OK....04 scab FX4 with 48K miles. Suddenly I get this Light metallic type rattle from the passenger front....sounds like detonation or really noisy injectors. Only hear the noise when you are accelerating....back off of the gas and the noise goes away. Take it to the dealer...they spend 2+ hours and decide the noise in the R front 4X4 actuator...trying to engage the hub. They replace the actuator.....for $270...and problem solved. That was last week. Now I get the noise from the Left front....same kinda noise....only real intermittant. Ive heard it 3 times in 3-4 days...only last 5 or 6 seconds. If you engage the FWD...it goes away. Any idea as to why BOTH acuators would fail?????? Dealer says the first one was the only failure they have seen??? Opinions appreciated.

 

Just had the right side replaced last week. The problem with actuators is that over time they leak. My mechanic tells me when he sprayed soapy water on the actuator it was leaking like crazy. What is going to make this problem real frustrating for some of you, is that Ford has redesigned this actuator 3 times. Yes, they are on their 3rd version. So, make sure you have the lastest version installed.

 

Not to be a wise-guy or anything, but the hubs work off vacuum. I don't understand how soapy water would detect a leak on anything other than a pressure system.

But I agree that it's not the best design, and I'm always concerned with the reliability of these hubs. I only have 24,000 miles, no problems so far, but remain concerned.

Anybody know if there's a seal kit to rebuild these, before they fall apart?