Occasional front end noise

[JExpedition07]

For about the last week i can be driving down the road and all of a sudden I’ll hear a noise in the front end and it sounds nasty, like my truck is chewing on rocks, happened today when I hit a bump on the highway and two days ago on a newly paved smooth road with no bumps. No play in wheel bearings or ball joints and everything seems in check. When the noise occurs it almost feels like a big stone getting kicked up in the front wheel wells, normally happens on bumps but the one time on a totally smooth road....the noise is definitely in front of me. Sounds like my front end is going to come apart not a pleasant sound!!! Like I said happens once in a while on a smooth road but mostly when hitting a bump. I can feel it through the steering wheel before it begins to occur and throughout the occurrence, kind of violent, very confused. As far as I can tell no issue with strut/coils.

Before this started occuring I noticed a clunking coming from the front end when backing out of my driveway in the morning, that subsided and this began.

 

[JExpedition07]

So I just purposely ran the passanger side up and back down a curb and it made the noise but not as intense.

 

[1955moose]

4 wheel drive right? Not 2.

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[1955moose]

Sounds like your iwe solenoids engaging when their not supposed to. Check the vacuum lines going to both sides, and be sure their releasing. Pull the #104 fuse to disengage everything if necessary.

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[JExpedition07]

Sounds like your iwe solenoids engaging when their not supposed to. Check the vacuum lines going to both sides, and be sure their releasing. Pull the #104 fuse to disengage everything if necessary.

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Thanks 1955Moose will check that tomorrow, if I pull the hose off in 2WD engine on it should have vacuum.

 

[JExpedition07]

I took it for a long drive and got it to occur twice, both times going over bumps. What confuses me is I’ll go over several large bumps and nothing, once it happened on a expansion joint and once on a mid size divet. The best I can describe it is the sound of running over a big stone and it being chucked up and hitting the bottom of the truck. I did have a mystery vacuum line when I did my A/C job....but there was no connector or imprint of ever being one on a tiny little line.

 

[JExpedition07]

Took it for another drive happened twice over bumps (little ones) what shocks me is it doesn’t occur over big bumps. Sounds like a big stone being chucked up at the underbody. I see through research it’s common that the front driveshaft goes bad on the newer expeditions causing occasional rotational clunking at low speed and high speed loud thumps (these are my exact symptoms). A driveshaft ain’t cheap so I’m hoping that’s a negative lol. Going to check it for play as well as IWEs first thing.

 

[1955moose]

Yeah but the driveshaft shouldn't be engaging unless something has gone awry and making it. What year is your SUV?

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[gixer2000]

Also check your lower control arm bolts/bushings. I just replaced mine because over even minor bumps it slammed hard. Then I got an alignment and a similar noise was back. I realized 150 miles from home the alignment shop didn't tighten the control arm bolts tight enough and there were moving around in the elongated holes. Both sounded like something was flying up at the bottom of the truck.

 

[JExpedition07]

Yeah but the driveshaft shouldn't be engaging unless something has gone awry and making it. What year is your SUV?

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Apparently in reading the front driveshaft often turns from static contact even when not engaged. 2007.

 

[JExpedition07]

Also check your lower control arm bolts/bushings. I just replaced mine because over even minor bumps it slammed hard. Then I got an alignment and a similar noise was back. I realized 150 miles from home the alignment shop didn't tighten the control arm bolts tight enough and there were moving around in the elongated holes. Both sounded like something was flying up at the bottom of the truck.

Thanks gixer, I’ll look into it

 

[JExpedition07]

So I had some time to check some stuff out this morning, the front driveshaft has no excessive play so that’s good. Here is the mystery vacuum line with no connector or imprint of one, there is nowhere for it to go I’ve looked a million times with more than my set of eyes?? Lower side in both pics. It’s coming up in the bundle of two from passanger side wheel.

 

[1955moose]

Would be a good idea to get under there with some wrenches and sockets, you never know. I know this is kinda nuts, but is it possible that line goes to that side Iwe sensor, and you've got the wrong vacuum line hooked up now to the sensor? Worth some checking.

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[gixer2000]

So I had some time to check some stuff out this morning, the front driveshaft has no excessive play so that’s good. Here is the mystery vacuum line with no connector or imprint of one, there is nowhere for it to go I’ve looked a million times with more than my set of eyes?? Lower side in both pics. It’s coming up in the bundle of two from passanger side wheel.

View attachment 26418
View attachment 26419

Its a vent and should be open

 

[JExpedition07]

Its a vent and should be open

Thanks gixer2000, I was thinking that could be but not sure.....that puts my mind at ease as far as that goes

 

[JExpedition07]

Well vacuum hubs are functioning correctly, control arm bolts and bushings seem fine, Ball joints seem fine, checked for play everywhere with prybar, no play in front driveshaft. Did a lot of driving today all over and it didn’t occur once.....I guess for now it’s a waiting game. Maybe I’m just losing my mind!

 

[bobmbx]

Well vacuum hubs are functioning correctly, control arm bolts and bushings seem fine, Ball joints seem fine, checked for play everywhere with prybar, no play in front driveshaft. Did a lot of driving today all over and it didn’t occur once.....I guess for now it’s a waiting game. Maybe I’m just losing my mind!

Loose or broken brake pad?

 

[cwharding]

Your problem sounds identical to the issue my wife's '13 was having. Couldn't figure it out for a long time. It ended up needing an IWE sensor. Only happened in 2wd. All winter long we were in 4wd and never had the issue. As soon as winter broke and we didn't need 4wd we started having the issue (sound) again. IWE replaced this past spring on the left front and no issues all summer.

 

[lbv150]

Also check your lower control arm bolts/bushings. I just replaced mine because over even minor bumps it slammed hard. Then I got an alignment and a similar noise was back. I realized 150 miles from home the alignment shop didn't tighten the control arm bolts tight enough and there were moving around in the elongated holes. Both sounded like something was flying up at the bottom of the truck.

Had the exact same thing on my '06...

 

[JExpedition07]

Well took the Expedition out to the cabin I’ve been away since Thursday. Did plenty of driving on and off road this weekend and found my issue. When I didn’t feel like hopping on the 4 wheeler to go somewhere that didn’t require deep woods navigation I followed in the expy, took it down a few closed “roads” and trails. 4WD performed great. While on a paved road in 2WD windows down my drivers side started grinding and then went away. Safe to say it’s a hub actuator on its way out. I just replaced the IWE solenoid this last winter with a motorcraft. Ford was smart in designing it so when a part is failing they default to engaged.