1997 Ford F250 7.3 Stroker.

Been driving my dads truck around for the past week or so while i wait for the head on my jeep to get shipped in so i can put that back together.

While driving it, i noticed this popping sound (if you want to call it that) when turning the truck. Seems to only do it when you're cornering really hard, or when you're coming off a steep incline and put weight on that side of the truck.

It seems to be coming from the driver side front tire. I'm thinking it's the U-Joint on the axle shaft, but don't have any way to confirm this. I just greased up the upper and lower ball joints on both sides, and the TREs and the pitman arm and the drag link.

My only other thought is wheel bearings or the ball joints. Am i missing something?

Also, i think the front axle is a Dana 60 kingpin (but i'm not sure at all.) After years of changing diff fluid on my jeep, you just pop the diff cover, drain the oil, put the cover back on, remove drain plug, and fill er back up.

However, on his truck, the front diff looks solid - as if there is no cover on it. If the U-joint is bad, how do i open the diff to pull the shaft out of the diff? Is it a C-Clip axle, or can i just pull the shaft out? Pardon my ignorance.

New (Cheap) shocks were put in about 500 miles ago.

Here's a video. Thanks for the help! This is my second or so post!

 

Is it a 250 or 350?

 

Whoops forgot to mention that. Updated my original post.

1997 Ford F250 7.3 Stroker.

 

Sounds to me like it still has the D50 TTB front axle in it by the way you described the diff cover. If it does, it's a two piece axle with each side having a pivot bracket mounted to the cross member under the engine. Check those pivot bushings. Also check all the leaf spring bushings. Especially the rear bushings of the front springs. They will get worn and the spring eye will slap in the top of the hanger. But, the first and easiest thing I would check is the fender bolts. The two bolts back by the hood hinges on top the fenders. They get loose and it will pop and crack when the truck flexes. Make sure those are tight. And welcome to FTE!

 

Here's a picture of the front axle. I'll get a better one tomorrow when it gets light outside, but this one looks pretty clear. How do you change the diff fluid on these? Unscrew the cap, get a hose and a pump, pump it out, and pour in new stuff? I don't think he's ever changed that either, so i should probably change it for him. What gear oil is recommended?

So you're saying it's probably a bushing and not a U-Joint? I'll go out there tomorrow when it's light and spray white lithium grease into each bushing and continue to test it until the problem either goes away, or i can eliminate that as the culprit. I'll do it that way unless there is an easier way to inspect the bushings.

These fender bolts are under the wheel well or no?

Thank You! Will stick around and learn a thing or two about these trucks!

 

Yeah, that's the old TTB . Did you just grease the ball joints or did you actually check them for play? Jack the truck up and get the weight off of the front wheels. Put a pry bar under the front tire and lift up and down to see the ball joints have play in them. I'd bet they are wore out. Those TTB axles eat ball joints and spring bushings. Check all the other stuff I mentioned too though. Don't bother spraying lithium grease on the bushings, if the are worn out, that won't help. You are right on the pump for the front diff oil. Just take that plug in the front out, run a hose down in the bottom and pump it out. Fill it up through the same hole, up to that hole. Use a 90w gear oil at the least.

 

Thing looks like a tank. I'd imagine that's the axle that most would prefer to NOT have under there truck. Is the TTB common? I thought most of these trucks had a d60 up front. Do you happen to know the gear ratio in them? I can't even imagine how you'd re-gear that thing.

Just greased them up. I probably should have checked them for play before i did that, but it's too late for that now.

So to check the ball joints;

1. Jack Front Up In Air.
2. Get Pry bar and lift up from under tire.
3. Look for play in Balljoints.

Is there any amount of play that is normal? How do i determine if they're actually worn out? I know if you get the tire up in the air and shake it left to right and up and down that checks for a bad U-Joint. (Or does that test the ball joints? I can't remember.)

I'm assuming to change the bushings in the leafs i'd need to remove the bolt holding the leaf to the hanger, pry down the leaf, push out old bushing, push in new bushing, put it back up, and rebolt it in. Then do the same for the front of the leaf.

You were saying something about the front axle being bolted to the engine or something like that. Is there a bushing there that needs replacement as well, or no?

I think i located the fender bolts as well. Are they right behind the shock? Those look tight and rusty. Didn't actually feel them with a wrench though.

 

The 250s had the D50 TTB, and the 350s have the D60 solid axle.

Shaking the tire is not a test for u-joints, that will show you any play in the ball joints or wheel bearings.

If you need to change the spring bushings, you might as well set aside one full day to do it. The whole leaf pack will have to come out of the truck because you are going to have to beat, bang, cut, drill, torch and pray those bushings out LOL! They can be pretty stubborn to get out. Do yourself a favor though, and put polyurethane bushings back in.

The pivot bushings are in the end of each axle where it is attached to the frame of the truck. There are brackets that are bolted to the cross member under the engine that each axle pivots on. Those are not easy to change either.

You could always just find a D60, and swap it in

 

Alright will remember that.

Close enough. Knew it tested something under there. Haha. If i'm in there replacing the ball joints, i might as well go ahead and replace the U-Joint as well, correct?

Are they metal bushings? They're not just plastic bushings like in every other vehicles besides the F250 on the road?

Do you think the pivot bushes are worn out? Any way to test these?

Any recommendations on what ball joints to put back in? I don't want some 20$ china ball joint that will last all of 5 minutes.

Just shut up. Haha. I contemplated long and hard about swapping, trussing, gearing, and locking a D60 to put in the front of my Jeep Cherokee. Got shot down though due to price, as a D44 came up for cheaper.

 

All the bushings are rubber, but like I said, if you do change them, go back with poly. They will last longer and are 100 times easier to get out when they need changed. It's hard to check the pivot bushings. Just look and see how far the rubber is squished toward the top.
Go with XRF ball joints. You can get them from here Bar None Diesel Performance, LLC.

 

The fender bolts Bill is talking about are located on top of the fender. Open the hood, they are back by the hood hinge. There are 2 bolts that have a fiber spacer under the fender bracket. The bolts can loosen letting the fender move when turning and going over bumps.

 

I'm back. Never got around to it, and they're getting really loud. Going to order the parts ASAP.

Can someone link me to what ball joints i need? Also, where would i go about getting a ball joint press?

Thanks!

 

i'd recommend tightening those felder bolts as bill and tom have said - before going and buying any parts. the video link isn't working for me, but I had a 'popping' in my truck for about a year after I bought it - only on turns on uneven ground though.

I figured it was in the suspension or door hinges or something. someone on here suggested tightening the fender bolts and that was it! cheapest fix ever.

 

 

Well, i think you guys hit the nail on the head with that one. This doesn't look right at all.

What is that part even called that is sliding out? Do they make a replacement?

Thanks again for saving me from an unneeded balljoint job!

Picture Related.