Thank you John for the reply. It just an xlt no 4auto. Doesn’t sound like that it’s just an intermittent clicking-ratcheting sound for the first minute or two of driving. But when you’re driving in 4wd and switch it back to 2 it’s a steady grinding for a little while until it disengaged

 

It's possible like @F150 4 Life suggested. That TSB you mention I think, not sure, Ford may cover that. What I'm hearing here, the best way to find out if you have a problem with that diaphragm, would be to pull things apart and look to be sure. Running like you have, likely some damage has occurred. Yeah, I know, not what you wanted to hear.

 

Well I got the tsb done for the ratcheting sound when you first start driving but it didn’t change anything. The Ford tech also double checked that vacume was good. I guess I’ll try changing out the hub actuators and see what happens?

 

Hub, or actuators [IWE's], are two different things. Hubs are where the wheel bearings are located, actuators are the vacuum actuated devices, IWE's, that lock/unlock your front wheels from/the CV shaft.

 

This is from another thread I posted the other day:

I just replaced my IWEs this past weekend. I noticed once the temperature dropped to say 50 or below, I would get a chatter or like a grunting sound coming from front end when coming to stop. Once I drove for while the sound would stop, so I figured once the hubs and IWEs heated up, then grease inside began to loosen up. If I kept it in 4A it wouldn't make the sound. I had vacuum tested the whole system and did not have any leaks. Since I was doing the front brake pads/rotors, it was a good time to replace the IWEs. I bought new oem IWEs, they come pre-greased with a white thick vaseline type grease. Once I removed the old IWEs and got a look inside and the back of the hubs, the grease was worn and gunked up. The old IWEs diaphragm moved and held vacuum but I think the old grease inside was starting to make them slightly stick. I cleaned up all the old grease from the cv axle and back of the hub. I regreased everything with new red bearing grease. The sound immediately went away while driving under the same conditions.

2018 F150 Lariat
120k miles

 

Thanks for the reply charrongsu. I had forgot about this thread.
But anyways I put new oem iwe's in the other day and it still makes intermittent clicking or ratcheting sound when you first start driving in 2wd and in 4wd.
Anyone else had those sounds and found it had nothing to do with the 4wd?

 

Have you replaced the solenoid or the check valve? If they reflashed the computer it's telling you're solenoid not to engage for at least a mile so that means if you're hearing it when you first take off and you already change your iwe then its something within the hub and Iwe. Did you use OEM iwes?

I would disconnect your solenoid connector for a bit and see if the noise is still there.

 

I realize this is old but I have an odd slight grind sometimes when slowing down to a stop. Recently has lifting struts put on and noticed it right away but it is intermittent. It's not loud but I sort of feel it in the steering wheel. Sound similar or no...?

 

Yes sir I changed the solenoid and check valve. Iwe's are oem.
I will try disconnecting the solenoid and see what happens. Thanks for the advice!

 

No nothing like that. Just an intermittent ratcheting clicking kinda sound when you first start moving. No grinding in the wheel or anything