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Truck Question

Kregerdoodle

By Kregerdoodle
in Watering Hole

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Kregerdoodle

Kregerdoodle

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I have a `97 Ford F250HD w/287k on the clock..... question is, The front tires are leaning in at the top.... how do I tell if its upper and lower ball joints or what?? I just put new tires on it so need to fix this asap, like today.... just hoping its not King pins. I have never had to do any front end repairs on it, so it probably really needs it with the miles I got on it. Thinking about just changing the ball joints out any way, as they are probably shot, it tracks straight when I let go of the wheel, and I don`t hear anything making noise.... any help would be great..

 

 

Thanks

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Monty

Monty

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To check the ball joints, jack it up until the front wheel is about 6 inches off the ground. Then take a big bar and put it under the tire from the outside, going inside. Use the bar as a lever, as if you were trying to lift the tire some more. wiggle the bar up and down slowly, while watching for play in the ball joints. If it's like my F150, the lowers aren't too bad. You just need to borrow a ball joint press from auto zone if you don't have one. On mine, you have to replace the whole upper control arm, instead of the upper ball joint. If the joints are ok, then you need to see if an alignment shop can adjust the camber.

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stroker ace

stroker ace

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It should have ball joints and not king pins ( one or the other not both ). I would think the front springs have gotten weak and let the front end settle ( / \ ) like on some of the low riders. A set of new springs ( | | ) back good as new my opinion, with that many miles probably needs ball joints also.

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MiCarl

MiCarl

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I would think the front springs have gotten weak and let the front end settle ( / \ ) like on some of the low riders. A set of new springs ( | | ) back good as new my opinion, with that many miles probably needs ball joints also.

 

This is a good point. Ball joints bad enough that you can see a change in camber should sound like a dump truck with three bowling balls in back.

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Kregerdoodle

Kregerdoodle

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LOL No bowling ball sounds... I didn`t even think about the springs being shot.... I went out to work on it this morning after posting this, and found that my floor jack went south, as soon as I came back in the house, one of our ( Venture)Family members gave me a call to see if I wanted to go burn up some of our natural resorces...and that was all the arm twisting that I needed...man what a great day!!! Thanks Kelly, I needed that as bad as you did...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a good point. Ball joints bad enough that you can see a change in camber should sound like a dump truck with three bowling balls in back.
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irydasteelhorse

irydasteelhorse

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i have a 95 HD f-250 4x4 with 206,000 on the clock (great truck by the way). these trucks use shims in the front to keep them straight. if, like mine, the miles have taken their toll, its beyond factory tollerances, and there is an aftermarket kit with an "egcentric" shape to them, and this will straighten em right out. any good front end repair shop will be able to get em for ya. they arent cheap though, couple hundred, plus install. best bet is when yer finished, get an alignment too.:snow2:

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lonestarmedic

lonestarmedic

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Kreg-

Is it a 4WD? Ford has the famous twin traction beam front end. On the 4WD weak front springs cause the lean you describe due to the construction of the suspension. This can also happen to 2WD in the same way. I have an E350 with front coils and ball joints. It is an old U-Haul. When loaded heavy, the front springs compress and the geometry of the front suspension causes the top to tilt inward. The answer is new springs. On a leaf sprung 4WD you can use an add-a-leaf. The trick is it takes a 1 1/2 leaf kit due to the construction of the spring pack. On a coil spring front you can put air bags inside the coils. We often did this to E350 ambulance chassis' due to the chronic overloading. I am thinking of putting bags in the old U-haul. I installed new coil springs but still see the tilt when fully loaded.

 

This tilt will cause the ball joints to wear out faster. Neither item is that hard to repair. Just remember to watch the load on the springs. If they are under compression bad ju-ju can happen when things slip.

 

JB

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Kregerdoodle

Kregerdoodle

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JB, Its 2WD.... as soon as I get a new jack, I`ll check the ball joints and then will price the new springs and or air bags.. the only weight on it is the 7.5lt 460CI that its holding up....

 

 

 

 

Kreg-

Is it a 4WD? Ford has the famous twin traction beam front end. On the 4WD weak front springs cause the lean you describe due to the construction of the suspension. This can also happen to 2WD in the same way. I have an E350 with front coils and ball joints. It is an old U-Haul. When loaded heavy, the front springs compress and the geometry of the front suspension causes the top to tilt inward. The answer is new springs. On a leaf sprung 4WD you can use an add-a-leaf. The trick is it takes a 1 1/2 leaf kit due to the construction of the spring pack. On a coil spring front you can put air bags inside the coils. We often did this to E350 ambulance chassis' due to the chronic overloading. I am thinking of putting bags in the old U-haul. I installed new coil springs but still see the tilt when fully loaded.

 

This tilt will cause the ball joints to wear out faster. Neither item is that hard to repair. Just remember to watch the load on the springs. If they are under compression bad ju-ju can happen when things slip.

 

JB

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footsie

footsie

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If its got 287,000, you need spings,. ball joints and A-frame bushing.

You can buy a ball joint tool from harbor freight for about 25 bucks.

And the last ford frount end I did the parts were not overly expensive from oriely's.

If I remember right, the joints, bushing and spings were just under $300.

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Kregerdoodle

Kregerdoodle

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David, I may be on the bike today, I havent seen the weather yet, but can bring the truck by Tuesday, if you can just point out whats bad, and what I need to get, that would be great.. Janet baught me a new jack yesterday, should be here by the weekend, and it will take me that long to get what ever parts I need....

 

Thanks,

 

Kreg

 

 

K, come by the house tomorrow. I got a jack you can use. We can look at it at my house or you can borrow the jack.
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