Hey all,

I posted a while back about ways to correct the sloppy steering. Between a career change and moving I have never got started on my project. It is a 1979 ford f-150 4x4 with a 4 inch lift and 33's. I am ready to tackle this monster, but first I am wanting to get my expectations into perspective. Say I have to replace everything in the front end even the gear box, will this truck drive and handle like a newer truck even on the highway? Or are my expecations too high? I've had a few of these old trucks and I really do enjoy them, but I'm trying to cut down my inventory of vehicles, especially my gas hogs. If I can't take this old truck and make it to where me or my wife is comfortable taking it anywhere we need then I may have to sell it. I've just never owned one of these trucks that I felt comfortable taking on highway, but was never a problem before because they were just toys. I'm wanting to make this a backup dd/work truck. Any of you out these have a lifted old ford that you can say you feel safe driving it down the highway?

Thanks all!

 

Just looking for reassurance that putting a chunk of money in this frontend will pay off.

 

Won't drive any worse than my 01 SuperDuty. Of course it's no Beamer or Lexus, but it'll drive just fine. Make sure you use offset C bushings or drop the radius arms down at their rears (if it hasn't been done already) to keep a good amount of caster in it and it will track wonderfully. Get it on an alignment machine and make sure it's good a good amount of positive caster. I'd like it in the 4 to 5 degree range if I can.

 

Yeah, like jhooch said .... especially with a '78-79 set up! 2 or 3 degree polyurethane C bushing kit for stock height, 4 degrees if going 2-4" higher and 7 degree if higher than 4" lift or drop rear of radius arms. A 2 degree poly C bushing kit adds 2 degrees to stock. If it already has some, it'll add 2 more degrees and take some wandering out of it.

I put mine in back in the late '80s, a 14 piece set including radius arms and track arm.

 

I sold my lifted '01 super duty a few months back and the steering was far better than any other lifted vehicle I have owned. If I could can my '79 to steer anywhere close to that I'd be happy.

I really think a lot of my steering issue is in the gear box. As it sits now, I know the draglink and tie rods need replaced. The PO said he has tightened the gear box before so I imagine I will end up replacing it before its all said and done.

 

I'ld strongly suggest replacing the drag link and any loose tie rods and checking the ball joints BEFORE looking at the steering box.



It's aweful easy to screw up a good steering box by tightening the play if one doesn't do it right. Some of these trucks have had many owners and some will adjust the box before checking linkages. Big tires and deep wheels work linkages harder.

I had slowed down driving my '77 thinking it's box was worn maybe but not long ago, I was watching it close and found that my play wasn't the box, it was the ball joint where drag link meets pittman arm. My steering was switched over to 78-79 style in 1986, the tie rod ends are slack free still as are the ball joints. New drag link made a huge difference, doesn't take much loosemess to amplify into a wandering truck.

The steering box will have more play at center than at 20 degrees left or right. If you know someone has messed with it, there is a prescribed correct way to check and adjust it ..... if you need a rebuilt one RED HEAD Steering Gear in Wa. state is where I'ld look. (http://redheadsteeringgears.com/) They manufacture their own replacement parts, they do not simply clean and paint and reseal a box.

I wonder "how much" the PO adjusted it? I might would back off 1/4 -1/2 turn just to feel and make sure not too tight for now? If it doesn't feel tight, maybe he didn't go too far?

I see you have a 4" lift on your 79, you are gonna want a 7 degree set of C bushings if not already done. I'ld get the whole poly kit.

You sold your 2001 F-250 V-10! Folks around here look long and hard for those trucks!

 

Thanks for the heads up on where to buy a box. That will be the last thing I try just saying if I have to go that far.

What do you guys suggest for buying the tie rods and drag link? I can buy the whole front kit from bronco graveyard for a few bucks more or I can do oreillys master pro for a little less. Any preference one way or the other? I will look into doing bushings after I replace the other parts.

Also, is a 4 inch drop pitman required with a 4 inch lift? I noticed my truck doesn't have one currently. Should I be looking to add one? Pros and cons if I don't?

As far as the super duty, I should have never sold it. It was clean with low miles. I had a hell of time selling it with gas at its peak when I let it go. I will own another someday.

 

Back in the '86 when I bought my '77 which had loose tie rod ends and wanted to switch over I saw a great deal on a package with the complete 78-79 style steering including the pittman arm (which you already have, 78-79 being different from 77 back) from a large 4x4 off roading place in Phoenix, Az. I don't know what brand it was but shipping to Va. then put it over the top.

I ended up getting all my parts indicvidually from local NAPA with "good guy" discount through a buddy's shop, I forget brand but suspect it was Moog. I can say that the new Moog I pulled out of the Moog box was identicle in every way to the one I replaced that came in the swap kit except for the road grime and grease on it. Truck has 102K now. I've always run 31/10.50-15s on it as well.

Recently when I was shopping for a new drag link Bronco Graveyard had what I think was "Mevotech" for $70. I decided on Moog, many places had it for $120-$150 but Amazon had 3 left at $90.15. I got it at Amazon.

Mevotech may be good stuff, I don't know, haven't seen any bad reviews of it though ..... maybe someone here will chime in? Maybe the setup Bronco Graveyard is offering now is Moog?

I was looking for an earlier V-10 F250 but around here the prices, if you can find one for sale, is "high" ..... they were not to be found for sale in Aug 2009. I got a great deal on my 07 F150 5.4 FX4 .... I'm pleased. I didn't really need a V-10 ..... but I found out how prized they are by farmers and ranchers and horse people. I'm probably better off gas mileage wise as is.

 

Sorry to jack the thread but I just ordered the 2 deg kit from Jeffs bronco and it said that was what was needed for the stock height setup, is that right? What do you mean it adds 2 degs to stock? Thanks

 

Yeah, that's right ... 2 or 3 degree for a stock height F-150. The original rubber C-bushings had zero angle built in, they simply insulated the axle from the radius arm and allowed movement as the uneven surfaces were encountered and the radious arm swung through seperate arcs.

Any caster was the result of how low the raduis arms were from the frame and how the triangle things were welded to the front axle, there was no caster adjustment to be made ..... what was there was a result of drawings on the designer's drawing board.

It was after C-bushings in poly were offered and were molded with some degree of rotation built in that tilted the axle back adding caster for lifts that people found that 2 or 3 added degrees of caster in a otherwise stock F-150 helped in directional stability going down the road.

It soon became a sort of standard practice to add 2 degrees or so through C-bushings. If the truck has any caster, the 2 degree kit will add 2 more degrees. With worn aged stock rubber and the application of brakes, I wouldn't be surprised if they went into negative caster under braking as the front axle is trying to roll forwards.