker shim tomorrow and see what happens. I hope someone finds the magic bullet. I will buy them a keg of their favorite beer, or whatever they drink.

There has to be someone at Ford that smart enough to find the cause and come up with a fix instead of this driveshaft shimming crap. I still believe Ford knows the cause and the fix, but doesn't want to spend the money required to fix the trucks that have it.

 

[CompDude]

What are you all using for carrier shims..

 

[navsnipe]

What are you all using for carrier shims..

I have made mine from 1/8" and 1/4" flat steel bar 1 1/2" wide x 1 3/4" long. I sand it as flat as I can with a stationary belt sander.

 

[Hellrazor]

I’ve noticed if you grab the driveshaft and shake it where the center bearing is you can see it move up and down about a quarter inch. May be a better design bearing work better.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

I’ve noticed if you grab the driveshaft and shake it where the center bearing is you can see it move up and down about a quarter inch. May be a better design bearing work better.

Hi Clement,

Two piece driveshafts have been around for a long time, and so has start up shudder. Some vehicles are more prone to it than others. My first experience was the 1974 Super Cab launch. Horrible start up shudder on about have the pre production builds. We had to back track on pinion angle and pretty much solved it for Job #1, but there was some midnight oil burnt for sure.

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

 

[ChiefQM]

Hi Clement,

Two piece driveshafts have been around for a long time, and so has start up shudder. Some vehicles are more prone to it than others. My first experience was the 1974 Super Cab launch. Horrible start up shudder on about have the pre production builds. We had to back track on pinion angle and pretty much solved it for Job #1, but there was some midnight oil burnt for sure.

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

Phil, just as a matter of curiosity, was the shudder in the '74 Super Cabs restricted to vehicles with an automatic transmission or did it occur with manual transmissions as well? Personally, I would much rather have a manual transmission than an automatic, but that's just me. When I go to Europe this summer I am going to try to drive a Ranger over there with the six speed manual transmission just to see how it behaves.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Phil, just as a matter of curiosity, was the shudder in the '74 Super Cabs restricted to vehicles with an automatic transmission or did it occur with manual transmissions as well? Personally, I would much rather have a manual transmission than an automatic, but that's just me. When I go to Europe this summer I am going to try to drive a Ranger over there with the six speed manual transmission just to see how it behaves.

Hi Bill,

A long time ago, but you jogged my memory and the problems were associated a mixed bag of transmissions, but the builds were skewed toward automatics, so it would be interesting to rehash this experience with my experiences of which I lacked on this pre launch back some 40 years ago...
The problem is that you can only drive a tiny sample that might or might not flush out a systemic problem. We had a terrible problem at Ford for dismissing a problem as it was a Onezee. We only built one of a problem unit and dismissed it. When I got to the point I was in a responsible position, I told my engineers...there are no Onezee's in this business and we needed to understand and fix these Onezees. It is a trap many fall into until they gain experience by having this mindset bite them in the ass. I certainly have teeth marks on my behind as I learned the vehicle engineering trade...

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

 

[navsnipe]

Phil, just as a matter of curiosity, was the shudder in the '74 Super Cabs restricted to vehicles with an automatic transmission or did it occur with manual transmissions as well? Personally, I would much rather have a manual transmission than an automatic, but that's just me. When I go to Europe this summer I am going to try to drive a Ranger over there with the six speed manual transmission just to see how it behaves.

Chief,
My 94 Ranger 2wd 3L V6 Supercab Manual developed a driveline shudder on take off a few months after buying it. It was resolved by the dealer with no issue but I don't know what they did to fix it. They told me it was a driveline alignment problem they resolved. With the manual you can nurse the clutch a bit to try to minimize the shudder.

 

[ChiefQM]

Hi Bill,

A long time ago, but you jogged my memory and the problems were associated a mixed bag of transmissions, but the builds were skewed toward automatics, so it would be interesting to rehash this experience with my experiences of which I lacked on this pre launch back some 40 years ago...
The problem is that you can only drive a tiny sample that might or might not flush out a systemic problem. We had a terrible problem at Ford for dismissing a problem as it was a Onezee. We only built one of a problem unit and dismissed it. When I got to the point I was in a responsible position, I told my engineers...there are no Onezee's in this business and we needed to understand and fix these Onezees. It is a trap many fall into until they gain experience by having this mindset bite them in the ass. I certainly have teeth marks on my behind as I learned the vehicle engineering trade...

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

As an aside, my ex-father in law had a '74 F-150 Super Cab and it was a blast to drive. I had a lot of luck in it, if you catch my drift, before I got married.

 

[navsnipe]

Follow-up to my center bearing shimming to alleviate the takeoff shudder.
I tried 1/8", 1/4", and 1/2" shims and at a full tank of gas the shudder is slight to non-existent. Once the truck gets to around 1/2 tank the shudder becomes more noticeable and I get some vibrations in the steering wheel around 55 mph. Yesterday I removed the shims and was at 1/4 tank, the shudder was there. Did a drive at various speeds and had no vibes in the steering wheel at 55 mph. Filled the tank and the shudder is slight to non-existent again. When I filled up with gas I put in 13 gallons which is 82lbs (81.9 for OCD purposes). This issue is definitely load related. I may try to put some weight in the back of the truck and see what results I get as I go through a tank of gas.

Anybody a have a magic wand that works on vehicles, mine is not working?

 

[navsnipe]

I keep on trying to understand driveline angles and the TSB procedure. I happened upon a diagram that makes allot of sense if it is correct. I put my angle finder on the frame rail and zero'd it. The angle of shaft #1 on my truck is 5.5°, the angle of my rear axle pinion flange is 4.6°. Theoretically I would shim the rear axle 1° to correct the driveline. Do I understand this correctly?

 

[Berkmda]

My 2019 XLT is not lifted. Sometimes it doesn't seem as bad as other times, but I suspect it depends on the speeds at which I drive - in town, 30 - 35 mph or highway speeds - and how aggressively I accelerate. I am noticing an increasing amount of tire noise. Hankook DynaPro ATM tires that were OEM. Hope it is not a harbinger of tread separation, that is the next thing I check.

Are you sure it isn’t engine hesitation? I just lemon lawed my 2019 for shudder or hesitation in acceleration that didn’t happen all the time and Ford couldn’t duplicate to fix. Just got a 2021 and drives like a new truck which my other never did

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