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When I was working on my steering project last year and had taken out the steering box I noticed some creative welds and wondered if the old F150 came that way or a PO(s) did something.
I've seen many repairs where the power steering gear box mounts to the frame. The plate was added as a repair. A popular repair is to add 1/8 - 3/16 wall sleeves/tubes at each power steering gear box mounting hole that pass all the way through the frame so the bolts pass through and when tightened they don't pinch the frame walls. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post15554751
I would repair that with better welds at the least if I was you. I fixed a friends 78 f150 when the frame broke there. It did break... He could only turn left.
Only turns left - Dirt track dream ! After I took the pictures back then I cleaned it up and didn't find any cracks or issues (like in @77&79F250 ' s pictures). Other than looking like an ugly baby it looked solid.
I had read somewhere that the frames of the F150/250/350 were actually a little different from each other. Frames were a little beefier on the heavier duty models.
This problem affects all 1969/79 2WD's, 1977 F250 4WD's (not High Boys), 1978/79 4WD's and 1978/79 Bronco's.
This quote clarifies when the problem arose and how long it persisted and why.
100% correctamundo. This problem began in mid-year 1969 (from serial number D96,001), when Ford switched from the Bendix to the Ford P/S gearbox.
This problem affects all 1969/79 2WD's, 1977 F250 4WD's (not High Boys), 1978/79 4WD's and 1978/79 Bronco's.
The original bolts were undersized and too short, the nuts worked loose, the gearbox wiggled around...soon the frame cracked. Not pleasant!
rjphillips: Where the heck did you come up with this horse dung that it's against the law to weld frames?
If that was the case, EVERY FoMoCo dealer was guilty, because that was what was done to fix them.
Ford came out with larger & longer bolts (387529S2 9/16" -18 x 4 1/2") and new lock nuts, then the dealers welded a re-enforcement plate over the damaged area.
And...what the heck do you think body shops and front end shops do when frames are damaged, and/or crossmembers need to be replaced?
New parts are welded in...from day one thru today.
Cars/trucks that are unit-bodied have the body/chassis welded together forming a one piece assembly, with a stub frame used to retain the powertrain. What do you think is done to fix this jazz when damaged?
New parts are welded in.
Suggest you waltz on down to a local body shop or front end shop and see for yourself in person.
