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I just finished replacing my IWE actuators and now my 4x4 is working properly. For anyone looking to do this themselves, it really is as easy as can be and only requires basic hand tools and torque wrenches that can measure between 9 and 111 foot pounds.
According to the factory manual, these are the exact steps needed to save yourself unnecessary expenses at the dealer and the whole process takes about an hour and a half from beginning to end per hub.
1. Remove tire and dust cap on hub.
2. Remove hub nut (this must be torqued to 20 ft/lbs when installing)
3. Remove the 3 IWE actuator bolts holding the actuator to the hub ( 9 ft/lbs torque)
4. Remove tie rod nut and separate from knuckle ( 111 ft/ lbs)
5. Remove Upper ball joint nut and separate from knuckle (111 ft lbs)
6. Swing knuckle outward while pushing half shaft inward and everything comes out as a unit.
7. Compress new IWE actuator and use a vacuum plug to hold in that position ( I didn't have a plug so I just cut a small piece from a ballon and it worked out great)
8. Install new actuator on half shaft not on hub then put everything back together and in reverse order and torque to specs.
Ford recommends that only new fasteners be used to upon reinstallation.
Hope this helps and I only needed to replace one when the dealer wanted to replace both. If you'd like to do the same and trouble shoot which on is bad, just jack the car up and spin the tire to see if the half shaft is turning, if it is, that hub is engaging. Then turn car on in 2wd and repeat, half shaft should not turn indicating that hub is not engaged. In my case my passenger side half shaft was not turning regardless of what I did meaning it was bad and need to be replaced.
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