Hello all so first off I am working on my 79 f150 4x4 400m 4inch lift.
The front end has been rebuilt recently(minus track bar)
I decided to run some used tsl boggers on my truck and that's when my troubles began. About 1k miles into them I developed a death wobble. I finally found that the lower track bar bolt had ovaled out the hole. And my lower track bar end was rusted to the poly bushing. I cleaned it up with a wire brush. After much pain I got the jbg tapered bolt to work, with new upper and lower poly bushings I re installed the stock track bar.
Checked the play by turning the wheel back and forth. The bolt is solid I'm happy with that! I did notice a little play in the lower bushing between it and the track bar I assume to much material had rusted out to keep it very tight. The bushing almost falls out when i put it in. So I'm thinking I need a new bar and I was curious what is better the jbg bar or the wild horses bar?
Also when turning the wheel I could hear the steering gear box clanking. I have play in the steering wheel and it leaks from the bottom seal. I was thinking a new red head gear box after my bar..
Any advise here?

 

Did you get a trac bar "drop bracket" (mounts on the frame where or with the OEM one) with the lift? Not to sure if it needed for a 4" lift. Or did you get a adjustable trac bar for the lift?

Maybe a new OEM trac bar frame bracket would help or get the old worn out one professionally overhauled (see a welding shop for this)?

As far a who to use for a new trac bar wise...sorry no experience there. Clanking steering box, have you adjusted the play out? Red Head has a great reputation, get a new box from them and kill 2 birds (loose box and bad seal).

Play can be some what adjusted and seal can be replaced with steering box on truck.

For the steering - Start by adjusting the slack adjuster - it will be a locknut over what appears to be a bolt with a screwdriver slot. Put a screwdriver into the slot to hold it and back off the locknut. Slowly turn the screwdriver clockwise while rotating the steering shaft back and forth until there's very little to no play. Hold adjustment bolt and tighten the locknut. With power steering this is done with the engine running.

Once the slack is adjusted out of the steering box, look at the top of the steering column (still under the hood) under the master cylinder. There's a heavy fiber washer (sometimes referred to as a rag joint) that makes a coupling in the column, usually this is worn out and the cause for excessive steering play.

Steering box seal- Been done it before with the gear on the bench, but I think it can be done on vehicle.
Remove the pitman arm from the sector shaft, then there's a snap ring that needs to be removed. Once that's out of the way there is a washer, then a seal, then another washer and another seal.
Remove the first washer exposing the first seal. Take a sharp center punch and pierce the seal, screw in a sheet metal screw and pry the seal out. You can do two screws 180 degrees apart too. Once the first seal is out, remove the second washer and repeat the process.
To replace the seals, apply a thin coating of grease to the inner lip of the seal and a thin coat of sealer to the outside diameter of the seal (I like No. 2 Permatex non-hardening).
Slide the seal over the shaft and take a deep socket that's just slightly smaller than the OD of the seal and drive the seal in until it seats. Replace the washer then the next seal, washer then snap ring.
Reinstall the pitman arm, hook up the steering linkage and that's it.
If you don't have a socket that's deep enough you can use a piece of pipe or tubing too.
The killer on these is getting everything centered. With the exception of the sector shaft Ford basically only sold the internals as an assembly.

The input shaft (F3AZ-3E502-A) & sector shaft (D7AZ-3E501-A) seal kits are available from Ford and auto parts stores.
Seal kit, steering gear sector shaft
Parts list #64, With gear ID SPA-AB, AJ, AN, BN, BS, BX, CC, CN
Basically this covers all 73-79 2WD F100-350 w/ power steering
D7AZ-3E501-A .. Sector Shaft Seal Kit
Last dealer cost $29.41 List $43.71
So try the dealership OR ……
Parts International, Farmers Branch, TX has 50 (972) 241-8730
Green Sales, Cincinnati, OH has 19 (800) 543-4959
Manderbach Ford, Temple, PA has 5 (610) 929-3683
Freese Motor Inc., Monticello, IA has 4 (319) 465-3541
Herb Chambers Ford, Westboro, MA has 2 (508) 366-8311

 

Actually I don't have a drop track bar mount. And I don't think it has the drop Pitman arm either. And they seem to be at the same angle like I was told they should be.
The box is solid on the frame and so is the mount.
I currently have the stock bar on it. Just looking to replace it and curious about my options.
As for the gear box I have adjusted it a little, but I don't want to mess up the gears cause I have to drive it daily Right now.
I'm all for the red head though that's gonna happen after the bar. And I'll be sure to check the rag joint as well. I didn't think about that
Thanks for all the info!

 

I am not sure just what a 1/2 ton with a 4" needs needs. Was throwing out suggestion to ck. I hear that a 1/2 ton with some amount of lift amount (?) can get all kinds of crazy if the steering/caster-camber is not addressed with the lift.

Maybe some 1/2 ton lifted guru's will chime in this evening with some more advice?

Ans yes you do not want to over adjust the steering box.

 

When you did your lift did you instal new C bushings between the axle and the radius arms? If so how many deg bushing were they? 2 deg is stock, 4 deg is for lifts up to 4" and 7 deg is for lifts over 4".

Did your axle rebuild include new ball joints and new tie rod ends for the steering? I found on my bronco that one of my new ball joints went bad about 500 miles in... don't know if it was just bad from the start or it was an install problem on my part. Might be worth checking all those again just to make sure.

 

How "used" are the boggers? They're not known for good road manors even when new. You might have a belt separated. Have you tried a tire rotation?

 

Maybe worth looking into?

benchworks steering

 

I will stop by the local 4x4 shop and see what the think on the drop situation. My father installed the lift kit a long time ago but it doesn't have many miles, maybe 20k or so.
Also the front end rebuilt was ball joints tie rods drag link bearings and seals checked the diff and inner seals and "alignment"
Before the wobble the fronts were in good shape, 1/4 tread. The back are half. but after most of the side wall lugs that stick out have been ripped off the front tires. I'm sure they aren't helping the wobble nite that they are worn funny. But before the bolt started wobbling they rode fine! Just loud and lumpy after sitting. I'm going to put a set of at's on after I get the track bar installed. I don't want to mess up new tires. But I will throw the backs on the front and see what's up tomorrow on my day off!

 

I will definitely give them a call when I am ready for a box, options are good to have. I also plan on a Saginaw ps conversion or something like that
And I did check the ball joints and ends they seem ok

 

Well I couldn't wait until tomorrow so after work and the gym I went out and rotated my tires front to back. Soon as I pulled the fronts off I could see the were wearing in an A
Shape. After the swap i drove it down the road, it was perfect.
No shake, wobble, shimmy at any speed. Looks like the wobble wore my tires pretty bad, fast. So I'll be running them on the back till I get some new treads on. And I'm still gonna be replacing the track bar And gear box. Thanks for the help!

 

Good deal!
Nine times out of ten...it's been the tires that causes the wobble, in my experience.

 

Yea after the bolt being loose it just wore them bad! So happy I can wait a little to get these new parts now and don't have to put it on the card

 

Some tire shops offer a tire truing service where they actually lathe down the tire to be round again. Might be worth it over getting new tires... Or the old fashion way... just burn rubber till they are round and smooth!!! haha

 

4" lift ..... hopefully the installer used either 7 degree poly C bushings or dropped the rear of the radius arms to maintain caster angles.

Also, a 4" lift .... to drive well ..... needs a drop bracket for the track bar at frame end and a drop pittman arm.

Love my Red Head Steering Box!