NorCalRaptor

Yes, I did but it's been a couple weeks, so I will repeat it hopefully tomorrow. Truck is in the shop currently and I am trying to convince the dealer to replaceable iwe's...good times.

Thanks
D

sdsurf

Here is my dilemma. I just stumbled on this thread and will try it. I hear the grinding on acceleration, tried my 4wd last week with not movement in my front wheels and now if I put it in 2wd reverse the whole front end sounds and feels like is going to fall off. Massive clunks, chunks and grinds.

Any thoughts?

nk321810

I keep reading threads with people saying the front shaft DOES spin in 2wd...some say only a little, some say more. What would you say to these people?

It seems to me that it should not. Presently, the one in my Expedition is (or was before I tore the transfer case apart). My thinking is that the Electro-mag clutch is worn...creating more friction than it should, and driving the front half of my drivetrain. What do you think?

Thanks in advance
Noah

Trav-ler

I have dismantled the front drive train to replace an IWE that broke into pieces and a seal in the differential that was leaking because it's half shaft was always spinning. I can say from experience that due to the way it is built nothing should turn when two wheel drive is selected. If a Half shaft turns you have a vacuum leak or a stuck IWE or a bad vacuum switch. The system is very simple. The IWE's engage by a spring when no vacuum is present disengage when vacuum is present. I have read here that sometimes the engagment drive on the front of the trans gets stuck if it is not used often.

Just thought of somthing. If everything checks out ok it is possible that the half shaft can spin due to its spindle running on bearings in the wheel hub. If these bearings are not smooth they could drag and cause the half shaft to turn slowly or maybe fast depending on how dry or worn they are when two wheel drive is selected. To lube those bearings means dismantling each hub and removing the hub from the yoke that it mounts to. You do not need to remove the IWE to get to the spindle bearings they are in the hub. FYI clean the area well before dismantling or dirt from the surrounding area will get in from dismantling the parts.

4x4angel

Every time you turnoff your engine it activates the solenoid to go four wheel lock. Even your selector Is on two wheel drive . and anytime the engine is running even when your selector is in two wheel drive . The solenoid activates suction to go back to two wheel drive . So when you got a bad solenoid. Your always on four wheel drive high. If your selector is in two wheel drive and you hear a whinnying noise in low speed you got a bad solenoid ,and this will break your Iwe for trying to engage during high speed then low speed . Or vise versa . The best to way to check it is a vacuum pump to check your solenoid . If no vacuums replaced it. If there is .but not holding pressure hose leaking . check broken Iwe , raise your tires from the ground Use the vacuum pump directly to the IWE . Put pressure . Spin your tire left or right it won't matter .look for a spinning half shaft if it's spinning you got a broken Iwe . If is not spinning it's good . Good luck !

2002VertGt

VTX1800N1 I found this thread by searching for "flashing 4x4" From what I can tell my 4x4 works...there have been times where my tires spin in the snow this winter, I switch on the 4x4hi and it pulls right out without spinning. When I got my used trans installed (80k mile jasper trans) I had a issue with the gear selector because there was apparently water in it. Got that fixed but what I noticed was almost every time I engaged 4x4hi it would engage but the light not come on. Now, the problem that I have is tonight I was traveling down the highway and the roads were pretty bad and it kept pulling me towards the median in 2wd. So I switched on the 4x4hi. While traveling in 4x4hi the light kept flashing. Seemed to be working fine but the light was flashing, no certain pattern, just randomly flashing. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for the write up, it was informational, just didn't see what I was looking for in it.

Nukpanna

Guys i just wanted to share this with everyone the hosing for the actuators come in one package and you have to replace the whole tubing assembly.
Part no. 7L3Z-7A785-A & about 125$ if ordered from ford parts center.

this is the part no ford gave me for mine since mine are cracking. 2005 FX4
I haven't checked around yet but will look at Tasca for price.

NavDriver

What a great explanation of how the IWE functions.
I used this to fix a problem I was having with my 2007 Navigator.
Thought I would post what the problem was.
When truck was off...wheels and half shafts turned.
When truck was running. ...wheels and half shafts turned.

When I was checking the lines for leaks, I pulled off one of the one way valves.
It was completely plugged with a dry rust colored powder, (it was not magnetic....just dirt)
Blew the dirt out of the valve and confirmed it was functioning properly as well as the lines with a can of air.
Problem solved.
(I also replaced the solenoid just in case it also had this powder in it, which on my Navigator
is located near the front of the truck mounted on the fan shroud.....no rain protector on it)

Thanks for a great write up!

champ198

My truck has just been repaired for the 2nd time regarding this issue. I have a 2012 F150 4x4. First time (March 18 2013), they replaced the hubs, solenoid, IWE actuators. This time (March 23 2015), they replaced the solenoid and the actuators.

I looked up the TSBs. Looks like right after my truck had the first repair, Ford came out with a TSB and possibly a new solenoid design. This second repair should be a more permanent fix.

VTX1800N1

Sorry, I haven't been on in a while. Did you get this fixed?