2004 Ford F150 rattling

2004 FORD F-150
88,000 MILES • V8 • 4WD • AUTOMATIC
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BIGCHIEF247200
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i just changed my front struts and in the process i had to disconnect my tie rod and upper control arm to get the shock/coil assembly out. now after putting it back together i drove the truck and immediatly noticed a rattling noise coming from aroud the front passenger side wheel. it only does it in 2wd, going forward, and pressing the accelerator. if i let off the gas or put it in 4wd or reverse there is no noise. the noise increases with speed and if i slam on the brake and keep my foot on the gas it gets louder and finally grinds a little and quits. it sounds to me like its tryin to engage in 4wd for some reason. the only explanation i can come up with is something caused by the spindle pulling against the drive axle when i had the upper control arm off of the steering knuckle. im no mechanic though so i wanted to hear what u guys think it could be. thanks for the help.
May 25, 2008 at 4:24 PM
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THIS IS MIKE
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It sounds like your automatic locking hubs are worn out and need to be replaced. The repairs you did may have disturbed them enough to start making noise. I suggest replacing both with 2 new ones from the Ford dealer, they are easy to install and aren't that expensive.
May 27, 2008 at 12:11 PM
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BIGCHIEF247200
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yea i looked around on here and read a few similar posts and thats what i was leaning towards so i called the dealer to order em and they told me that my truck doesnt have auto locking hubs, it has some sort of vacuum operated actuator. so i got under there and looked and sure enough the vacuum line had been knocked loose. well i hooked it back up and problem solved, hopefully nothing was damaged. thanks for the quick response and you definitly headed me in the right direction anyway
May 27, 2008 at 9:11 PM
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THIS IS MIKE
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I am glad you were able to find the problem. It is incredible the number of systems that require vacuum to operate properly.
Jun 2, 2008 at 1:19 PM