Hi Guys,
I tried this under the MISC section but no replies maybe you guys could provide me some advice? Thanks...

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I have a 95 F350 Crew Cab Dually 7.3-DI 108K-Miles. Orig owner.

My problem is I get uneven wear on the right outer edge of the front tire this has been going on for at least 3 different sets of front tires.. The inner edge and the left front tire will have plenty of tread left. Over the years I have had the alignment performed by a local Ford dealer as well as other shops. At times the alignment may be off a bit but I still get this same wear problem. The front shocks were replaced at about 20K miles.

I have jacked up the front end to check the ball-joints by wiggling the wheel back and forth with very little play if I could propose an amount maybe an 1/16"? The left wheel seemed about the same as the right.

I have heard front springs so how do I check those to see if they are the problem?

Could it be I need new front shocks since mine have about 80-90K on them?

I have also heard wheel bearings do I check those by wobbling the tire like I do to check ball-joints?

Thanks in advance...

Mike
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If they are wearing on the outer edge then it's not sagging springs. That would wear the inner edge. To check the ball joints jack the tire up a couple inches then put a big pry bar under the tire and jack up and down while looking for ball joint movement.

I think someone aligned it wrong. I hate it when shops use alignment bushings on the top ball joint.
Also you need to follow the recommended tire pressure on your door sticker and the rotation schedule in your owners manual. That will help a lot. I think it calls for a cross rotation every 5000 miles. The fronts get crossed to the rear and rears come straight forward.

 

Thanks for the reply.

So while looking at the ball joint should their be no movement or what is normal?

The hard part about alignment is finding someone that can fit my truck on the rack. Being its a crew cab long bed dually I guess most racks can't fit it. I'll check around and see if I can find someone who can do it.

Thanks...

Mike

 

Caster is just as important as camber on our trucks.

If the tire is titlted, and the toe is correct, it will still wear that way.
I have the same problem, but mine is brought on by being a cheapass and not wanting to buy the shim packs to fix it.

 

Hi Talyn,

I remmber awhile back, I think about 20K-miles ago, the local Ford Dealer aligned my truck and said I need the Caster/Camber kit installed which I did. At that time the truck pulled to the right real bad which after the 3rd time of bringing it back to them they got it right. I had this right tire wear problem prior to that and was hoping this would solve it but it didn't. I only get about 10K-miles until the outer half of the right tire is bald.

Mike

 

That Ford dealer was full of idiots! Unless you wrecked it and bent something then there is never a reason to install the caster and camber bushing. NEVER! That only fixes the symptom, not the problem.

YOu are right that caster is very important. It's what makes it drive in a straight line. What recenters the steering wheel when you come out of a turn and what keeps a trailer from swinging you all over the road. It also helps you drive straight in the rutted out roads we have all over the place. Caster will do more damage to your tires than camber will and in a shorter amount of time too. Camber only wears one side at a time. Caster scrubs the tread off both sides when it's out.

I didn't see where you were but if you're near me then come by and I'll teach you how to align it yourself. It's really pretty easy. I hope you kept your factory upper ball joint bushings. Ford sure doesn't sell them. I bet all the original problem was is some bad shackle bushings or maybe saggy springs. The bushings are a lot more common. I never would have touched your alignment till the front end was absolutely perfect. I lost a couple jobs over that but oh well. I took all my customers with me too. Too many are just after your money and not your safety anymore.

I think the spec for ball joint movement was 1/16 of an inch up and down. Personally, I don't like any at all. If they move they are bad. I like the moog problem solvers but sometimes you have to put different grease fittings in them to clear the axle u joint.

 

So Mike is this 2wd rig?

 

RR, I'm in Northern Calif (Bay Area) so a bit of a drive to TX. I wish I could come by though could use a lesson or two on suspension Thanks for the tips though I'll check the ball-joints.

Pete, yep its 2wd sure wish it was 4wd though. I'm getting tired of putting chains on going to Tahoe.

Mike

 

Ok I remember now. You live pretty close to Stoneridge Mall? If you want to get together sometime I can take a look at it with you. I have the ball joint press if your going to tackle it yourself. If not call Walt's auto repair in San Ramon / Danville. Near Costco off Crow Canyon. Best front end service around. The front end guy really knows his stuff.

 

Yep that's me, Pete. The same one who had the fuel leak last summer and couldnt get the banjo nut back on the rear of the pump, whew glad that's over.

I'll take a look at the BJ myself but could probably use a 2nd opinion.

Thanks...

Mike

 

My ball joints were shot. I got it aligned Friday. Papaw offered to pay for them so I just let that shop change them. It was working the same way.

 

So bad spring and shackle bushings will cause uneven wear too? I've always had great tread wear until recently and I have also noticed that my front bushings are shot to heck.

 

They sure will. Those bushings are the number 1 cause of the dreaded death wobble and the number 1 cause of screwed up caster.

It's hard to think of caster in your head. Picture a straight line up through the center of the lower and upper ball joint. That angle should be about 4-5 degrees to the rear on our trucks. or negative. When you turn that number will go positive on one side and negative on the other. That is what pulls you back straight. When those bushings are gone then it goes with the path of least resistance till it hits metal and that number goes all over the place.

It gets even weirder on IFS front ends. Ford designed a caster split into those. Say 4 degrees one side and 5 on the other. That's to counteract the torque steer from having a one wheel spinner in the front with one short drive axle and one long. There is a small split on a dana 60 but nothing like an IFS dana 44. Caster is really important and everything has to be right if you want it to work for you. That's why I get so pissed off when shops use those caster bushings. A wedge would be a more proper fix but only if the axle is bent. If it's caused by springs or bushings then that needs to be repaired first.

 

Damn, i'd have you check out my stuff if I could Dan. I'm having some sudden issues involving that.

Doesn't always want to center up the wheel unless i help it lately.

 

Have you played with the screw on top of the gear box lately? There's a real fine line adjusting that thing. If it's just started it suddenly I'd look at the power steering and back off that screw if you have turned it down. Then check the front end.