Confused about correct wheel hub assemblies

[eddytheexpy]

Hi all, I’ve got a 2011 Limited EL with 4x4 and I’m planning on checking out my wheel bearings this weekend because sometimes I get weird grindy noises up front when turning and all the suspension/steering components seem tight from a cursory check (opened a door and used it as a lever to shake the rig, no movement or clunks).

I preemptively starting looking into wheel hubs and it’s not clear what I would need. Almost all the front hubs I’m finding say “exc. heavy duty”, “with base payload package” or something to that effect. I’ve got the heavy duty tow package and idk if that’s what those exclusions are referring to especially since these are the front hubs, wouldn’t the heavy-duty tow only matter for the rear? Can anyone shed some light on this?

Here’s what I’m finding:
Possibly the bearing I need, noted as “High Level Service Design”:
NHUB80 (H2MZ1104AC)
The “normal” one:
HUB353 (CL3Z1104M)

Thanks in advance!

 

[Gumbyalso]

Your weird grind noise could be the IWE system partially engaging. If you haven't incorporated TSB 22-2219 I would look at doing that first. It will be far, far cheaper than hubs. https://static.oemdtc.com/TSB/MC-10214754-0001.pdf I have 299,000 on an 11 XLT with the tow package and haven't changed hubs yet. I incorporated 22-2219 and it cured my grinding noises.

 

[eddytheexpy]

So IWE delete? I didn’t even think that it might be the IWEs. The noise I’ve had in the past when I had a hole in the vacuum line was only at high speeds so I guess if it is them, the noise wouldn’t similar.

The grinding only happens in very specific, reproducible scenarios so next time I drive it I’ll toss it in 4a to see if the grinding still happens.

I think you might be on to something because I lifted it up this weekend and shook the piss out of everything and spun the tires. Nothing was out of order, everything was tight and the wheels spun nearly silently. I’ll report back tomorrow since I’ll be taking it work to test out 4a.

 

[Gumbyalso]

You're not deleting the IWE system with 22-2219 or its successor TSB. You're just capping a couple unnecessary lines. And in spite of the nonsense to the contrary floating around online, 22-2219 does NOT remove 2WD capability. I still have 2H, 4A, 4H and 4L. I checked my own system and found no leaks and then did some troubleshooting by unneeded replacement. Wasted my own time and money. Then I had it at the stealership for something else and had them check the IWE system. $50 to incorporate 22-2219 two years and 50,000 miles ago. Grinding went away and never came back. Probably the best $50 I ever spent at a dealer.

 

[Gumbyalso]

And as I mentioned, I have 299,000 on my 2011 and no noise from my original hubs. (Probably just jinxed myself.) This is not to say that yours aren't bad, but I would incorporate 22-2219 or its successor first to see if that cures your grinding noise. I wore out the hubs on my 2000 Expedition at about 300,000. They made a sound that I would not describe as grinding. More of a low rumbling, very audible at low speeds.

 

[eddytheexpy]

You're not deleting the IWE system with 22-2219 or its successor TSB. You're just capping a couple unnecessary lines. And in spite of the nonsense to the contrary floating around online, 22-2219 does NOT remove 2WD capability. I still have 2H, 4A, 4H and 4L. I checked my own system and found no leaks and then did some troubleshooting by unneeded replacement. Wasted my own time and money. Then I had it at the stealership for something else and had them check the IWE system. $50 to incorporate 22-2219 two years and 50,000 miles ago. Grinding went away and never came back. Probably the best $50 I ever spent at a dealer.

Well TSB 22-2219 and TSB 24-2188 (which supersedes 22-2219) both say to remove the vacuum supply line and cap it off. If that doesn’t delete the function of the IWE, I’d love to hear a description of how it doesn’t.

 

[Gumbyalso]

https://www.tsbsearch.com/Ford/24-2188#google_vignette I can't tell you how removing that vacuum line doesn't delete the function of the IWE. What I do know is that I still have all 2WD and 4WD settings. This is a DIY fix that only takes three minutes if you're slow and maybe $5 for the caps. If you don't like the results you can easily put it back the way it was. Remove one small vacuum line as shown in 24-2188 that is easily accessible and cap the two nipples where you removed it. You can buy the caps from Ford or eBay or .... https://parts.ford.com/shop/en/us/p...bolt-protection-56-x-142mm-(at)-p-w716372s300 Those same caps (2) are on my 11 now and have been for two years. You literally have nothing to lose by trying this TSB. Had I known about the TSB I would have just done it myself a year before I had it at the dealer in 2023. But it was probably worth the $50 I paid the dealer just to find out about the TSB and to be able to quit chasing the problem.

NOTE: The new TCCM calibration changes IWE operation at start up. When ambient temperature is above

0°C (32°F) the IWEs stay engaged regardless of a 4WD mode selection for approximately 0.8 km (0.5 miles).

IWE engagement only occurs once per key cycle and is not reset when shifting between park (P) and drive

(D). The TCCM uses this strategy to delay vacuum use until vacuum-intensive engine startup has completed

and sufficient vacuum is available to fully disengage IWEs.

 

[eddytheexpy]

Ok yeah so the notes you have in bold are related to TCCM reprogramming which is for electronic shift on the fly which we don’t have on our rigs. We’ve got torque on demand.

So when you do this the TSB 24-2188 procedure for torque on demand your IWEs have no choice but to always be engaged. As far as your front differential is concerned, 2H = 4a, even though there’s zero chance your tcase engages and puts power to the front drive shaft.

I just don’t love all the extra full-time moving parts, kinda sounds like a halfassed fix if you ask me. Smells like the recent GMC recommendation of thicker oil in the L87’s.

In other news, on my way to work this morning driving in 4a, that grind didn’t happen when I expected it to! So my sample size isn’t huge yet but if this continues to prevent the grind I may wind up following through with the TSB anyway

 

[Gumbyalso]

You are probably right about the IWEs. The IWEs are engaged but the transfer case does not shift into 4WD unless the switch position is in 4A, 4H or 4L. I have the switch in 2H 99% of the time (unless in sand here at the beach) and it has never shifted in 4WD. I can test it in sand when beach driving opens up again in October. I'd like to hear your results if you incorporate the hose removal/caps.

I did the same experiments with 4A and 4H when I had the grinding noise. The noise would go away for the remainder of the drive even if I put it back in 2H. I then knew the noise was coming from the IWEs.