TN-150...thanks for the great write-up. Sorry to say I'll be ordering the IWE parts soon. I was having problems getting the 4X4 to engage and now I'm getting the high pitched grinding you explained when it's not in 4HI. Sometimes I can get it into 4X4 and the grinding stops. If possible, can I get the pdf file from you?

Thanks

 

One thing TN-F150... Do you need to replace the wheel end nut, the tie rod nut, and the upper ball joint nut as suggested in the PDF?

 

I didn't but I guess you could. The outer nut is only torqued to like 20ft/lbs and I don't see it holding much anyway. The axle can't move back much if at all. The others are a probably a good piece of mind thing, if it bothers you. Me not so much.

 

Hi Tn-f150

I have replaced my celonoid up by the battery, but i am still getting the grinding noise. could you engage your 4x4? I am think that i need to replace my IWEs i was hoping that you could send me the replacement procedure.

thanks

 

Good to go TN. Replaced both IWE's and the solenoid just for piece of mind that I'd be good for awhile. Turned out once I had everything apart that the pass side IWE was toast (spring wouldn't push the ring gear out). Saved the old solenoid and drivers side IWE for future considerations. Works just like it should now. Found some ice and mud and had some fun.

That upper nut was easy once I figured out that I could leverage down the upper arm with a bar stuck in the spring.

I got the parts from Tasca. 20.26 for the solenoid, 72.59 for each IWE. Total after tax and shipping was $182.33. Being in Canada I had to drive 1.5 hours to pick them up in the Ogdensburg NY UPS store, but I saved almost $200 in parts alone for what the local dealerships wanted for the parts.

Thanks again!

 

Mine started out making the noise, even after I changed the solenoid, and would go away when switched to 4W. This was all when it was colder than 20-30 degrees out. I ended up changing both IWE's and the solenoid.

Did I send you the PDF yet? I've sent it to so many, I don't remember.

 

Sounds good. I changed my drivers side IWE last weekend when I did my brakes, so I'm good till the new IWE's fail.

Price sounds about right, sucks that you had to drive to get it though. But you saved money on parts AND labor, or in your case labour.

 

**UPDATE**

I now have the files up for download here:

Driveline System Diagnosis
IWE Replacement Instructions
System Description and Operation
TSB 06-08-15

 

Im doing this project today, i got the the actuator replaced and putting it all back together, is 20 ft/lbs right for the spindle nut, ive seen some crazy high torque requirements for spindle nuts, or is the high torque just for the 2wd spindle nuts? Thanks! This thread helped me out alot!

 

Yup, that's all. 2wd doesn't really have a torque as much as setting the bearing pre-load. Now old style 4wd should have a higher torque but on 04 up 20ft/lbs is all.

 

Thanks i just finsihed both sides and i tested it in the garage and the wheels are now unlocking, where they werent before. Thanks for this great thread and your help. Now i just need to take it for a spin.

 

Awesome! Congrats on the DIY!

 

Ok, not so good. I went for a ride and when i get in high RPMs and the vacuum drops (from what i read about the RPMs and vacumm) i can here one or both actuators trying to engage. So i let off and it goes away so i kept out of the gas on the way home, only drove a couple miles. So i checked allthe vacuum at idle. I get 19.5 from the intake, and at the hose ends at the wheel. Everything pumps up and holds vacuum, all the lines and hubs. I cant tell if both hubs are trying to engage or one of them. i might be tearing this thing back down and check that i put everything back together ok the first time. Any thoughts.

I also was blowing out some of the lines that i left on the truck and while blowing out the one line i heard a loud pop. So i pulled the battery out and the battery tray and found a little black box that is connected to the vacuum line coming off the intake, it Ts off right below the solenoid. So i pulled that out and what happened is the seem blew apart. So i bypassed that box and the line coming off the intake goes straight to the solenoid on goes to the solenoid and one to the black box, im guessing its a vacuum resivour(sp). This all happened after i drove the truck the first time and came back, so i know that didnt cause anything. Is it ok to bypass that vacuum resavour(sp) box. i get instant vacuum for the wheels now instead of it building up. Thanks.

 

I've not messed with the vacuum part of the system much but I do know there are check valves in the lines to prevent what you are explaining. When the vacuum drops off at higher RPM's, they hold the vacuum at the hubs at a steady value so not to engage. If you blew something apart and bypassed it, that has to be the issue. Replace the part that blew apart and re-test.

 

Im in the process of fixing the vacuum resivouir box, does anyone know if there is any check valves in the line going to the wheels between the solenoid and the wheels cause i made my own lines to the wheels with regular vacuum line.

ok, im ruling out that i put something together wrong, i just took it for a ride and with a long hose running into the cab to my vacuum guage and the pressure is dropping too far during load and high RPMs like going up a hill. All my hoses hold vacuum and i tried both solenoids that i have. Where is the vacuum? What else should i be looking at that could be causing low vacuum at the engine? Thanks!

Maybe my resivouir box was leaking before and thats what started the whole thing. SO maybe after i fix the box (its just a square box that is two sides and it blew apart at the seam) It will hold the vacuum. I dont know!