Hey yall new guy here, I just bought this 91 f25 4x4 diesel. This truck only has 131,000 miles on it and looks almost as if it were sitting on the show room floor.

I do have a question , 2 in fact.

1. The brakes are little less than desirable. I have checked the WHOLE system. I eve replaced the Master cylinder and the right front caliper, it locked up, so I replaced it. The brakes still feel spongy, is this normal or there something else I can look at.

2. The steering. I want it to steer better. I have it adjusted about as tight as i can get it without it tracking, but I want it to steer like a new truck. Is there an after market gear box that I can get or something. The truck runs great and looks great. i want it to drive great.

Thanx

 

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So the brakes feel a little spongy...maybe....as if they need more bleeding? Air in the system can cause that.

About the steering, most of us all have a little looseness in the steering. Be careful not to over-tighten the steering box. There is an adjustment nut on it as I assume this is what you used to tighten it, but if you over tighten that adjustment you'll break the box. Only tighten it a small amount at a time, maybe 1/4 turn, and test drive. Turn the wheel lock to lock several times looking for any bind or unusual feelings. That nut tightens everything, not just the center adjustment. The center is going to wear out before far left/right anyway.

Make sure the truck is properly aligned (camber and toe) and check to make sure all the steering tie rods are good. Also, check the steering shaft for looseness in a connection.

There will be some degree of looseness in the steering with this setup. I've come to the conclusion (my opinion here) that Ford designed this steering to be a little loose in the center, on purpose. While you're on the highway going 60-70-80 mph, you can cut that wheel left or right quite a bit and the truck won't take drastic measures. I feel Ford kept it on the loose side so that people didn't flip their trucks on the highway by over-turning in an emergency situation.


With you're hand at 12 o clock, if you turn to 9 o clock or 3 o clock, the truck doesn't turn a whole lot, but if you go past 9 and 3...more steering comes into play, it's not loose throughout the whole turn from center to lock. The amount of tire turn increases as the wheel turns. I think it was designed this way to an extent, but old age and worn parts make it worse. Alignment has a good amount to do with it.

I put a brand new steering setup in my F-150 a year and 1/2 - 2 years ago. I installed a superlift superrunner steering system (better tie rod design for lifted rigs), the 6" lift kit, and a new steering box. My steering was freakin' great but it still wasn't car-like and never will be. Since then I've done 4 ball joints and new motor/trans. Both of those totally screwed up my alignment, my camber is out of wack and my toe is pretty much eye-balled. My steering is loose as a goose now. Hopefully it'll tighten back up after the alignment.

 

Describe a little more in detail what is with the steering? The boxes do tend to loosen up, after all they are a simple ballscrew setup, you CAN set lash in top of the box, but I really dont recommend it....the procedure is a pain as you must take apart the steering column and drain all fluid from the box.

reman boxes are a route.....I did mine 75K ago, but what I REALLY found to be a problem is the ball joints were not loose at all. So 'not loose' in fact that they were tight and it caused you to oversteer....drop your tie rod ends and with the tire off, grab the rotor and turn side to side. It should be VERY easy to turn lock to lock.

 

ther is just about 1" play in the cenetr. The truck drives STRAIGHT down the road. I just dont like the little free play in the center. I gues I just want it to steer like the 97 EXPEDITION we had. Is there some out of this world type of gear box out there that will make it steer like a newer truck. The wife says its like you have to stay completely aware while driving down the highway, in other words, you cant just relax while driving down the highway.

As far as the brakes, I bled them all the way through, in other words, tilll I got new fluid through them. It stops fine, but if I push hard on the brakes, I can feel the pressure release and the pedal goes down. Not all the way to the floor, but not a hard pedal.

Am I just spoiled from the newer truck, do I need to just adapt ?