burnthelight88

'12 STX 5.0 4x4...First winter with it, used 4x4Hi for the first time yesterday on my way to work. Left work this morning and once I hit about 25mph I noticed a constant whirring noise that increases with speed. There's also an accompanying rub-rub-rub noise with the whirring that's consistent at about twice per second.

I drove a couple miles and it didn't change. Put it back in 4x4 and drove it slow (roads were dry by then) and it seemed to go back to quiet, but I may not have hit the necessary speed.

Again it seems to start around 25mph but as I'm slowing its noticeable down to about 5-10mph.

I had a 92 F-150 with auto locking hubs and I know it used to get stuck sometimes. To unstick it I used to drive a few feet in reverse, so I tried that today and that didn't work either. Is it the hub, or am I looking at something else here? If it is a stuck hub, how bad am I screwing it up driving with it like that?

Carter_ach

I had the same problem and the dealer ended up replacing the hub and actuator.

burnthelight88

Anyone have any suggestions as far as driving or not driving it? Keep it under a certain speed?

I need to drive about 200 miles tomorrow, 100 at a time with a few hours in between and I don't want to screw up anything else.

WelderShane

I havent had mine in 4hi yet, but i remember reading threads on here that the whirring noise was normal and dies down as the more miles you put on it in 4hi.

raceman

you should use 4 auto if you have it. If road is dry don't use 4 high just use 2 wheel, don't even use it on a wet road

blakegrif

Sounds like a bad hub. I had the exact same thing happen and that's what it was.

greenf1502007

X2. The dealer had to replace all of mine... It sounded horrible before I got them done.

burnthelight88

I just found another thread that sounds to be the exact same problem and the person was saying that the dealer blamed it on their leveling kit, which I do have. I have the rough country 2.5" front level spacers...wondering if it actually causes an issue or if its just easy for the dealer to deny the warranty work.
https://www.f150forum.com/f38/dealer...138839/index1/

I don't have 4x4 auto, just 2 hi, 4hi, and 4lo. I only used the 4hi on snow and shut it off once the roads dried.

I did find a temporary fix however and I don't know why it worked and I also don't know why it only works temporarily...I put the truck in 4hi on a straight road at about 30mph, waited for it to complete the shift into 4x4, then took the truck back out of 4x4 and into 2hi. Once the shift back to 2hi was complete, the noises stopped. The issue though is that every time I drive the truck, I now have to shift to 4hi then back to 2lo or the noise returns.