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  #1  
Old 11-19-2011, 09:58 PM
SomeGuy SomeGuy is offline
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Default 98-00 4wd vacuum hubs

Anyone have a 98-2000 ranger with the orignal vacuum hubs and never have any problems with them? Im asking because i picked up my 2000 ranger in August with 115k miles on it, and we got our first snow fall tonight and i was playing around and my 4x4 seemed to work with out a hitch.

Turned the dial to 4hi, Rolled forward 5-10 feet to let the hubs lock. When i was done switch to 2wd, backed up 5-10 feet to let the hubs unlock.

I wanted to see how many people with 98-00 rangers still have the orignal hubs? I know alot of ranger owners with this year range tend to swap out manual locking hubs because of fords poor design. Mine seemed to work perfect. My ranger was built and sold in September 1999 so i know i have vacuum hubs. How long can expect to have them work well before i should put manual hubs in? I don't use 4wd very often, maybe 2-5 times in the winter (im use to a 2wd truck and i got a limited slip now) and maybe a couple times in the summer when me and my friends go wheeling.
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2000 Ford Ranger xlt, 4x4 off road package with towing package, 4.0 Liter OHV 6 cylinder, ~115k miles[Sold]
Mods: Zip-tie Mod, Black tool box
Mods to Come: Black Grill Guard with lights, All Terrain Tires, Fix Tool box, Fix minor accessory Problems (power windows), Suggestions? Pm Me

[sold] 1998 ford ranger xlt 2wd, Miss the MPG's, Don't miss getting stuck on wet Grass
~Winter Sucks....Then trun on 4wd ~ Me
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  #2  
Old 11-19-2011, 10:15 PM
Redneckstone Redneckstone is offline
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Default Re: 98-00 4wd vacuum hubs

ya they blow, using them less usually makes them go out sooner. swap them out with some avm/rugged ridge hubs or get new 00+ wheel bearings and new CV shafts and switch to live axle
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  #3  
Old 11-19-2011, 10:27 PM
SomeGuy SomeGuy is offline
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Default Re: 98-00 4wd vacuum hubs

Quote:
Originally Posted by Redneckstone View Post
ya they blow, using them less usually makes them go out sooner. swap them out with some avm/rugged ridge hubs or get new 00+ wheel bearings and new CV shafts and switch to live axle
I'm not going to dump any more money into this truck. Probaly in the next year or 2 I am going to be finishing school and I'll be looking in to a 2001 or newer ranger, probaly aim for 05 plus. It'll be my grad present for finishing college, to get a vehicle that's reliable and that's new enough to last for many years to come
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2000 Ford Ranger xlt, 4x4 off road package with towing package, 4.0 Liter OHV 6 cylinder, ~115k miles[Sold]
Mods: Zip-tie Mod, Black tool box
Mods to Come: Black Grill Guard with lights, All Terrain Tires, Fix Tool box, Fix minor accessory Problems (power windows), Suggestions? Pm Me

[sold] 1998 ford ranger xlt 2wd, Miss the MPG's, Don't miss getting stuck on wet Grass
~Winter Sucks....Then trun on 4wd ~ Me
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  #4  
Old 11-20-2011, 06:20 AM
Redneckstone Redneckstone is offline
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Default Re: 98-00 4wd vacuum hubs

2000 isn't reliable? Lol guess I own the wrong truck I have 160k on mine lol, i drive my truck to TN many times a year its been upnorth mi, taken it to Vermont, GA, um lol.


