1998 Ford Ranger vibration like driving over rumble strips!

MRDCON

MEMBER
1998 FORD RANGER

Noises problem
1998 Ford Ranger 6 cyl Four Wheel Drive Automatic 110k miles

I don't know whether these two problems are related.. It happens after about 40 minutes of continuous driving.I get a loud noise that sounds similiar to a radiator that is bone dry and overheating. It seems to be coming from the air intake filter box. When I place my hand on the box, it is vibrating. I also have a terible vibration coming from the front end when this noise occurs. It feels like you are driving over rumble strips. Neither problem diminishes or increases when slowing down or speeding up. I also tried shifting gears out of drive into neutral with no change in the sound or vibration. I recently had new tires and wheels installed but was told that they are installed and balanced properly. I recently purchased the vehicle from the original owner and have had it only two weeks.

8 Replies

BLACKOP555

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10,371 POSTS

Does the rumbling stop when the vehicle stops or does it still do that?

Does vehicle run normally when it is making the noise and vibrations? Such as no abnormalitys in oil pressure, fuel guage, rpms?

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Monday, May 5th, 2008 AT 8:07 PM

MRDCON

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Yes. There is no loss in RPM's, oil pressure, no over heating. Equally, the noise does not change if I'm in gear or in neutral or if I slow down or speed up.

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Tuesday, May 6th, 2008 AT 6:09 AM

BLACKOP555

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Does turning the vehicle off and restarting stop your problem?

The rumbling like going over the rumble strips stops when the vehicle stops or slows down? Does it start again when moving again?

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Tuesday, May 6th, 2008 AT 7:14 AM

MRDCON

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The rumbling and noise only happens when the vehicle is in motion, however it does NOT flucuate with an increase or decrease in speed or changing gears. If I coast in neutral, the vibration and noise remain at the same intensity.

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Tuesday, May 6th, 2008 AT 7:24 AM

BLACKOP555

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Does the rumbling start immediately after the vehicle is put in motion after stoping after the rumbling starts? Does it only rumble when the loud noise is coming?

Loud noise comes with vehicle not moving also right?

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Tuesday, May 6th, 2008 AT 2:54 PM

MRDCON

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No. The vehicle has to be moving before the noise and rumbling happen. If left to idle, there is no noise or rumbling.

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Tuesday, May 6th, 2008 AT 3:12 PM

BLACKOP555

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I Would personally have it taken into a shop and have them examine the front end. My father had a problem like that, finds out a few of the locking nuts had Loosened up and fell off and all that was holding it on was a few bolts. Have the front end examined or you can do it for yourself, check for missing bolts.

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Wednesday, May 7th, 2008 AT 7:41 PM

LULZZORS

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I am having the same problem with my 99 ford ranger.

I took it to my mechanic today, I for sure need a wheel alignment seeing as my truck leans to the drivers side, due to the struts losing compression and are in need of a recharge.

But he said that the cause of the sound as if im driving on rumble strips comes from the fact that my front tires are almost bald. He says he has a ford f250 late model, its got a lift kit and big mud tires. He showed me the tires, and they're down pretty much as far as mine.

Im going to have my mechanic do a wheel alignment next week, might also need a new camber/caster kit. See if anything changes. But I definitely need new tires.

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Friday, October 9th, 2009 AT 6:51 PM