Hello Ford Enthusiasts. I purchased the truck of my dreams about 8 months ago. 1996 f250 regular cab long bed. 4 inch, 35s, 460ci, Dana 50 front. Has some issues when I got it, still does. But I work every other weekend on it. Right now try to figure out this loose front end. Outer Tie rods and a moog camber bushing straightneed the slanted front end. Today I'm replacing the automatic locking front hubs with mile marker 30 manual locks. Also moog u joints. What else might be the cause of a shaky front end? I'm going to do all leaf spring bushings chassis mounts, any rubber on lower half of truck, sway bar, etc...
I know my steering is bad. Probably going to replace power steering pump first. It's making a whining sound every time I turn. Any pointers, ideas, experiences dealing with the dana 50 ttb front axle on a 1996 f250 460. I just wanna get it as good as it should be.

 

Shaky or floating? My 1989 F250 floats, and I've replaced everything...everything!

Shakey could mean bent rim or issues with the tires. I replaced my rims and tires twice.

When I say I've replaced everything, I mean to say I've replaced everything from the pitman arm out, and pitman arm up...pump, steering box, tie rods and tie rod ends, ball joints, u-joints, everything that can replaced has been replaced. The frame has no rust, so there's no weak spots. I'm beginning to think that it's inherent to the design of the front suspension.

 

Oh, the whining is a factory installed feature. The best way to get around it is to replace with a Saginaw pump...but you'll need to replace the bracket, too.

 

Ford steering pumps always whine....

Get under the truck and have someone turn the steering back & forth... I found out after thinking all the things you are trying... that my damn leaf springs were loose...sliding back & forth ! WTH !?!?

 

Ok so whining can stay... Truck loud enough drowns it oit most of the time. As to the steering, it is all over the road. I hit a bump and it goes where it wants if I'm not floating the steering wheel. I have a few inches both ways so it's an art that I've mastered to keep to going straight. It has after market 18s and just got new tires the other day. I'm sure that when these trucks came off the lot they weren't loose. So I would like to get it back to close to factory as I can.

 

And the leaf spring yeah that sounds like something I'm going to try tomorrow

 

Have a look at the steering shaft, there is either a u-joint or flex joint that wears out and the steering box can also develop a good amount of play internally, sometimes this can be tightened up other times the box has to be replaced. But in the end the steering in these trucks will never be as tight feeling as a newer vehicle with a hydraulic rack and pinion, it will always have a small amount of floaty disconnected feel on center.

 

My steering shaft is loose when I shake it from under the wheel well. Any suggestions as what I could purchase to fix this. Going to do some research myself.

UPDATE! u joints, repacked bearings and seals, mile marker manual locking hubs all installed and functioning properly. Did a little test run at nueces river aka 7 miles. Rides so much smoother feels like I have better control of truck. Lots of body popping but nothing unusual. Great truck

 

Sounds like a problem I may be having, haven't found the culprit yet either landing after going over a bump seems to be the worst - it wants to either go right or left and sometimes it just seems that a wheel bearing issue or dragging brake intermittently is doing something. Conanski usually has good ideas, I'll be checking on his suggestion soon .... Will update if I find my issue .....