I've got a 88 F150 4 speed that sat for a year before I bought it. After alot of engine work I took it out for the first time last night and I thought the front end was going to rumble off the truck. She rumbles regardless if the clutch is in or out so I figured its the front end. Reardrive shafts U-Joints apperar to be tight ( lubed them prior to driving) There are no grease fitting on the Half Shafts on the front end. My question is--- What special tools do I need to take apart the Front manual hubs/ front end and replace all the U-Joints in the front end and while I'mthere replace the ball joints? And am I better off letting someone else do this job at a garge who has been inside one of these front ends.

 

you will need an allen wrench to remove outer hubs, a pic to remove the retainer ring once outer is off, a circlip pliers for retainer ring on axleshaft, a wheel bearing adjustment nut socket (any parts store will tell you which one), a dead blow/maybe a block of wood and mallet to beat the spindle off the knuckle (rusty parts may need to chisel BEHIND spindle to break free?) to remove the axleshafts. TTB to get the short shaft off the pass. side, need to remove the 3rd member completely to access retainer clip on axleshaft. ball joints probably need to get a BFH, ball joint pickle fork (get a good one, like LISLE not china) and buy or rent a ball joint service set (big gussetted c-clamp type, no other will work). it's not too difficult, unless everything is rusty then it's a biitch. Hayne's manual a must for torque specs, sequence of balljoint install. may as well get a locker in there while your at it!! also, check and/or replace the needle bearings and seals in the backside of the spindles. i installed camber/caster adjusting bushings in the upper ball-joints to get better alignment too. all this will cost you some $$$
good luck and let us know how it's going! OH YEAH, SOAK EVERYTHING RUSTY IN PENETRATING (HEH HEH) OILS A DAY OR TWO BEFORE DOING SOME OF THIS IF POSSIBLE.

 

The rumble is most likely the wheel bearings, and you have to disassemble the hub to get to the u-joints anyway, so start with them and see what happens. You can probably find instructions here.

If you have manual hubs, then you have the worst front axle possible. The '87-88 D44IFS has flange-type locking hubs, which are junk, and everything outboard of the knuckles is unique to those 2 years. The parts are rare & expen$ive, but no more difficult to repair/replace than any others. If you have the time, search the junkyards for any other D44IFS to swap under your truck. Don't worry if it has a different ratio - you can swap your diff onto it at the same time.