Btw you sure you have PVH 90% of 2000 don't it's just really early ones
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_____________
33x13.50 Toyo M/T, 15x10, Body Lift, Rebuilt OHV, JBA headers, Hurst shifter, Warn VR10000-s, Class 1 bars, Belltech Shackles, Mustang GT rear disc, Level II hooks, Modded rear hitch, Custom front hitch, Level II Blue seats and black console, Explorer IRS rear cover, Extang fulltilt, Leer Cap Yakima Roof Rack, Cobra 29 with firestik stake mount, Scangauge II
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  #5  
Old 11-20-2011, 06:26 AM
djfllmn djfllmn is offline
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Default Re: 98-00 4wd vacuum hubs

the live axle set up in the late 00-current 4wd ranger is so much more reliable...prolly because the front hubs are always locked in and cant be unlocked lol
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  #6  
Old 11-20-2011, 08:29 AM
Skylark65 Skylark65 is offline
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Default Re: 98-00 4wd vacuum hubs

i was scratching my head there, my '00 has the more reliable live axle setup, i thought all '00 up rangers had it?
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  #7  
Old 11-20-2011, 08:33 AM
SomeGuy SomeGuy is offline
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Default Re: 98-00 4wd vacuum hubs

Quote:
Originally Posted by Redneckstone View Post
2000 isn't reliable? Lol guess I own the wrong truck I have 160k on mine lol, i drive my truck to TN many times a year its been upnorth mi, taken it to Vermont, GA, um lol.


Btw you sure you have PVH 90% of 2000 don't it's just really early ones
I never said all 2000's. Just mine, seems like every couple of weeks its in the shop or im fixing something, I like the live axle setup alot better and my truck is pretty beat up (old farm truck) and im getting a degree in business and ill need a more professional looking vehicle, and im not giving up having a pickup. aka not a old beat up farm truck :P Im pretty sure i have PVH hubs because on my coolant resovor it says coolant check -35 degrees- 1999, I believe the car fax said it was sold in September of 1999.

Quote:
Originally Posted by djfllmn View Post
the live axle set up in the late 00-current 4wd ranger is so much more reliable...prolly because the front hubs are always locked in and cant be unlocked lol
Yes i wanted a 01+ but at the time i couldn't find one that was over priced. ex 2002 with 135k was 10-12k when i was looking. If they work or not isn't a big deal to me, last year i owned a 2wd truck (open diff, so 1 wheel wonder) and did pretty good. This truck as a limited slip so that will help if 4wd doesn't work.

----------

Quote:
Originally Posted by Skylark65 View Post
i was scratching my head there, my '00 has the more reliable live axle setup, i thought all '00 up rangers had it?
Mine possibly has it? im not sure. Anybody got a vin decoder that i could use to see when my truck was made?
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2000 Ford Ranger xlt, 4x4 off road package with towing package, 4.0 Liter OHV 6 cylinder, ~115k miles[Sold]
Mods: Zip-tie Mod, Black tool box
Mods to Come: Black Grill Guard with lights, All Terrain Tires, Fix Tool box, Fix minor accessory Problems (power windows), Suggestions? Pm Me

[sold] 1998 ford ranger xlt 2wd, Miss the MPG's, Don't miss getting stuck on wet Grass
~Winter Sucks....Then trun on 4wd ~ Me
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  #8  
Old 11-20-2011, 09:08 AM
MUDFLAP MUDFLAP is offline
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Default Re: 98-00 4wd vacuum hubs

Im sure mine has the original in them. 99 with only 90K on the clock. I have a hard time getting it to engage 4Low sometimes. I can go from 2wd to 4 low and it only shows 4hi engaged. I can click back and forth between hi and low and it says in hi. Eventually going into low. not sure if thats the switch on the dash or the vacuum.
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  #9  
Old 11-20-2011, 09:17 AM
Rhodyguy Rhodyguy is offline
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Default Re: 98-00 4wd vacuum hubs

I have a 2000 built in Auguest of '99 and has the vacume hubs still working fine and the truck has 114,000 miles on it.
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  #10  
Old 11-20-2011, 09:50 AM
99Rangerxlt 99Rangerxlt is offline
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Default Re: 98-00 4wd vacuum hubs

