1999 F350 4WD FRT SUSPENSION ISSUES

[patrickc]

Summit Racing.com has all the moog parts and part#'s listed on their website. I normally just order Moog parts through my local Uap/Napa parts store. The drag link end you need might be referred to as an upper tie rod end or pitman arm end. I agree with Rob (DiamondBRanch) and would also replace the tie rod adjusting sleeves for the $20 each that they cost.

If you are just replacing the bearing/hub o-ring seals they are only a couple bucks each from Ford it is the inner seals that are the expensive ones. It is important that the front seals are A1 if you still have the factory vaccum actuated auto hubs. (most people swap them out for manual hubs when they start to screw up) I have been through this the hard way...needed 4wd and the damn auto hubs wouldn't lock!

 

[Jer's 99]

Thanks guys, I'm going to surf summitracing.com now.... I am a big fan and site-go'er of their site.

 

[Jer's 99]

Yeah, they didn't have my parts. I went to Merel's here in Tucson and got all 4 front ball joints, top of my drag link and some nuts and bolts for something else... for about $260. All Moog products too. Now I just have to try and put them on... anyone live around here and want to help??? LOL

 

[patrickc]

If I wasn't 2500 miles away no problem!
Glad to hear you found the good parts.(MOOG)

 

[DaveBen]

You had better get your hands on a ball joint press. This is a C clamp type of device to remove and install ball joints. A U joint press is similar and may work. You should be able to rent at a tool rental shop. I would help, but I did my time in Tucson when I was in college, in the '60s.

Dave

 

[Jer's 99]

UPDATE!!!!



Good news.... after a little less than $500 I have purchased a brand new set of 4 ball joints (left and right), Entire drag link (reusing the old sleeve), brand new outter tie-rod shaft (not sure what it's called) the drag link bolts onto it and then it bolts to the passenger knuckle by way of tie-rod...

A buddy and I replaced the easy stuff this Saturday (all, but the ball joints). Then he and I did test drive after test drive for centering of the steering wheel versus the truck driving straight... We also did a garage style alignment with a tape mesure and multiple trips to the grage door for a distant view of the tires being straight.

- Overall I feel dumb because I made the entire job (the little bit we did) seem like rocket science! I still have some creeks and crack echoing off the truck when the body tilts and the truck is making occassional turns, but we just think it's because it is 7 years new and has a lot of stress on the joint because it has been lifted. We did shake/wiggle the tires to check the ball joints while we had it on jacks though and found that only my driver lower ball joint is bad, but since I have the parts already and guessing they will eventually go bad are going to change them out any how...

So my truck turns easier and drives smoother without feeling like I am all over the road!!! I can actually drive with 1 finger if I should chose too. Before it was at least one solid hand gripped onto the steering wheel at all times just to maintain a steady "straight" path.

 

[DaveBen]

I know the feeling of wandering all over the road, and I don't even drink!! Good job Jer.

Dave

 

[f100cleveland]

We did shake/wiggle the tires to check the ball joints while we had it on jacks though and found that only my driver lower ball joint is bad, but since I have the parts already and guessing they will eventually go bad are going to change them out any how...

I used to work at an alignment shop and put a lot of ball joints in 99+ Super Duty's. F250's seemed to tear up the joints sooner than the F350's did. But anyways, checking the ball joints doing the wiggle test usually only indicates a ball joint that is really loose and wore out. The proper way to check ball joints is to raise the front end, by the axle, so the front tires are a couple inches off the ground. Now, we always used tire irons for semi tires, but you can use a big pry bar for this too. But, stick the bar under the tire and pry up and down. This will show how much slop is in the ball joints.

When you do the wiggle test, if the ball joint is really worn, it will settle down and bind up when lifted and the weight is taken off of it. That allows it to feel "tight". When "prying" with the bar, it will push the ball joint back up in its normal wear area and then you'll know if the ball joint is bad or not.

Btw, most Chysler ball joints had up and down slop to them from the factory and the aftermarket Moog/Napa Premium ball joints still have vertical play to them, but only with Chrysler products

Oh yeah, $810 bucks is pretty cheap for all 4 ball joints and alignment. I think we used to get about $1100-1200 for parts, labor, and alignment.

Good luck

 

[patrickc]

Glad to hear you almost got'er done! The ball joints are a little trickier but I'm sure you won't have a problem.

 

[Jer's 99]

Glad to hear you almost got'er done! The ball joints are a little trickier but I'm sure you won't have a problem.

It seems rather simple once broken down to the knuckle portion... (knock on wood) but it is everything before that that needs taken off first that boggles my mind. I'm not a mechanic at all, but it intrigues me none the less.

I would rather bust a few knuckles with a buddy on a weekend learning how to do it and have a way better understanding of it than to pay some other guy who doesn't really care "specifically about my truck", but wants the money for the job and once my trucks done he has another job to do!!! Some things are better for a mechanic to do (and there is no way I could do it; like internal motor stuff) and other odd-ball junk that is fairly simple, not complex I can attempt.

Thanks for the advice f100cleveland on another way to check ball joints, I will try this weekend.