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Hello everyone. I have a ’90 ford ranger 4×4, and this really weird thing is happening. When I turn the wheel with the car stationary, the car rolls from left to right. Right to left. I watched the wheels as they turned, and the only thing I saw happening was when the wheel went to full lock, the steering stabilizer rotated a little. Anyone have any ideas what this could be? Thanks in advance!
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The video is me replicating the movement that occurs with the steering stablilizer when the wheel moves. My initial thought is the rubber “grommets” on either side of the L bracket for the steering stabilizer are bad, and it’s allowing it to extend too far, causing my problems. Am I on the right track? Or totally off base?
[quote=”Stewielax8″ post=158711]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK8X7_HJo78[/quote]
The only thing I could think of that would cause a car to pitch, is the tires. Maybe a 4×4 issue however, I am certain there is another forum user who is better versed in 4×4 than I.
The tires are less than three months old, so i highly doubt that could be the issue. Is there any way i could test if it was a 4×4 issue? Or just a sight/feel thing?
[quote=”Stewielax8″ post=158714]The tires are less than three months old, so i highly doubt that could be the issue. Is there any way i could test if it was a 4×4 issue? Or just a sight/feel thing?[/quote]
Can you take a video (during the day or with adequate lighting) of the whole car rolling? If not, is it like 5 degrees of movement side to side, or almost flipping over?
TBH this sounds like a 4×4 suspension issue.
[quote=”Stewielax8″ post=158720]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeJd7zTdG58[/quote]
Yep that’s fairly noticeable, is it a toggle-able 4×4 mode? Can you deactivate rear steering if possible?
When did this start happening?Starting happening earlier today. Its an electronic 4×4 switch on the dash, and is switched off. There is no rear steering.
[quote=”Stewielax8″ post=158723]Starting happening earlier today. Its an electronic 4×4 switch on the dash, and is switched off. There is no rear steering.[/quote]
Hmm, can you verify that the 4×4 is off? Dunno if the light indicator has gone out.
No rear steering? Makes this easier.
It’s got a strange front suspension setup… Only thing I can see is the stabilizer bar that could cause that.
I am researching all i can on this subject, hopefully another member who is more knowledgeable on 4×4’s could help here.I actually can’t get the 4×4 to work at all right now. It will not drop down. Ive had the hubs locked a lot recently, and got conflicting info on weather you can leave them locked not in 4×4. Could that be the culprit? Did i F something up?
Does the steering bind if you hold the brake while you turn it lock to lock? I ask because I had a ’83 Monte Carlo that did that exact same thing, it listed side to side when I turned the wheel, it also would bind so you couldn’t turn the wheel if you also held the brakes, the wheels seemed to need to be able to roll for me to turn the wheel all the way.
I sold the car before ever finding the problem unfortunately. It improved when I replaced the upper control arm bushings (literally had no rubber left) so could just be your joints, bushings, etc. are just too far out of spec.
BTW, it’s okay to run with your hubs locked while you’re in 4×2. Ford actually recommends doing it for a while every few months to keep the axle lubed internally. The only thing it will hurt is your MPG and it will add some extra noise and wear on the components compared to unlocked hubs.
Did Ford use their funky “Twin Traction Beam” split front axle on this truck? That front suspension system caused wheel camber to vary wildly from lock-to-lock. What you’re experiencing could be nothing more than the normal body roll caused by the tires leaning over at full lock. (On the full-size Ford trucks, it often looked like the front wheels were going to fold under the truck at full steering lock.
The first thing to do would be to have the alignment checked. Ford’s Twin Traction Beam system got pretty loopy when the alignment was out of spec.
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