Mine just gave up recently, did the manual conversion on the stock hubs. Much more reliable now.
http://www.ford-trucks.com/article/i...cuum_Hubs.html
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  #11  
Old 11-20-2011, 10:23 AM
SomeGuy SomeGuy is offline
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Default Re: 98-00 4wd vacuum hubs

Quote:
Originally Posted by MUDFLAP View Post
Im sure mine has the original in them. 99 with only 90K on the clock. I have a hard time getting it to engage 4Low sometimes. I can go from 2wd to 4 low and it only shows 4hi engaged. I can click back and forth between hi and low and it says in hi. Eventually going into low. not sure if thats the switch on the dash or the vacuum.
To go to 4 low, put the vheicle in to nuteral then switch it, same to get out.

How do I tell if if I have the vac hubs or live axcels?
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2000 Ford Ranger xlt, 4x4 off road package with towing package, 4.0 Liter OHV 6 cylinder, ~115k miles[Sold]
Mods: Zip-tie Mod, Black tool box
Mods to Come: Black Grill Guard with lights, All Terrain Tires, Fix Tool box, Fix minor accessory Problems (power windows), Suggestions? Pm Me

[sold] 1998 ford ranger xlt 2wd, Miss the MPG's, Don't miss getting stuck on wet Grass
~Winter Sucks....Then trun on 4wd ~ Me
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  #12  
Old 11-20-2011, 10:54 AM
Redneckstone Redneckstone is offline
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Default Re: 98-00 4wd vacuum hubs

Pull the center cap off if you have this plastic black piece on the hub you have PVH. If you have a large I think it's 32mm nut in the center of the hub you have live axle
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2000 Ford Ranger XLT 4x4 Offroad, 4.0L ext cab, Converted to Manual M5OD-R1HD.
_____________
33x13.50 Toyo M/T, 15x10, Body Lift, Rebuilt OHV, JBA headers, Hurst shifter, Warn VR10000-s, Class 1 bars, Belltech Shackles, Mustang GT rear disc, Level II hooks, Modded rear hitch, Custom front hitch, Level II Blue seats and black console, Explorer IRS rear cover, Extang fulltilt, Leer Cap Yakima Roof Rack, Cobra 29 with firestik stake mount, Scangauge II
Few mods
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  #13  
Old 11-20-2011, 11:54 AM
SomeGuy SomeGuy is offline
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Default Re: 98-00 4wd vacuum hubs

Quote:
Originally Posted by Redneckstone View Post
Pull the center cap off if you have this plastic black piece on the hub you have PVH. If you have a large I think it's 32mm nut in the center of the hub you have live axle
Thanks ill have to check it out, but i belive i have PVH because the truck as 1999 writen all over it, even in the maintance book lol.
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2000 Ford Ranger xlt, 4x4 off road package with towing package, 4.0 Liter OHV 6 cylinder, ~115k miles[Sold]
Mods: Zip-tie Mod, Black tool box
Mods to Come: Black Grill Guard with lights, All Terrain Tires, Fix Tool box, Fix minor accessory Problems (power windows), Suggestions? Pm Me

[sold] 1998 ford ranger xlt 2wd, Miss the MPG's, Don't miss getting stuck on wet Grass
~Winter Sucks....Then trun on 4wd ~ Me
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  #14  
Old 11-20-2011, 11:57 AM
pooleo pooleo is offline
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Default Re: 98-00 4wd vacuum hubs

Honestly, I would put the manual hubs in. I had a 2001 with live axle, now I have a 99. I love the option of having a manual lock hub. Its like a cross between the older 97- style and the new suspension. Put a little money into your truck. There all the same till the dash change.
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  #15  
Old 11-20-2011, 12:00 PM
MUDFLAP MUDFLAP is offline
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Default Re: 98-00 4wd vacuum hubs

Quote:
Originally Posted by SomeGuy View Post
To go to 4 low, put the vheicle in to nuteral then switch it, same to get out.

How do I tell if if I have the vac hubs or live axcels?
Maybe thats what it is. Most of the time I just push the clutch in.
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