I had a 2005, 2008 and now have a 2011

the 4 wheel drive on the first two CONSTANTLY gave me problems(grinding, disengaging, clunking)
when I finally had enough of the 08 I was going to buy another make and spoke to the service manager at the local dealer and he swore that the 09 and up did not have the same issues as the 04-08(he said they had absolutely no problems at all)
now my 2011 w/ecoboost is JUST over 9 months old and is grinding while in 2 wheel drive just like my other trucks started...

Has anyone else had problems or am I the only one? (I suspect that i'm not!)

I'd like to hear as much as possible on this
Thank you
Jon

p.s. I'm getting REALLY tired of hearing "just bring it in"... I'm paying a lot of money to be "just bringing it in"

 

sounds like a vacuum leak leading to the IWE. That's the hub and where the front axle engages/disengages to the wheels.

The 2011 should be covered under warranty. Get that thing looked at.

 

Never had a problem yet, had the '77 since 1986 and the '07 since 2009 and never a hint of problems like you describe.

You aren't by chance, using 4WD Hi or 4WD Lo on harder high traction surfaces are you?

 

ya I get a sort of of a grind noise when I switch to 4-hi - 2007 Fx4

 

i too have 4x4 problems. my 4wd hi pops out and makes funny sounds. oddly my 4wd low works fine. i have a 04 stx. i suspected it had somthing to do with vacuum/iwe system i have yet to troubleshoot. i think ive read the one way check valves go bad

 

https://www.f150online.com/forums/ar...then-some.html

 

none of mine have ever had issues thankfully.

how are you engaging it? from a stop, slow speed, high speed, tires spinning, etc?

i'm curious about the disengaging tho, if it's electronic i see no reason why it randomly should as long as no vacuum issues

 

The Transfer Case is electronicly controled via motor mounted to the case, but the hubs depend on engine vacum to disengage or stay disengaged. The vacum is controled by electronicly activated solinoid (spl?). If a hose pops off a fitting or cracks, vacum is lost, IWE engages.

The IWEs will normally engage after a spell of time (depends on seepage rate) when the engine is off, but as soon as start up, vacum is restored and they disengage if control is in 2WD position.

Yeah 88, that's a good thread to read just to understand the IWE and help with a minor bit of preventative maintenance at oil change time!

 

Never had an issue after 60,000 hard miles. In fact, the only thing I have had to fix is a broken window mount.

 

I really baby it, maybe too much. never use it when I'm not supposed to but just seems like I'm unlucky... with the research I've done it seems fairly simple to find the cause of the problem

 

I've noticed when it is humid/raining/wet snow and freezes over is when it seems to happen...
any chance moisture gets in the lines and causes a little vacuum "hiccup"?

 

From the reading I've done over the weekend it seems that it would probably be the solenoid... although I'm not a tech.

 

I've always thought the 4WD system was a strong point in these trucks, I've had a 02' XLT, 05' FX4, 06' Lariat, 06' FX4, and currently a 11' Ecoboost XLT, and I drove them all like I stole them, routinely beating them up far beyond manufacturers recommendations off-road, and to be honest, did my fair share of "hold my beer and watch this" Darwin moments, including a perfectly executed 4WD cyclone on pavement in the 06' FX4 on 35" BFG's.

 

Check your vacum lines, just trace them and look for obne slipping off a fitting or cracked or worn through at a rub point. Could be the solinoid.

It is a great idea to periodically .... at least once a month .... engage a both 4WD LO and 4WD HI like it says in the manual, in your yard or on sand or other non high traction surface and operate it ... drive a short distance.

You do not want to drive it on black top or concrete in 4WD.

 

This is generally very true, but for the purpose of making sure it still works, it's safe to drive it in a straight line for a block at a very low speed.