Hi I have a 1988 f150 with 120000 miles and what to know when should you replace the shocks my tires are wearing very bad and all the tires shops tell me to is to replace them?








thank you
michael

 

I have an 88 F-150 with 90,000 miles on it, I have replaced them twice.

 

I'd replace them. I just did all mine on my 90 F150 4x4 basic stock replacement cost me like $80 CAN and I did the work myself.

 

One other thing you might want to check if it's eating tires. But I'm speaking of 2WD in particular. The alignment eccentrics will wear too, and alignment can no longer be corrected. Had mine done at about 100K when I put the last set of tires on it. Got 52K on this set, and still going strong.

One other thing. If you use the truck primarily on the highway, again speaking for 2WD, have the tire shop toe it in about 1/4 degree tighter than spec, and about 1/4 degree of camber out. These boxy trucks have a LOT of down-force in the front when running highway speeds, and tend to camber in and toe out. There goes the inside edges of the tires. Having them set this way puts the tread flat on the road at highway speeds where the tires get the hottest and will wear the most.

 

I changed mine when I got the truck 141,000. They weren't shocks any more just hunks of metal that looked like shocks along for the ride. It's past time for a new set already.

 

Welcome to FTE

I concur that you probly need new shocks but after replacing them be sure to check for worn front end parts too. Ball joints, tie rods, idler arm etc. Once you are sure they are all good get a good alignment. All those things will cause tires to wear fast.
A good alignment shop can check your alignment and show you worn/bad suspension parts. Just be sure you check them out and make them show you the worn/bad stuff before replacing.

Good Luck
Bob

 

Shocks have NO impact on wheel alignment, but improper wheel alignment is the cause of accelerated tire wear.

 

Ummm, I 've got to take some issue with this. If all other suspension items are good & alignment is correct, failed or completly worn out shocks will accelerate tire wear.

 

i replace shock with each tire change. its a good time to do it when the old tires are off gives ya plenty of room to swap shocks! and with the price of tire now days the cost of a good set of shocks is cheap. a wore out shock will let a tire bounce,every time it hits the ground it causes ware thus making the tire not last lang as with other bushing,springs,ect

 

OK... in what way?

P.S. I'll concede worn out shocks will cause some tire wear, but they are well down the list of things that produce the most common type of wear these truck suffer from.

 

without good shocks the springs get more stress on them from the bounce efect after awhile they will sag making the tires lean in waring out the inside of the tire. i just replaced my front springs $98 new shocks $65(coil overs) now my fronts dont lean no more. the bushings take a beating also from the bounce and will ware the out quik also

 

Yes, way down the list for sure.

I'm just going on what my alignment teacher way back yonder in vo-tec school said as well as the alignment guys in a dealership I used to work for. That weak shocks cause un-even wear. (similar to cupping but not quite as severe)

And yes I would recomend that the OP needs to check all the other major components as well.

 

ok I will replace the shocks and go from there thankyou for all the info


michael