My '96 F-250 7.3L Turbo Diesel has the typical Ford Front End Squats. Ball Joints and Tie Rods are fine. What can I do to get rid of this and make it look normal again? It looks like hell, but it isn't affecting the tire wear which seems strange to me.

 

Add a leaf

 

I don't know if you have a 2wd or 4wd which will make a big difference. On 42d an add a leaf would work but make it ride rougher than heck, the best way is new springs either leafs or coils depending on what you have. My 97 f250 has developed this recently as well but I have not gotten to worried about it since when I have the trailer on it is level and I bought it for pulling.

 

Has the truck had an alignment anytime in the recent past?

My 94 F250 had the squat when I bought it used. When I finally found a shop that had the long frame alignment system, they just adjusted it to spec and the squat was gone.

Might be as simple as a good alignment job.

Jim Henderson

 

I did add a leafs on my truck, and it really didn't stiffen up the ride much. I used a 2" kit, and it's really a little too high-with my topper on the back it actually sits a little bit nose high. But my truck is a 460, yours with a diesel would probably be perfect.

 

Same problem on our 96 250 351 there a air shock that could bolt in the stock location??? I agree with the addaleaf but plowing is right around the corner...

 

I'm pretty sure an alignment wont lift the front end.

 

Its normal for these trucks to sit lower in the front. Thats how they came stock.

Whatever you do, do not use air shocks. Its a bad idea.

I don't see an alginment raising the truck up either.

 

Haha ya thats what i was thinkin. I just got an alighnment and had to have an adjustment bushing put in because it squats a little, so im thinkin its not suppose to squat alittle

 

Axle pivot bushings. That's what causes it.

 

What can I say. Proof was in the pudding. before alignment, the truck had a squat, top of tires in, bottom out, kind of like... / \ .

After alignment, all straight and been that way ever since. like... | | Maybe not a lift but more a correct alignment. Either way I'm happy and my tires wear evenly. Almost 60,000 miles since then.

I first noticed the squat as my truck sat in the parking lot right across from my office window. Really bugged me seeing that every day, and at first I thought that was normal.

Must not be normal since the shop got it all straight. They didn't need to do anything unusual other than needing the long frame machine to do the work. Long frame because these trucks should have a 4 wheel alignment contrary to what some people think. Several shops told me so back then and refused to do the work since they didn't have the machine. I believe advice from shops that turn down business.

BTW, since I had such trouble finding a shop with the long frame machine, it was Granatelli's in Hillsboro, Or, if that helps anyone in that area.
BTW, I saw a thread today where the springs can actually take a reverse arch and cause squat too, so springs might be a fix. My truck was only 2 years old at the time so I didn't think that would be a problem, it wasn't.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

Oh I got ya, thats camber not alighnment

 

Camber, caster and toe in/out , thrust angle and probably some other things were always part of alignments I ever paid for. My car has a paper showing readings for those from the times I had it done.

I was maybe thinking the squat was something separate from camber. I suppose it could be if the springs are too far gone for the shop to align correctly.

My truck didn't look lower in the front, just the wheels looked squated out. Mine is a 4x4 so I assume it may be different if the truck under discussion was 2wd. The alignment shops all told me the squat was common but not normal.

My main point is that the the guy should have a relatively cheap alignment check done before doing a potentially expensive replacement which would still require an alignment anyway when all is said and done.

FWIW,

Jim Henderson