My 1972 F250 CS does the Watusi as you drive down the road. I have good tires and all new KYB shocks. Just feels top heavy. It has 64K original miles on it but of course the age. Nothing looks broken underneath the truck. The tie rod ends don't have much play and the it really is pretty tight. It doesn't wonder down the road. Thoughts?

 

How's your steering box have any play? How about you rag joint? It's the coupler between the steering column shaft and box. How about your kingpins? Do the tires have any up/down side to side wobble in them if you jack the front tires off the ground all bushings in good condition?

 

Is that "wows" as in astonishment? Or " woes" as in a malady. I think it's the latter....

What do you mean by "watusi" and top heavy?

Yeah, the CG of these trucks are real high. Take a look at the bushings and he integrity of all torqued components. Consider adding a front swaybar from a 75-79 Dent.

 

Got enough air in the tires? If you have 10ply truck tires, pump them up to 65-70psi and see what it does.

 

Lift the front tires off the ground and put jack stands under the frame.

Place one hand at the top of the tire (12:00 o'clock) and one at the bottom (6:00 o'clock). Push straight inward at the top while you pull outward on the tire at the bottom. Then reverse the action back and forth several times.

If there's play in the kingpins, you'll feel/hear it. If there's play here, it's time for new kingpins and bushings.

Place your hands at 9:00 o'clock and 3:00 o'clock on the tire and give it the same kind of motion, but in a horizontal plane instead of vertical. If there's play here, it's new tie rod time.

Conversely, if the wheel bearings aren't torqued to spec, the wheel/tire will wobble in both these directions when checking kingpins or tie rods. This will also affect handling and can affect the brakes as well.

Torquing wheel bearings:

Tighten the spindle nut to 17-25 ft-lb, while simultaneously rotating the rotor/drum.

Back the spindle nut off 1/2 turn.

While rotating the rotor/drum, tighten the spindle nut to 10-15 in-lb.

Adjust the nut retainer until the slots are inline with the cotter pin hole of the spindle.

Install the cotter pin.

Install the dust cap.

--if you're fooling with the the spindle nut, might as well slide the rotor/drum off, first, and re-pack the wheel bearings.

 

Check your radius arm bushings as they could be very shot or very hard. People don't normally look at them.

 

even tho your tires apear good check them for broken belts

 

"Woes"?!, Ya that one. Fat fingers made to do other things other than type. Thanks for the imput

 

All good stuff. Thanks guys!

 

2X. This was my 1st reaction. Jack it up and slowly spin each tire looking to see if there is a bulge in either the sidewalls OR tread.
2X Rich. Radius arm bushings was my 2nd thought.

 

Or toe in could be out?

 

Alignment angles play a HUGE roll in how it behaves. Camber is probably least important, but toe and caster are.

 

There's a lot more than tires and shocks that make your truck ride nice. I had an old Bronco that would just about change lanes on it's own. The rubber bushings were worn out in the track arms, but it had good shocks and tires. Look at all the rubber parts, like in the leaf spring eyes, and you'll probably find some in pretty poor condition.
Or else...just enjoy dancing down the road