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Need ball joints?

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Old Jan 19, 2004 | 06:25 PM
  #1  
moosed's Avatar
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Angry Need ball joints?

I have a 1987 F250 Custom with 351/auto. and a Western 8' Plow on front.

Noticed yesterday that the driver side front wheel was at a 'strange' angle when I parked after plowing. Hoping that I just parked on a rock or something I drove it around with my wife looking at the wheel.

Yep, didn't look right. Thought the ball joints might be bad so I
took the plow and chains off and dropped it off and a local garage. He says ball joints look OK?

What could be causing this problem? BTW: Without the plow on the wheel still looks cocked, just not as bad.

Really need to get this truck back on the road, but need to know that I can continue to plow with no problems.

Any help would be appreciated!

Regards,

Tony DeGregorio
 
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Old Jan 19, 2004 | 07:14 PM
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underDAWG
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Wound it be possible you bent the tie rod or drag link? How does it handle on the highway? Any vibration or pull on one side? HTH.

Later,
 
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Old Jan 19, 2004 | 07:29 PM
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On the 250s they have a prob with the driver side traction beam braking next to the third member. I have seen it twice, and both times on plow trucks.
On guy bought a new one, the other pulled it back together and welded it with some plates. It is still holding 3 years now I think.

clipper
 
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Old Jan 19, 2004 | 07:43 PM
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From: Cook Forest and Irwin PA
Re: Need ball joints?

Originally posted by moosed
I have a 1987 F250 Custom with 351/auto. and a Western 8' Plow on front.

Noticed yesterday that the driver side front wheel was at a 'strange' angle when I parked after plowing. Hoping that I just parked on a rock or something I drove it around with my wife looking at the wheel.

Yep, didn't look right. Thought the ball joints might be bad so I
took the plow and chains off and dropped it off and a local garage. He says ball joints look OK?

What could be causing this problem? BTW: Without the plow on the wheel still looks cocked, just not as bad.

Really need to get this truck back on the road, but need to know that I can continue to plow with no problems.

Any help would be appreciated!

Regards,

Tony DeGregorio
saw this last month - the front axle housing was cracked from.....the weight of a plow....
 
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Old Jan 19, 2004 | 07:54 PM
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From: Georgia
You can check over at www.LetsTalkSnow.com

they have a snow plowing discussion forum there, I'm sure someone that has a plow probally has experienced what you are now.
After you get her fixed up, put a set of timbrens on there.
 
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Old Jan 19, 2004 | 07:54 PM
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Th truck handles fine on the highway, no pulling or vibration. Even going to the shop yesterday it felt fine, but when parked it didn't look fine.
 
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Old Jan 19, 2004 | 07:55 PM
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Parks911...thanks for the link. I'm going there right after I post this reply!
 
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Old Jan 19, 2004 | 07:57 PM
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QuadDriver. Is that repairable?
 
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Old Jan 19, 2004 | 08:04 PM
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Re: Re: Need ball joints?

Originally posted by quaddriver
saw this last month - the front axle housing was cracked from.....the weight of a plow....
This is what timbrens help prevent. You put them on the front undercarriage of the truck & it helps support the weight of the plow.
 
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Old Jan 19, 2004 | 08:16 PM
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From: Cook Forest and Irwin PA
Originally posted by moosed
QuadDriver. Is that repairable?
yep, you take out the old one and put in a new one ;-)

f250 - 44IFS or d50 front axle?
 
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Old Jan 19, 2004 | 08:29 PM
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Not 100% but I think it's a Dana. How can I tell for sure?
 
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Old Jan 19, 2004 | 10:25 PM
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It's stamped on the top of the diff. Have you checked the wheel bearings?
 
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Old Jan 20, 2004 | 12:07 AM
  #13  
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From: Cook Forest and Irwin PA
Re: Need ball joints?

Originally posted by moosed
I have a 1987 F250 Custom with 351/auto. and a Western 8' Plow on front.

Noticed yesterday that the driver side front wheel was at a 'strange' angle when I parked after plowing. Hoping that I just parked on a rock or something I drove it around with my wife looking at the wheel.

Yep, didn't look right. Thought the ball joints might be bad so I
took the plow and chains off and dropped it off and a local garage. He says ball joints look OK?

What could be causing this problem? BTW: Without the plow on the wheel still looks cocked, just not as bad.

Really need to get this truck back on the road, but need to know that I can continue to plow with no problems.

Any help would be appreciated!

Regards,

Tony DeGregorio
Ok here is your front end scoop - you have a choice of 3 axle models, dana 44IFS, dana 50 (I have to look in the book but I think there is a D50 IFS also) and dana 60. light duty 250s have coils, hds have leafs. in all cases with a 4x4, the upper and lower balljoints locate the spindle to the axle housing outboard ends - no control arms. On IFS models, the axle 'bends' around a central pivot andthe wheels can have in normal operation, negative camber at the same time. On straight axle models, if one wheel has negative camber, the other has positive camber.

without knowing details about your truck, if one axle had negative camber, but the other was zero, then you either have an IFS and perhaps one spring is giving it up/broken, or you have a straight 50/60 and the axle housing itself is cracked. you can aid in the diagnosis by not even giving me the axle model, just tell me if the axle is 'split' i.e. hinged, i.e. has a pivot point.

actually, one other possibility has come to mind...the spindle bolts might have broken and there is enuf flex in the outboard u-joints to allow this hideous position, BUT, it would sound like hell if you ever tried to drive it.

at any rate, if you have a straight axle, you are fcuked. replacement time, I would not trust a weld on an axle tube/housing
 
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Old Jan 21, 2004 | 12:04 PM
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Oops. F-250's have leafs. Even the "LD"
 
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Old Jan 27, 2004 | 06:15 AM
  #15  
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Thanks for all the posts to my question. I picked up the truck on Saturday and the mechanic gave it a clean bill of health. He said that the steering box was almost ready to fall off and the the pitman arm bolts needed to be tightened.

Also mentioned that it is IFS (I thought is was a Dana 50) and thats just the way they get when you add weight. Maybe I don't have enough ballast in the back (only about 300Lbs, 3 chimmey blocks, couple bags of fozen sand)

The driver side wheel does look much better when I mounted the plow. Still aliitle cocked , but No way as extreme as before.

I did look under the truck and did not notice any broken or bent parts. It has front leaf springs not coil springs, the U clamps and bolts look OK, alittle rusty but could not see any cracks or breaks.

Does this make sense?
 
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