Phil the heat

Hello guys im new to this site...Here is my problem, i have had the dealership replace my IWE solenoid and blow out my vacuum lines with brake clean to rid any contaminants...Now im thinking finally that grinding noise is fixed, what do you know, that goddamn grinding sound is still there!! any suggestions would be much appreciated guys! A little extra information, when i engage the 4x4 the grinding noise is non existant, the grinding noise is only during acceleration and in 2 wheel drive.

Jesslig

Could be your cv shafts. That's what was wrong with mine

Nice Sweater

Mine does the same thing. Sounds greater on the left drivers side up front. It's started up doing the noise again today; some days it will make the noise, and other days it goes crazy. A shop already changed my 4WD vacuum, and I read that it may be my 4WD solenoid, but I honestly have no clue.

Phil the heat

Is there anyway to find out if the CV shaft is pooched without taking it to the dealership? I am very mechanically inclined and dont mind at all troubleshooting myself. Got the IWE solenoid switched for free, the only reason why i brought it to the dealership.

60DRB

This is a common vacuum related issue. It's also common that dealers can't seem to figure it out. Strange, since it's usually not too hard to figure out and fix.

This is the most popular trouble shooting thread I've found.

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/836438-everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-the-iwe-system-and-then-some.html
My truck needed both IWEs and the solenoid replaced to fix the issue. If you need to replace the IWE(s), here's a good thread with pictures and tool list. The work isn't very hard to do at home.
http://www.f150online.com/forums/2004-2008-f-150/360269-iwes-removal-replacing.html

Jesslig

Both of my cv shafts are shot... The only way I know is because I broke one of the boots and there is grease all over my suspension on my passenger side and I completely broke the one on my drivers side. The one on my drivers side just lays way lower than the one on the passenger side. I'll take some pictures of both of them this morning and post it. The reason mine are broke is because I did a 3" leveling kit which put both cv shafts in an awkward bind so I'm looking to lower it to only 2" leveling kit to maybe fix the bind a little bit.

dkuk341

Sounds like the same problem I had. Both front actuators were not holding enough vacuum to keep the hubs fully disengaged. I replaced both actuators and haven't had a problem since. Hook a vacuum gage to each actuator and see if it is holding vacuum. In your case it could be just one. I wouldn't drive around with it grinding, you risk damaging the splines on the hubs.

ktmboyz

These guys are exactly right, you have a leaking iwe actuator. You need to vacuum test them and see if which one is leaking, it is very possible to have both leaking but usually not. If you dont have a vac pump there is a simple way to test by jacking a front wheel off the ground.

Block the vacuum line at one side ( the larger of the two is the supply, the smaller is the vent ) jack the other side and start it with it in two wheel drive then see if the jacked side disengages. Then repeat with the other side, you should be able to figure out what side is leaking. Its not the proper way to test them but if you are in a bind and dont want to pay the dealer 100hr than it will work.

With the system working properly it applies vacuum to disengage the shafts in 4x2. So if you have a leak or slow leak they will partially engage and cause the ratcheting sound while driving. Hope this helps

Phil the heat

Ok i jacked up the front end, spun my front drivers side tire while in 2wd and the axle would spin with it. Axle would spin with the tire while truck was running and while it was shut off.

60DRB

You still have to identify if the issue is the solenoid or the IWE (or if you're really lucky just a vac line cracked or broken).