ford f 150 im going out of my mind with this...help
 

I have a very large grinding sound coming from the front drivers side tire. I have been looking it all up and i think it can be said that it is the 4x4 engaging while im driving. I havbe check the vaccum lines and i dont fully understand it all. Is there a way to or is it possible to disengage that whole unit from trying to go into 4x4 whern im in 2wheel drive? I need time to get money together to fix it and its my only mode of transportation. What will continuing to drive with the grind do to the truck? Any info please will help. Thanks

It might help if you would identify your truck model, year, etc.

It's a 2001 Ford f 150 4x4 XLT. Super crew

Also when the loud grinding happens when driving the stereo turns off quickly and comes back on. And now my fans stay on until I turn them off by the switch not with just shutting off the truck.

The 2001 does not use vacuum hubs like the 2004+ and nothing in the 4x4 system will cause grinding at the wheel. I'd suspect a bad wheel bearing or an issue in the brake system.

I'd get a pro to look at it.

Does the grinding noise get worse when turning right or left?

loud grinding noise in front drivers side area.
 

Hello, i have a 2001 ford f 150 4x4 v8 xlt supercrew with a short bed truck. The noise happened about a week ago then it seemed to stop. Now its everytime i go anywhere and i have checked the solenoids ( my truck has two of them) and i checked the vacuum box behind the battery, i lifted up the front end and the wheels still move the axle. Also everytime this loud noise happens my electrical seems to short out. The truck feels like and acts like its going to stall and the radio shuts off briefly then it comes back on. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Why are you ignoring the other thread advice?

I'd jack up the front and turn the wheels to see if the bearings are making noise and check for looseness. I doubt the noise and the electrical issues are related unless somehow the ABS is causing the problems.

No it does not get worse when turning left or right. It's worse when you have to go from a stopped position. As in red light or stop sign. Giving it the throttle from stop is when it is worse. The sound is exactly the sound made when power steering is going bad.

I have also jacked up the wheels and turned them. No grinding sound when I did that.

So today i changed the idle pulley and tensison pulley also put on a new serpentine belt. None of that helped with the noise issue . However after taking those off they definitly needed to be changed.