Hey guys/gals new member here, I'll do the official intro thread with pics when i have the time , trying to get the truck back on the road asap

My issue is, I was driving at neighborhood speeds and it sounded like a metal wire got wrapped around my axle and started grinding on the wheels, jerked the truck just a tad as well (felt it in the steering wheel). I came to a stop freaking out. Checked nothing under the truck, nothing caught in the axle or anything similar. The noise went away after driving again. The noise randomly comes back and then almost like pops back out (slight jerk on the steering wheel when it appears and goes away). I decided to drive the truck around a parking lot and try to diagnose the problem.
I put the truck in 4hi and tried to make a circle. The truck felt like i was pressing down the brake pedal. It would stop like i depressed the brake pedal about half way and not move. It also felt like the truck was pre-loading the suspension (it was definitely under load). If i gave it some more gas i'd hear a loud pop (almost like an axle breaking) and then the truck would drive ok for about 3ft, and then start struggling, and then the pop again and so forth. I put the truck back in 2wd but have to back up to get it to actually pop out of 4wd. The front wheel would skip/slide on the pavement when making a sharp turn.

I took it to a mechanic (i'm completely new to trucks and ford) and he told me the solenoid and the actuators are bad. Ripped me off for looking at it (another story). I bought a new vacuum solenoid for it (the redesigned one) and also a actuator. I stumbled accross a video about the actuators and how to test them. Apply vacuum to the bigger vacuum home nipple at the hub and the wheel should rotate freely, but once release the vacuum the wheels should rotate along with the front axles..I did just that and the wheels did as the video described/showed, so now I'm back to square one.

Anyone have any input or advice. I will GREATLY appreciate any help!!

Sorry if this is such a long post, trying to give as many details as possible

Thanks!

-Alex

ps: hope i posted in the correct section, couldn't find a drivetrain section

pps: it's an '04 F150 FX4 w/ a 5.4l Triton

 

bump, any help? could it still be a faulty actuator after the vacuum test? could this be an issue that's with the actual transmission? really not want to turn this into an expensive fix

 

new transfercase time? i will have a f/s thread if that's the case lol

 

where is the 4wd actuator located? is that what pushes the gear out to lock the front wheels? or something else, b/c it may seem that i bought the wrong thing...the wheel/hub is all basically torn apart at the moment

 

Sounds like the issue with the IWE system. Do a search on that and there is a thread that has a ton of info in it. Couple of thoughts...

1) when you drive in 4wd on pavement and turn tightly, you will feel binding and that is normal. All 4wd vechicles do that on dry pavement. It's from the axle shafts binding.

2) did you install the solenoid/actuators yet?

 

Some essential reading for you:

https://www.f150online.com/forums/ar...then-some.html

https://www.f150online.com/forums/ar...replacing.html


I belive the actuators are on the hub. Allows for the wheel to be locked to the axleshaft or free wheel.

 

The solenoid is installed and i can hear it working fine, the actuators seem to check out ok and i dont see any visible damage...

i purchased a "4x4 actuator" from napa and it's just a plastic cylinder with a metal rod sticking out that moves back and forth if vacuum applied...the 4x4 seems to be engaging at the wheels, the transmission seems to be fine as far as proper shafts rotating when 4x4 engaged...i'm thinking more and more transfer-case has something funky with it...

 

Since you have installed the solenoid, are you still experiencing problems?

 

also when changing from 4hi to 4lo, no difference is felt...only difference is i hear the 4lo louder when put in drive (D) from neutral (N)

 

sorry maybe not the transfer-case (since everything engages) but perhaps the front diff.?

 

yeah still coming to a stop in 4wd and when i give some throttle it becomes under load and then feels like its about to do the pop...try not to do it in fear or doing even more damage.

 

this is what the thing i bought looks like

 

That looks like an actuator for when they do a disconnect in the middle of an axle. Much like you have in many jeeps.

The actuator for the F150 is on the wheel hub. Much different looking.

 

that's what google bring up when searching for a F150 actuator and thats what the stores have for sale...read that this part might be in the transfer-case?

 

I have no idea what that fits, but in no way does it belong to a 04-08 4X4. It might be the actuator for the pre-04 models. As been said, check out the IWE threads, you will find the problem.