So I just got back from a day of driving up a mountain service roads to get to a hike, but the road was pretty rough and washed out. Made it to the top no problem but as soon as we left I could feel a clicking type feeling in my steering wheel and I could hear it coming from the front end, and when I make turns, the steering wheel doesn’t try to turn back to straight. I stuck my head under there and couldn’t see anything obvious and we made it back home but the clicking got much worse. Also “service advance trac, and hill assist” light came on after switching from 4 hi to 2wd but i turned the truck off and on and now its gone. it’s dark now so ill have to take a look around tomorrow, but anyone experience anything similar?

 

Does it sound/feel like you're running a 2x4 over a washboard? Check out your end links in the front end as well as just make sure everything is tight overall. I had a worn end like bushing cause the nut to become loose and made a sound/feeling like that in the steering wheel. Just as a check though does the sound go away when switching into 4Hi? A non-functioning IWE on the wheel hub can make a similar noise and you may likely feel it in the wheel but i'm not sure i've ever heard anyone say it affects the steering wheel returning to center as that's usually worn suspension parts.

Give us some more details on the truck such as year, trim, mileage ect.

 

the truck rides smooth when driving, it’s just when I turn either way it’s a popping/clicking sound and I can feel it in the steering wheel, from the ground everything feels right, as for the truck it’s a 2018 3.5L XLT with 50,000 km on it, I’ve only had it a couple months and I’ve installed a Readylift 3.5” lift and 35” tires so far

 

3.5" lifts are usually not a good idea as they typically utilize most of the stock components and put your CV shafts at terrible angles. I'm willing to bet one of the CV shafts/joints have failed as the common symptom is a popping/clicking while turning. I would check those out for sure.

 

I was thinking something along this line also, as even ReadyLift admits that everything is getting maxed out by stating the kit is not recommended for stock F150's that sit above a certain ride height.

That said, I think there may be a second issue here too, since his drive home in what I'll assume was in 2WD should've disconnected the shafts.

OP should check that the vac lines are properly connected to the IWE's, as they have been known to get pulled off when lifted/leveled trucks really start to flex off road...

 

I wonder if a bad CV joint could be preventing the actuator from disengaging the hub?

 

Did you even need 4H for the drive?

Possibly quite a few things based on your description, you have to go and test and look at it in the daylight, not enough info to go on. Could be CV joints, could be front diff, could be trapped stones.

 

I got under the truck tonight and the clicking is coming from the eps rack, can’t find a ton of info but it’s not looking cheap, seems like these need to have data removed from the old one and programmed into the new one, anybody deal with replacing one of these before? It makes sense that the wheel doesn’t return to centre after turning i seem to have lost power assist

 

Was this lift kit recently installed? I wonder if all the precautions were taken:

 

Yea it’s recently installed

I’m wondering if the instructions have been edited recently, because I don’t remember seeing that in the instructions, I did notice they changed the maximum stock front end height for 22” to 22.5”, and the website instructions look different then what was sent with the kit