front end grinding? Please help!

[bigdually]

Today while i was driving down the road at about 15 mph I heard a loud clunk follwed by a grinding noise then another clunk like something popped back into place. Then everything was fine. This is coming from the front drivers side on my 05 4x4 f350. Any ideas?

[eric99f250]

maybe your brake pads fell apart? could be a possibility not sure though bump for ya

[AmtracMechanic]

Have you done a visually inspection of the front end? no signs of damage? then check your ball joints, power steering fluid, also whens the last time you put a grease gun to her? and just for s's and giggles, how tight are your heat sheilds to your discs (brakes) if they are to tight they can pop, squeel, and grind espesially when turning, my personal rig did this I thought I had lost some bearings or busted the front end, nope just heat shields rubbing. Just some thoughts good luck.

[Diesel_Diagnostician]

Your hub trying to engage.

[bigdually]

Originally Posted by Diesel_Diagnostician

Your hub trying to engage.

Thats what Its got to be. Ive checked everything else and it all seems to be fine. What would cause this and how do i go about getting it fixed?

[AmtracMechanic]

Originally Posted by bigdually

Thats what Its got to be. Ive checked everything else and it all seems to be fine. What would cause this and how do i go about getting it fixed?

Your hubs have a vaccum line on them, there sould be three lines there one is the brake line, the second is the wheel speed sensor (two wire harness) and a little hose that if you look up where it goes in your wheel well there may be a plastic elbow thats the vaccum line that engages the hub assuming here you have shift on the fly switch on dash not old school shifter on the floor right? hope that helps.

[bigdually]

The switch is on the dash. but i still dont understand what is hapening to make it try to engage. It only last for a few seconds and then it wont do it again for days.

[AmtracMechanic]

yeah and to tell you the truth from here I dont know either, kinda hard to trouble shoot it for you, especially those Intermitent problems, even if the truck were here if it only happens periodically, those are the worst, because what it comes down to is understanding the system and checking every thing, maybe as simple as a bad swich, or relay, or spring in the hubs, could be a bummer like the cam linkage in the transfer case. Just really cant say from here sorry man, and good luck, maybe some other guys here will read and have a similar problem and post fix, but then again maybe their fix wont fix yours and you'll be $wapping parts for a while, or maybe let a good mechanic (yeah yeah pick me LOL) could trouble shoot it for you. and its not a money thing if it were apparently obvious what the problem was by your description I would tell you in a heart beat how to fix it man. good luck.

[AmtracMechanic]

hey check it out you guys think its a hub engaging so I am not saying thats your problem but here are some basics on the hubs, they are vaccum engaged and released, basically heres what happens you rotate the switch to 4hi, that switches a couple relays in a control box in the engine compartment, the vaccum pump is electric, it sends one of two different pressures to the hub higher and lower pressure one to engage and one to release, that should give you an understaing of the system some what and that you said its intermitent and if the 4wd engages and works when you put it in 4hi, then I ussume your vaccum pump works and there fore eliminated so spring in hub, switch on dash or relays under hood your call, but the problem could be in your transfer case with the cam system you see where I am goin here?? good luck.

[bigdually]

Thanks alot buddy. You have been a big help.