arrrggg *in my best frustrated voice*

sorry to hear that. now I am taking this personal… dont give up yet… just need to find the missing piece.

post up the last alignment sheet if they gave you one.

where in PA are you located ? I want to make a few calls and see if I can find somebody who knows what they are looking at to set you straight,

 

The thing is, when the new 2020’s come out with the new 7.3, I’ll be the first in line to order one, so the time with the Ex is limited anyway. But I really appreciate your help, I would like to sell this truck in good conscience that the next guy will be getting a fine machine. I have just over 10k invested in it up to this point and there’s more on my list to do. Whatever money I put into it at this point will be very limited.
I didn’t get an alignment sheet. He said he adjusted the toe, nothing else was adjusted.
Im in Montgomery county Pa.
As I type this, I’m wondering if he took the wheels off when he was checking other things, maybe he didn’t torque the wheels properly, I’ll have to check that this afternoon. I’m running non hub centric wheels and I find that if they aren’t torqued, they do have a very slight wobble.

 

ok, fwiw I feel 99% positive your issue is in the front end alignment, sucks that you have already been to the alignment shop twice just in this thread but I am certain that is where the issue is.

at this point I am not going to even give you my hunch because it is still just a guess without being able to put my eyes and hands on it,

A good front end tech would most likely be able to solve the issue pretty quickly , the trick is finding the right guy. a few phone calls to so independent shops would likely turn up your guy, these kinds of guys rarely work in the national chains, in fact the techs at those national chains probably do more harm then good.

I don't know of any 7.3 coming out in 2020 but like you said, in good conscience selling to the next guy. correct, not to mention having it drive correctly will fetch top dollar.
at this point with your 10k invested you are so close to having it dialed in it would be a shame to give up, the next little bit to get it dialed in is likely going to be more hassle then cost. ( the hassle being traveling to the shop where a good tech is located )

I am going to ask my network of people and see if i can drum up some leads,

 

The new 7.3 is Fords new gas engine for the Superduty line. I’m very excited to hear the power numbers but Ford has been tight lipped about them.
If I were to keep it, I would do a full air suspension from Airbagit, way cheaper than Kelderman. Either way alignment is still key to having a proper handling truck.
Again, thanks for your help!

 

2 names for you. ( and fwiw, be sure to mention the recent Ball Joint install )

I would start with Tim, they specialize in modified 4wd alignment and handling

Tim @ Liquid Iron Industries
West Berlin, New Jersey 08091
(856) 336-2639

closer to you but not known by me personally but came highly recommended as a old school shop familiar with straigh axle setups.
Craig is the son, his Dad is the master if you can get him to do the job.

Manbeck Alignment Services
315 St Charles St, Schuylkill Haven, PA 17972
(570) 385-5712

 

Thanks pirate! I appreciate it.
I think the West Berlin one is closer to me, in fact I lived near there when I was a kid.

 

I just looked them up on mapquest, they are both the exact same distance from my house, I think I will call the one in Jersey first.

 

Gonna throw it out there. Didn’t see if you had it checked or not. I had a u joint binding up in one axis on the driver side that was causing weird wander. I thought it was the ball joint but when I went in to replace I noticed it. Mine was completely frozen so easy to see. If one axis on the front I joint is binding then as it spins in the hub it might want to steer the beast but if the free axis is engaging when you checked ball joint play then you would not notice.

Not saying throw more parts at it, just something to check. If you have the tie rod off and are moving it back and forth, spin the axle and see if one side of the u joint moves more easily than the other.

 

Both ujoints in the front axle were replaced when the free spin hubs were installed. When the tie rods were pulled off, the wheel/tire turned freely, no ball joint tightness, all smooth.

 

just curious, what Brand of ball joints did you use ? and did the wander show up after the BJ install ?

for the record, for ujoints and Ball Joints Spicer joints are the only way to go…. period.

Motorcrafts are spicer so those are cool and be carful buy from ebay and such as spicers are know to be knocked off.

https://www.venturestruckparts.com. is a realiable source for the real deal at fair prices.

 

Somewhere in this thread I mentioned the ball joints were done at different times, the Chevrolet dealership where I bought the truck, did one side, no idea what brand they used. The next year the other side needed them, the shop that did the work got them from Ford. The ball joint installation didn’t help wandering, they were done because they needed to be done. The wandering never really went totally away until the last alignment. Really not sure why it came back. I have a set of factory 20” wheels from my sons truck and a set of spacers that I might put on to see if that make a difference.

 

Well then I’m at a loss. That’s the extent of my knowledge. I don’t pretend to be a professional but I did experience that and fixed my wander.

Good luck!

 

Sort of an update I guess. I have been talking to the 4x4 shop owner, who also has an Ex, and we agreed to do the ball joints again. He will align it after the new ball joints are in and we will see what happens. Thing is wife and I bought a brand new camper in April and we’ve only used it twice. I pulled it with my sons truck for Memorial Day weekend and last weekend I pulled it with the Ex. Only went 90 miles away, good thing because I would not want to pull it any further than that. We also canceled the Nebraska trip, I was really looking forward to that trip. Got to get this truck steering straight. Truck will go in sometime next week.

 

I have an old ex and have been through all you have getting it straight and rtc good and found many small out of spec points for improvement

I read through all the posts and saw no mention of steering shaft slip yoke play.

I over looked that in my truck because the play was so so small at the small spline point of contact.

Even if you think it looks good it is hard to get your face close enough to it to see.

Cheap to check. At operating length mine had about 1/16” play. It gets way loose shorter like it would be in an accident and tighter when pulled out beyond working length.

Disconnect from box and twist it in your hand at the length it operates at. Then push in and pull out. You can feel the differences in tolerance.

I bent a little piece of hose clamp metal and tapped it up into the joint and folded the extra length back and applied a 2nd clamp to keep it in place.

Just a cheap check. Mine was a large improvement.

Fwiw I saw a spec on ford manual using a dial gauge to determine play on steering joints. I believe.05” was the out spec tolerance. That is tiny.

Ford thinks that small amount matters.

I think thats why why the next generation front end used a small backspacing front wheel. They moved the kingpin pivot point out further so less leverage from the road affects steering.

 

Thanks jake, it’s funny you mention that because my brother said the same thing. He was a Ford mechanic at the local dealership for 18 years. I will definitely check that out, thanks.