Ok, so I leave the fire station this morning headed home and my steering felt weird. About 1/2 mile from home I hit a bump and my drivers side front wheel started making a screeching noise. I stopped and looked out the window and it appeared fine. I limped home and as I pull in the driveway, I lost all my steering. I look under the truck and this is what I found.

Not sure what to do. This is my daily driver and neither of my 2 mechanic friends will answer their phones. Lol Thanks for the help.

 

I'd say you need to, at a minimum, replace the left outer tie rod end and the adjusting sleeve. It would probably be a really good idea to replace the right outer tie rod as well and at least check the inner tie rod (drag link). Whichever way you choose to do it, you'll need an alignment afterwards. I would not just put it back together. It already came apart once . . .

 

So friend/mechanic one finally responded and he said the same thing. So for now, given the lack of funds.....I'm on my way for to the parts store for the left tie rod end and an adjustment sleeve. How does this even happen? It feels like the threads just slipped past each other. 210,000 miles of vibrations wore them down maybe? Thanks for the help brother. This forum is awesome!

 

My guess the adjusting sleeve wasn't tightened to specs.

 

Could be. I just bought the truck in February. Already looking at needing new ball joints and all the guts for the front to end. Seals, carrier bearings and u joints. It's always something, just wasn't planning on this issue too.

 

Very likely. I have had numerous problems with that it the past. Shop monkeys were doing it wrongn after the alignment. I caught many of them putting the pinch bolts 180deg from the slit in the sleeve. Well, that will only pull the sleeve open as you tighten the bolts. Make sure that they put the 2 bolts at the same position as the split in the adjusting sleeve. This will pull the split closed as the bolts are tightened. Insist on this. Do not take no for an answer.

Save yourself multiple headaches, and just embrace the pain one time. Do EVERYTHING in the entire front axle / steering in one shot, and then you won't have to worry about digging into it again for a long time.
1.) Rebuild the front diff - carrier and pinion bearings.
2.) Inner axle seals - in the inner part of the tube. If you don't do them, and they leak later, you'll have to pull everything apart again and likely ruin some of those expensive outer seals
3.) Axle u-joints. - I would suggest getting the best here. Dana-Spicer. get greasable ones, as they sit unused for long periods of time.
4.) Ball joints. Again, don't skimp here. Its too much work to have to do them again.
5.) All the seals in the knuckles
6.) Bearing/Hub assemblies. These aren't too bad to do later, but if you're in there and they are questionable, just do them. At the very least, be sure to grease the inner needle bearing.
7.) Outer axle stub shafts. You may or may not need these depending on wear, where the shaft rides on the aforementioned needle bearing.
8.) All the steering parts ( tie rod ends, track bar, etc..)

 

At the very least, you must replace those parts and then get an alignment asap.

 

And take that Gold bar out of your back pocket and cash it in......He just said he didn't have the funds..... They'll have to call his station out for his Heart attack!....

 

If funds are tight, you may be able to find a shop that will just set the toe-in for you. That shouldn't cost much, and it will help save the tires.

 

I just did ball joints and bearings. Went on a 2500 mi trip the next day hoping alignement was close enough. Ended up chewing two new steer tires up which may not be recoverable; definitely get an alignment!

 

If he does not repair it, the other option is to park the truck. I do not believe he is going to park the truck.

 

The camber is set by sleeves that the upper ball joints sit in. Camber is non-adjustable so don't let a shop snow you and tell you that they adjusted it. A toe is all he should need. You can easily center the wheel yourself with the drag link adjusting sleeve (between the pitman arm and the right knuckle). There are adjustable camber sleeves that you can buy if you want to but it requires removing the upper ball joint to install them.

Adjustment sleeve bolts: 41 ft-lbs

Tie rod end heim joint nut: 67 ft-lbs

 

Quick update. We replaced the tie rod end and the adjustment sleeve. Hopefully I can replace the seals, u joints and spindle this week. Then i will get a good adjustment done. Oh yeah and front shocks too. Thanks everyone for all your help. Any suggestions on good shocks, for a decent price. Ranch 9000's are what's on it now. Thanks again and God Bless!

 

I would stick with the Rancho 9000's. I just recently put a set on, and they work great. I currently have the fronts set on "7", but I may lower it a bit to soften up the front a little. The rears I run on "5" when I ;m empty and "7" when I'm loaded heavy ( I sometimes have 4,000LB of scrap metal in the truck).

You just missed a great $100 rebate ( on a set of 4) on the Rancho's - ended 6/30/16 But you can still get great price on them at Advance Auto, especially if you buy them online, and are smart about how you group your purchases and make use of discount codes and their Speed Perks rewards. Here's a hint: Order 2 of them, then wait a few days to get your reward credit, then use that on your order of the other 2.

 

Rancho runs that deal at least once a year. I've had mine for a few years and they've been great. I run "5" up front and "4" in the back when I'm unloaded. Once I hit the dirt they all go to "1".