Have just had the same issue start on my 04 FX4 my problem is i live in England so no one has a real clue on these Trucks ! rattles in 2wd switch to 4wd and it goes away ! had it off the ground and ran it up in drive with no noise AHHHHH 4wd is working and engaging, then disengaging when selecting back into 2wd, 4wd low also ok ! but no noise unless driving so cant track down the noise to front hubs or transfere box !!! could someone please post a pic of the IWE solenoid by the battery to give me a clue what it is like. Many thanks in advance.

 

anybody know?
had a grinding noise also at the rt front, but not the lt, and the mechanic took the vaccum line off the rt and plugged it temporarily, was wondering if thats ok, its not grinding anymore, question- will it be ok to drive until mon/tues shop visit?

 

i would think that if you pulled that vacum line from the right side wheel that plugged or unplugged the hub would engage. until the engine starts and provides vacum the hubs are engaged. i would also think that if the solenoid fails and the hubs are engaged that you could pull the vacum source line off and connect it to the lines going to the wheels and that would give you 2 wd with the hubs disengaged.

as for the not grinding, probably cause its engaged.

get the new solenoid from tascafordparts.com thats the cheapest place i found. i started to get the noise on slow turns. replaced the solenoid and its gone

 

Talking to a nice guy through F150forum.net and I'm starting to figure out I may also have the IWE screeching problem.

On certain curved or inclined on-ramps in my city I'll get a little screechy sound from what seems like the driver side front corner (like under the door and forward). Never on passenger side. It happens very rarely without a real pattern except on those particular overpasses. Truck seems to be leaning just slightly towards driver side and just so slightly an incline. It almost sounds like a soda can sliding across concrete but higher pitched and much louder.

I've come to more or less understand that the IWE solenoid is this little thing here (see pic url) and works by either engaging or disengaging the 4 wheel drive auto hub through vacuum? I asked the dealer for manual hubs when I bought the truck in late 2007 and they acted like I was a fool and anyone who wanted them was too.

I have 2007 XLT 4x4 SuperCrew with the 6.5' bed. I have just about 40,000 miles on it and am loosing sleep over this mystery noise.

http://media.photobucket.com/image/f...s/P1000670.jpg

Help!

 

I have a 2010 Ford F-150 STX with the 4.6 in it my 4 x 2 has a grind am I shift to 4 high it goes away does anybody have any idea what that might be also can anybody give me some pictures of these components so I know what they look like the solenoid the actuator is everybody saying it's behind the battery box but there's nothing there it's on the other side behind the master cylinder