Yes, I knew you were joking. And I was too. I wouldn't put a different engine in it even if I could afford it. And the flip front end looks fine on a F100, but I don't know that it would look so good on a 1 ton. But then, I haven't seen one.

It probably won't look "stock" when I'm done, but the average viewer won't know that. Just you guys on FTE...

 

I noticed recently that my front wheels are not pointed in the same direction: when the steering wheel is straight, the left wheel is also, but the right wheel is pointed to the right.

I checked the Shop Manual (my new truck Bible) and see a picture of the F4 Steering Gear and Connections on page 203 in Fig 14. That Spindle Connecting Rod is straight. Mine is bowed significantly toward the front.

Can a bowed spindle connecting rod be straightened?

This head-on picture shows how far the right wheel is pointing right. The left wheel is straight.

 

yes, you can straiten them.. I had a friend that had a old Hotrod shop in the seventies straiten mine back then and never had a problem with it afterwards. Just remember there are right and wrong ways of doing everything.... to straiten out your wheels for now can you adjust both tie rod ends to fix it?

 

I don't know if there's that much adjustment to the tie rod ends. I estimate the bow in the connecting rod is maybe 2 1/2 to 3 inches. It's really bent, which is hard to figure, since an impact to a wheel which would cause that much bend should have destroyed other parts before bending that rod. At least that's what I would think.

I bet it happened when the guy towed it to my house. I didn't see where he hooked up to lift the truck, but that makes more sense than an impact to a wheel.

Here's a pic.

 

I can see right now that this is going to go on for years!

 

That bar there is called a "tie rod". The pieces on either ends are just called "tie rod ends" ... technical, i know... I don't know much about the availability for the big trucks (or if they are much different) but mid-fifty makes a new beefed up one for the F100s. I have a feeling your stocker is probably much beefier than a stock F100 tie rod. Otherwise, sure that can be straightened too, and probably be fine until you felt the need to replace it.

 

You didn't say it's a boomerang! mine wasn't that quite that bad but close...

 

A hugely bent tie rod like that will definitely explain your toe out problem. That really should be replaced. And it is a different piece than the one used on the half tons. If you can't find a replacement locally, let me know. I have one available.

 

Thanks Wayne. I'll keep that in mind when I'm closer to driving this truck. It's still a long way from that day, but I will need to fix the steering before I drive it. Luckily, the steering gear isn't sloppy.

 

Yeah, I've always called that a tie rod, but in the Shop Manual it's called a Spindle Connecting Rod. So I called it that so I wouldn't be corrected.

 

Does it really? LOL-Thats funny! I bet it has been called a few different names over the years and from other manufacturers. Never heard 'Spindle Connecting Rod' before.... sounds so technical See... learned something new today!

 

Actually, it's called both the Spindle Connecting Rod and the Spindle Connecting Rod Tube. But nowhere can I find the term Tie Rod in the manual. The pictures in the book aren't that great, but it looks like the F7 and F8 have a "tie rod" and the F1 - F6 have the "tube".

And since it IS a tube on the F4, I can sort of see how it would bend. If it were a piece of bar like on the F7 & F8 with threads on both ends, it should take a lot more force to bend it.

I checked out some photos my son took of the truck before it got towed to my house. The tie rod was already bent, so who knows when it happened.

 

Does Charlie still live with you guys?Maybe he can help you straighten it out.

When will you guys be firing your next rocket?We'd love to see a video of it.It's an expensive hobby,I couldn't afford rocketry plus an old truck.

I admire you,this being,as you said,your first "old vehicle".You've really learned so much in such a short time on old Ford trucks,and flatheads, old Widow-maker wheels,serviceable substitutes,etc.Do you mind telling us what you do for a living?

Steve

 

I thought I read somewhere that he was in the used car sales business.

 

Blood in the water... sharks circling...