Frame Flexing issue
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Frame Flexing issue
87 F250, 4X4, 6.9 Diesel. During my efforts to eliminate some of the slop from my steering I have discovered that the frame rail that the steering box is bolted to flexes when the steering wheel is turned. This is partly due to a loose rivet at the engine cradle cross-member. I intend to replace the rivet with a bolt. This will partly solve the problem but will not remove all the flex. I don't believe that anything is cracked yet. I was considering welding in a reinforcement but am wondering if the rails are heat treated. Does anyone know if there are reinforcement kits readily available?
Dave
Dave
Fleet Mechanic
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You could put put a front receiver/ hitch on and that would box in the front frame rails, that’s what I’m going to do on my 95, though I don’t notice any frame flex at all.
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2016
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From: Pittsburgh
The rails aren't heat treated or anything. You can weld on them. I'd try not to get it too hot, but still make sure you get good penetration on the welds. These frames are definitely meant to flex some, though.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,209
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From: Black Hills of SD
I've rebuilt those frame sections, had a stolen truck come back with the box all but ripped out. Heat treated or not, you have to fix it and if it's moving, one bolt to replace a rivet does not sound like a proper fix.
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I'm not even sure I can get a bolt into where the loose rivet is. Anyway that was just to replace the loose rivet. I will make up a reinforcement and weld it on.
Dave
Dave
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It's all pretty awkward in there if I remember. A very common issue with those trucks, but way more so with the diesel. Guessing it's the torque and weight playing their part, or maybe the trucks just get used more. But we used to weld up a lot of them.
When I worked at Trailmaster one customer had a complaint about loosey goosey feeling and a loud clicking right after he put on a 4" lift kit. And this was just in a Bronco. Nothing too radical, but a big crack in the frame, worn out axle pivot bushings and all the extra flex imparted to the frame from the longer pivot brackets was just too much for it.
His truck was already messed up as far as we could tell, but we welded up a good bit of the crossmember to get it go settle down.
Pretty sure the diesel frame and crossmember are at least slightly different, but the overall design and concept are the same.
If you can't get a bolt in there, see if you can get a local welder to tack-weld some key areas to tighten it up. Hopefully yours lends itself to some welding. Been so long since I've fiddled around with that I can't say for sure what, where, when, why and who as far as welding.
Good luck.
Paul
When I worked at Trailmaster one customer had a complaint about loosey goosey feeling and a loud clicking right after he put on a 4" lift kit. And this was just in a Bronco. Nothing too radical, but a big crack in the frame, worn out axle pivot bushings and all the extra flex imparted to the frame from the longer pivot brackets was just too much for it.
His truck was already messed up as far as we could tell, but we welded up a good bit of the crossmember to get it go settle down.
Pretty sure the diesel frame and crossmember are at least slightly different, but the overall design and concept are the same.
If you can't get a bolt in there, see if you can get a local welder to tack-weld some key areas to tighten it up. Hopefully yours lends itself to some welding. Been so long since I've fiddled around with that I can't say for sure what, where, when, why and who as far as welding.
Good luck.
Paul
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Thanks Paul. Welding a reinforcement seems like the only way to go. It is interesting that you mention the axle pivot bushings. Mine are both pretty well worn. I replaced both brackets several years ago because they were badly cracked. I'm not sure how I will get something under the truck to press the bushings out. They appear to be pretty solid and I don't know if my usual trick with a piece of large all-thread and a big socket will work. I will need to try something though.
Dave
Dave
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Yeah Dave, we used to have to replace the TTB pivot joints in a lot more customer's trucks than they would have liked. Not us, but the customers! Even the factory ones where the truck had no suspension modifications would wear out pretty quickly under all that stress. Some lasted 50, 70, even 90 thousand miles. Others were toast by 30k unfortunately. 'Cause unless you were doing it yourself, it wasn't a cheap service.
In fact, I think they were the main reason that prompted us as a relatively small company (large by 4wd shop standards though) to become an Energy Suspension distributor.
Unfortunately, all the times we did it I can't say I actually went out to the shop to watch how the mechanics handled it. Maybe they used a ball-joint press right up on the vehicle? I know it wasn't too terrible to drop the axle pivots down below the frame, but it's not exactly without it's perils when you don't have a hoist. Lots of English on those joints just sitting there.
Guess I'll have to check with one of the old mechanics. He's working at a Chrysler dealership now and I think we're facebook friends. Good excuse to say howdy after a long stretch.
Good luck with your flex.
Paul
In fact, I think they were the main reason that prompted us as a relatively small company (large by 4wd shop standards though) to become an Energy Suspension distributor.
Unfortunately, all the times we did it I can't say I actually went out to the shop to watch how the mechanics handled it. Maybe they used a ball-joint press right up on the vehicle? I know it wasn't too terrible to drop the axle pivots down below the frame, but it's not exactly without it's perils when you don't have a hoist. Lots of English on those joints just sitting there.
Guess I'll have to check with one of the old mechanics. He's working at a Chrysler dealership now and I think we're facebook friends. Good excuse to say howdy after a long stretch.
Good luck with your flex.
Paul
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