'77 Ford F250 Frontend question

jsalavar · 10-29-2009, 10:10 AM

The truck is all over the road when driving. It does fine when turning corners but when cruising down the road, it floats dangerously.

Complete frontend overall? Just tie-rods? Steering column? I'm a frontend virgin so be gentle.

88fivespd · 10-29-2009, 11:01 AM

First turn the key so the steering wheel unlocks. Get an assistant to grab the steering wheel at the top and slowly and steadily turn the steering wheel about 2-3 inches each way from the top position. While the assistant is doing this, crawl underneath and look closely at each joint in the steering linkage. You will notice the worn part(s) as the steering wheel changes direction. DON'T start the engine, even though you have power steering.

Lonesome7.3 · 10-29-2009, 12:49 PM

Is it a two or four wheel drive? Actually, that does not matter it sounds like you have some worn bushings and if it is a two wheel drive I think you better check the radius arm bushings. You know what, never mind, just replace every bushing under the front of that truck along including the tie rod ends and the ball joints. I bet with the age of the old girl, it would be a wise envestment

BernieB · 10-29-2009, 01:20 PM

There can also be other causes for front-end "float", like incorrect tire pressure or type (I'm not sure if the 77's were setup for radials or not, I think they came stock with bias ply), incorrect wheel bearing adjustment (you'd notice this pretty quick though, when the bearings failed), missing or defective steering dampener, or a worn steering box.

Lonesome7.3 · 10-29-2009, 01:23 PM

Oh yeah, I forgot about the tie issues. Our 96 F250 has the same front end as your 77, as long as it is a two wheel drive. When it gets a bad tire it like to float and pull to one side. Some times you cannt tell just by looking at it that it went bad. Once it gets worse then you can.

BernieB · 10-29-2009, 01:33 PM

Did that year use kingpins on the 250's, or were those only on the 350's? I seem to recall that the 250's had them as well. If so, and it's 2wd, then he could have worn kingpins.

Lonesome7.3 · 10-29-2009, 01:36 PM

I have never heard of a king pin I bean front end. All the 73 though 79 Fords I had were four wheel drive so I could be wrong. But I do not think it has king pins.

BernieB · 10-29-2009, 01:45 PM

I didn't work on a lot of pickups back then, it being NYC and pickups kinda rare, but we worked on a heck of a lot of the E-250 and E-350 vans. I'm pretty sure the 350's had kingpins, and I'm almost equally sure that some 250's did too.

Lonesome7.3 · 10-29-2009, 01:50 PM

I am not saying I am right, but I just cannot picture a two wheel drive I -beam front end with king pins. I have not had a lot of two wheel drive trucks though.

BernieB · 10-29-2009, 02:10 PM

I could be wrong too... After all, that quiz in the Off-Topic forum proves I'm an Official Old-F*rt now.

10-29-2009, 10:10 AM	#1
jsalavar Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 3	'77 Ford F250 Frontend question The truck is all over the road when driving. It does fine when turning corners but when cruising down the road, it floats dangerously. Complete frontend overall? Just tie-rods? Steering column? I'm a frontend virgin so be gentle.

10-29-2009, 12:49 PM	#3
Lonesome7.3 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Columbus GA Posts: 1,891	Is it a two or four wheel drive? Actually, that does not matter it sounds like you have some worn bushings and if it is a two wheel drive I think you better check the radius arm bushings. You know what, never mind, just replace every bushing under the front of that truck along including the tie rod ends and the ball joints. I bet with the age of the old girl, it would be a wise envestment __________________ I got the **** lights off of an abandoned truck in Iraq.

10-29-2009, 01:20 PM	#4
BernieB Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Fredericksburg, VA Posts: 1,910	There can also be other causes for front-end "float", like incorrect tire pressure or type (I'm not sure if the 77's were setup for radials or not, I think they came stock with bias ply), incorrect wheel bearing adjustment (you'd notice this pretty quick though, when the bearings failed), missing or defective steering dampener, or a worn steering box. __________________ If the guys who design 'em had to take one home, use it every day for 2 years, and do all the maint and repairs themselves, cars would have a button on the dash to change the oil, filters & plugs.

10-29-2009, 01:23 PM	#5
Lonesome7.3 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Columbus GA Posts: 1,891	Oh yeah, I forgot about the tie issues. Our 96 F250 has the same front end as your 77, as long as it is a two wheel drive. When it gets a bad tire it like to float and pull to one side. Some times you cannt tell just by looking at it that it went bad. Once it gets worse then you can. __________________ I got the **** lights off of an abandoned truck in Iraq.

10-29-2009, 01:33 PM	#6
BernieB Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Fredericksburg, VA Posts: 1,910	Did that year use kingpins on the 250's, or were those only on the 350's? I seem to recall that the 250's had them as well. If so, and it's 2wd, then he could have worn kingpins. __________________ If the guys who design 'em had to take one home, use it every day for 2 years, and do all the maint and repairs themselves, cars would have a button on the dash to change the oil, filters & plugs.

10-29-2009, 11:01 AM	#2
88fivespd Full Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 42	First turn the key so the steering wheel unlocks. Get an assistant to grab the steering wheel at the top and slowly and steadily turn the steering wheel about 2-3 inches each way from the top position. While the assistant is doing this, crawl underneath and look closely at each joint in the steering linkage. You will notice the worn part(s) as the steering wheel changes direction. DON'T start the engine, even though you have power steering.

10-29-2009, 01:36 PM	#7
Lonesome7.3 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Columbus GA Posts: 1,891	I have never heard of a king pin I bean front end. All the 73 though 79 Fords I had were four wheel drive so I could be wrong. But I do not think it has king pins. __________________ I got the **** lights off of an abandoned truck in Iraq.

10-29-2009, 01:45 PM	#8
BernieB Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Fredericksburg, VA Posts: 1,910	I didn't work on a lot of pickups back then, it being NYC and pickups kinda rare, but we worked on a heck of a lot of the E-250 and E-350 vans. I'm pretty sure the 350's had kingpins, and I'm almost equally sure that some 250's did too. __________________ If the guys who design 'em had to take one home, use it every day for 2 years, and do all the maint and repairs themselves, cars would have a button on the dash to change the oil, filters & plugs.

10-29-2009, 01:50 PM	#9
Lonesome7.3 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Columbus GA Posts: 1,891	I am not saying I am right, but I just cannot picture a two wheel drive I -beam front end with king pins. I have not had a lot of two wheel drive trucks though. __________________ I got the **** lights off of an abandoned truck in Iraq.

10-29-2009, 02:10 PM	#10
BernieB Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Fredericksburg, VA Posts: 1,910	I could be wrong too... After all, that quiz in the Off-Topic forum proves I'm an Official Old-Frt now. __________________ If the guys who design 'em had to take one home, use it every day for 2 years, and do all the maint and repairs themselves, cars would have a button on the dash to change the oil, filters & plugs.*

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