Steering Grind?

[rtbrjason]

I'm getting a light grinding noise, most noticeable when turning the wheel very slightly in either direction while stopped or maneuvering around in parking lots etc.

It definitely sounds like a power steering pump, but after replacing that, the noise is identical. I've also done upper control arms with ball joints and lower ball joints on both sides. Everything else seems tight, no rips in the cv joints etc. Steering fluid is new and at the correct level.

My mechanic friend says it's probably normal, but I can't imagine driving off the lot when new that this truck made this noise. Any ideas what to look at to get this resolved?

 

[FordandPolaris]

Unplug fuse 104 and test it. This controls the transfer case motor and what not. The grinding sounds a lot like what my mom's 2000 does (she describes it as gravelly). If you unplug that fuse and the grinding goes away, then I would look into doing the brown wire mod so that you can disable A4WD when it is not necessary.

 

[rtbrjason]

I actually just did this mod and have it on a switch in the cabin. It still makes the noise with the truck in "2wd".

 

[FordandPolaris]

Have you done the wheel hubs in front? If those were bad you would probably hear more of a hum at high speeds though, rather than low speed. Only other thing that pops into mind would be the CV joints or front diff. Hopefully someone else chimes in with ideas.