A quick puzzle to all spring experts, would a sagging spring, on a leaf sprung Dana 50 IFS F250HD cause the wheel to pull back?

The passanger wheel on my truck sits almost a full inch further back then the driver side, and makes the truck pull to the right. I have changed almost everything else up front, not specifically relating to this, but still new stuff. New, ball joints, shocks, rotors, calipers, pads, wheels, tires, and manual hub locks. Bearings are good and the truck is straight.

I hope you can help...

 

It would slightly, but it would have to be sagging several inches before it would flatten out enough to push the wheel that far back. Are they stock springs? If they are stock, and were originally flat, than a sagging spring would actually pull the wheel forward.

Measure how far the axle is from the the front spring eyes to see if they are the same on both sides. The bolt head that locates the spring pack to the seat might of shaved off or the hole might of elongated.

 

Leaf sprung ifs? Is that possible? Do you have pics?

 

Yes. Ford put leafs on the F250 Dana 50 IFS.

 

Super Steve, the springs were the factory flat or slightly concave leafs found on all F250 HD diesels from 1997. The springs measure the same from the axle to front and the bolt head is in good shape and the hole does not appear elongated. The spring attaches directly to the frame in the rear and is held in place over the axle and only the front shackle can move. The springs also are longer from axle to rear apring attachement then from axle to front, how would this pull a tire forward. and if it does pull it forward could this side be right and the driver side be to far forward? Appreciate your reply.

 

Can I see a pic of that? Send it to my e-mail? Thanks.In any case-no. If you have ifs then your travel plane would not allow movement in that direction.If it did your truck would sit substantially lower on that side and you would know that you had spring problems.MAybe track bar problem?Maybe missing/bad spring eye bushings? Paging Dona-hoe.......

 

Is that the old 150 body style 250? I am having a hard time here. When has ford used leafs with an IFS? And how? Am I just stupid? Quiet, Yeti. When you say Ifs, you are meaning independent front suspension,yes?

 

CWB, I would be happy to send you a pic. Its a 1997 (old square front body style) F250HD 7.3L crew 4x4. The leafs are very common and I haven't seen it any other way except on the 150's who have coils. The light duty F250s might have coils. I dont think I can post a pic here, where do you want it sent?

 

hehe, yes, ford put ifs leafs in a lotta trucks from late 80's up to 97. its retarded, leaf flexs straight up and down, and ifs needs to move in circular motion about a point (pivot bushing) basically, every one i rode in rode like crap cause it dont flex. usually all the heavy duty trucks had them, but when working for power company, we had a regular cab rack body (10ft) super with a powerstroke with the scariest looking coil springs (massive diameter spring steel) and i am pretty sure they didnt flex either. we loaded the back so heavy with huge timbers one time ..(we used as joists when pulling the turbine engines, pratt and whitney ft4's) that the front tires came off the ground hitting bumps, but the suspension had never unloaded. they just sat fully sprung all the time, so we never realized how truly loaded it was.


to answer original question, no way the wheel should be able to move back, unless the radius arm (strut arm/torque arm) bushing has been compressed. They are crap rubber from ford, throw some poly bushings in there, and check for any bent/damaged parts, basically, for the tire to move up and down, it has to pivot against the axle pivot bushings, the radius arm bushings, and the leaf spring bushings, which limit the locations of the wheel center to a small area.

 

send to my e-mail. Click on the skull and click send cwb an e-mail.

 

isky, I dont think the F250 ifs has a radius arm

 

CWB, sorry I have to wait to send your pictures. I received the following when trying to email..."Email privileges are not enabled for your account. You must be a member of this site for at least 15 days and have at least 15 posts before you can use the email form to contact other members. This is due to abuse of the system by spammers and scammers."

 

I sent you one. Just reply.

 

I forgot those were backwards like jeeps, shackle in the front. If your stock springs were flat, or slightly reverse arched, they would pull the wheel closer to the fixed pivot point on compression, which is the back. That would move the wheel back further the more it is compressed past horozontal. Measure from the center bolts to the fixed part on the frame. It should be the same from left to right. How much is the passenger side sagging?

 

Jeez. That is a ttb or twin traction beam setup, not IFS!Get it right dammit! NOw I understand.