My 2005 fx4 started making grinding noises after clunking when I had it in 4x4. I took it to the dealership and they said that a lift kit installed before I bought it has caused a bunch of issues and that it needs new front shocks, springs, upper mounts, and 2 iwe solenoids.

Does this seem right?

 

I'll add...after speaking with the dealership again they have examined the truck needs to be put back to stock height or the driveshaft and a me will continue to be at a bad angle and cause issues. Is there a cheaper solution?

 

What lift do you have?

 

No idea. It was on the truck when I bought it three months ago. The dealer mechanic said it looked like they'd just added larger springs and called it a day.

 

Then yes most likely you should remove the lift and if you want it still lifted go with a real lift. Since they said you need to replace the coilovers you can go with a set of leveling bilsteins, and crank them up to level the truck. If you want a full lift you could go with the procomp stage 2 because it also includes replacement coilovers.

However the driveshaft shouldn't be a problem, what the problem is most likely depending if the lift on it now is over 2.5" then it's your cv angles. You can up to like 8" of lift before driveshaft modification is needed.

 

How much lift do you assume it has? 2", 4", 6" ? Grinding and clunking could be 4x4 problems, which may have just been sped up with the lift, but the problems happen with stock trucks also. Could be as simple as a new IWE solenoid, or it may be problems with the IWE itself or the hubs. On an 05 you can't just add springs to the stock suspension, the only options are strut spacers or adjustable coilovers to level the truck, or a complete suspension lift which are 4"+. Like pizzaman said, the driveshaft should't be a problem unless you have a 8"+ lift. Post some pics of the truck and we can help you figure out what size lift you have. Specifically pics of the suspension (struts, crossmembers).

 

What's your opinion on replacing the iwe solenoids and doing only that for now?

 

Without diagnosing the problem, theres no guarantee it will fix your problem because you could have a functioning solenoid, but a problem with the IWE or hubs, but it may fix it. Its not too hard to diagnose the problem, and there is a thread on here somewhere about the whole IWE 4x4 system that has troubleshooting for the IWE, the hubs, IWE solenoid and the vaccuum lines. Its also not a bad idea to go ahead and replace the solenoid with the new design, even if the current one is functioning, because the part is only about $25 and it is pretty common for the old design to mess up.

 

How about you post some pictures of the truck first and we will tell you if you have an actual lift or not? Some shots of the front crossmember, the struts, rear axle where it bolts to the leafs.

 

Agreed post pics so we get an idea of what you have

 

Grinding noise and clunking in 4x4 tells me its one of 2 things:

If you have a leveling kit or leveling shocks, then your CVs or hubs are likely the culprit. This could also lead to the bad ball joints, tie rods, etc that the dealer mentioned. These are the reasons leveling kits are a cheap upfront cost but more costly down the road.

If you have a 6" lift, then the installer likely didn't align the slipyokes and re-balance the front driveshaft and this is the culprit of the noise. The pinion angle needs to be checked on the rear driveshaft as well.

 

Can't post pics at the moment as the truck is in the shop (still). I took it from ford to my family mechanic. He said he could take a plate out to lower it an inch or so and that may help it but that the iwe's still need to be replaced. The dealer quoted me $329 plus labor for that and he said he could do it cheaper. Any links for cheaper (without sacrificing quality) solenoids?

Apparently whoever lifted the truck just added bigger springs and called it a day. This is what the dealer said. So why can't we just replace the springs? And how do I find a good deal on those??

I'll post pics when I get her back. Thanks for your guys' help.

 

Because it's a coil-over not just a spring.

And what plate to lower it? There is no "plates" in the suspension to alter height.

Without pics though, we're all just taking shots in the dark.

 

I'm picking the truck up tomorrow and running it to the dealer. Will post pics.