Hey guess I have 01 F-150 supercrew Lariat 5.4L RWD with 313,000 miles. So the suspension is oem and horrible right now. I have a buddy of mine who can install a brand new system who has 20 years plus experience. He told me if I get the parts he would show me how to install it. I want to do a complete rebuild on the front and rear end. Does anyone have a list of a complete rebuild for that truck? I’m just not 100% sure what I need to order. Thank you guys!

 

1. If you don't know what to order why wouldn't you take your truck in for a steering, suspension and/or safety inspection and replace what's needed on the safety report? Probably less than $100 for that service, That way your not investing $1000.00's on a high mileage vehicle that may have a rotted frame or who knows what, that makes it not be safe for the road.

2.So you don't know what you need? Download a couple of pictures from the net of front and rear steering and suspension showing part names. Then go to Rockauto and build a parts list. Remember most pictures only show one side of vehicle so you'll need 2 of each. If you want to replace everything you'll soon find the parts exceed the price of the truck. See #1.

 

Okay I’ll look around and see what I can find out! And I’m wanting to upgrade everything on this truck and basically restore it. I got another shop that’s going to take care of all the rust and the paint job. I don’t mind sinking money into this because I plan on keeping this truck a long time.

 

after paint and rust repair, the steering and suspension, you'll be in this truck 10k and it'll still be a 18yr old truck, now built with a mish mash of aftermarket parts. Go sell your truck and buy a new used truck if you don't have sentimental attachment to this thing.

 

I have a 2018 F-350. I’m not worried about re-sell value , I just want to restore it as a project.

 

My 2 cents...

My '98 is worth about 1800, I have spent about 600 in Motorcraft COP's and rebuilt injectors, spark plugs, starter, battery relay, IACV, JY goodies for odd things here and there. I have clunks and rattles and little noises, just turn up the radio.

My point is that the body is poorly designed and will rust out and never be "worth it" in the end, look under your rockers, pull out those little round plugs, run a pressure washer up there and be astounded by how much truck falls off. The frame is in great shape, the body design is a mud/salt/moisture trap....IMHO.

I have some older trucks that I use to bring on a smile. My '74 and '75 are worth more than my '98...If you are emotionally attached, go for it. If not, drop down into 78-88 if you want something that will be easier to work on and reliable.

On my '98 the PO already chased all kinds of electrical issues, he gave up and I finished the list.

 

Start with a kit like this one as an example. Verify fitment before ordering.

 

I love this forum, it's the one place you can go for help on your truck and everyone tells you it's junk and not worth fixing!
Not just in this thread, it seems to be a reoccurring theme here.

 

I hear ya, my 2 cents was my experience. If I had it do over again, I would not have taken my '98 in on a trade. Not trying to be super negative, I guess I shoulda kept my mouth shut.

Learning something every day from the forums, I appreciate all the help I have been given.

 

It's not that they are all junk, they are older trucks that don't have much for resale value. Investing loads more than the vehicles worth could be a huge loss to the owner if it's written off. I don't think the insurance will cover much of the new investment. The other thing to note is what climate the truck came from. Highly salted areas may eat the frame and body away on even low mileage vehicles and make that extra investment not so worthwhile. If it's a generally rust free fairly low mileage vehicle investment is worthwhile but the insurance may still not pay out well.
A lot of newcomers come here for info on maybe their first Ford truck and I think it's better to err on the side
of caution. Of coarse, if they were to show pictures of underneath the vehicle as well as topside they might bet more accurate advice.

 

You are from Texas so I don't think rusting frame and body are a big problem... I would be more concerned with the 300K miles on the motor and transmission.. That could be a big expense in the next couple years if failure occurs.. We can not know that.

That being said, yes ALLORO s link to the front end "KIT" should give you a good idea of the parts required. You can buy cheap or you can be a more expensive kit ( MOOG ?)... depends on if you expecting to get another 30K miles or 100 K miles.

------Package Includes:
1 Front Outer Tie Rod End
1 Front Outer Tie Rod End
2 Front Tie Rod Adjusting Sleeve
1 Front Inner Tie Rod End
1 Front Inner Tie Rod End
2 Front Lower Ball Joints
1 Front Pitman Arm
1 Front Upper Control Arm with Ball Joint Pre-Assembled
1 Front Upper Control Arm with Ball Joint Pre-Assembled
1 Idler Arm (With 2.5" Bolt Pattern)
2 Front Sway Bar End Link
4 Bushings Pre-Assembled in the Control Arms

This Kit Fits:
FORD Expedition 1997 - 2002 2WD
FORD F-150 1997 - 2003 2WD
FORD F-150 HERITAGE 2004 2WD
FORD F-250 1997 - 1999 2WD
LINCOLN Blackwood 2002 2WD
LINCOLN Navigator 1998 - 2002 2WD



Besides the "kit" shown above, you might consider new shocks and springs as part of the rebuild.

How about the starter motor , alternator , fan belt, water pump, etc ?? Hard to believe those things lasted 300K ?

 

Thank you very much! Yeah Texas doesn’t get much snow but I have been looking at MOOG. Thank you for the list! I have replaced starter motor, alternator, fan belt, water pump, condenser, radiator, evaporator, heater core, AC lines (also all related switches), basically everything for the AC/Heater side. I’ve replaced the battery cable assembly, the harness to the alternator/voltage regulator, front windshield (was cracked), new windows and beautiful tint, restored headlights my self but may upgrade, replaced power mirrors with actual functioning ones, of course did a tune up on it, and I want to say a few other things but can’t think at the moment. And my buddy owns a shop down the street from my house and he is excellent with rebuilding transmissions. Engine on the other hand I am still looking. So far I have sunk about $3k into this vehicle, but I don’t mind because it’s a fun project ya know? Sorry man, I got a little carried away. Anyway I really do appreciate your help and everyone else’s on here! Also what shocks and springs do you recommend?

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...supercrew.html

 

I agree that a rusted out frame is a deal-breaker; I've always said that only two things can really make a vehicle non-repairable, rust and wrecks.
But not everyone lives in the rust belt, so old doesn't always equal rusted out. My 69 F250 has had a rough life, but the frame is solid as new. My '85 F250 even has the factory paint on the frame. Rest of the truck has surface rust as the intense UV rays of northern California take out paint jobs pretty easily, but the frame looks great.

Vehicles, new or old, are not good financial investments. Look at this generation of F150s for example; new they were what, 20K-30K? Now you can buy them in the hundreds if you look around. So worrying about putting more money in the truck than it's worth is really a non-sequitur, new or old, if you're talking about value of money they are both bad decisions. Talk to a broker about investments if money gain is your goal.

So you fix up a vehicle for a couple of reasons, you like the vehicle, and/or you like working a project. And even if you dump in as much money into fixing it up than you could have bought a good used one for you're still ahead as you now have a lot of experience and now know the truck inside and out, and it now has a lot of new parts and ready to go for a long time.

For example, if you bought a $1,000 truck and put $4,000 in repairs you have a wealth of new parts and repairs in it when you're done, vs buying a "good used" $5,000 truck that's still sporting all of its 200,000 mile parts in it that you'll end up having to shell out for sooner or later anyway.

Lastly, a project is a good way to "make payments" for one on a budget. You work on it as you can and when finances allow it. If you have a bad month or so you can skip the project for a while. If you're making car payments you don't really have this option.

Anyway, if anyone bothered to read this, thanks.

 

Fair points. And I don't think anyone was suggesting that a 10th gen F150 is a good investment. Just that a different 10th gen might be a better bad investment than the one he has with 313k and needs suspension and steering work.