I have a 1973 F-250 I think it is a Hiboy from what I have read 4X4.
I have had the tires balanced 4 times and each time we end up with the same problem.
I get speed wobbles between 45 and 53 mph. I have no idea what it could be. The whole truck is new to me especially the front end.
Thanks,
Mike

 

i cleared this problem up about 2 months ago on my f150 4x4.
could be several things. check all the ball joints and bushings. even the bearings
i basically replaced everything on the front end. got the tires balanced again and now it rides great.

 

Jack your front end up and check your tie-rods for excessive slop, i just went through a very similar experience, front end wobbled between 40-45mph only, i thought for sure a tire balance issue, turns out it was the passenger side tie-rod (drag link) 170 bucks later (pricey *******) and she's good to go, no more front end wobble, may not be your issue but worth a check.

 

I jacked up the truck and moved the tire from front to rear and nothing no slop everything is tight and responds as it should.
When I moved the tire from top to bottom (like you check an old mustang for bad ball joints) I got play and if I had to guess this could be the problem. But if the truck doesn't have king pins and no ball joints, then what could it be?

 

You do have king pins on a closed knuckle '73, highboys went to an open knuckle ball joint in '76, if it's vertical play only i'd suspect the king pins and/or trunnion bearings, if it's lateral play as well look into your wheel bearings.

 

Here's an idea! Scrap the front end and put a Dana 60 in the front. The only axle of choice is a 78/79 kingpin disc brake one.
Are you planning on wheeling your truck and wanting reliability? Then it's the only smart choice especially if you wanna run those big meats like my 49's. Don't waste a dime on a closed knuckle drum brake piece if junk!! My trucks a 73 as well but with one ton axles,lockers, cross over steering with hydro assist and 4 wheel discs. You get most of your braking in the front so disc are a MUST. Do you still have the manual steering as well. You need the tricked out stuff if you wanna say you got the "coolest truck"

 

Why do I want a front end with king pins? The one I have now doesn't have king pins it has ball joints. I won't be driving around in anything larger than 35's. But I will be putting in a p/s steering system and disk. I have to shell out about $4000 at the end of this month to get my son up to Washington and get him settled in to his new dorm and leave him my 02 Expedition and fly back. So all the updates are going to have to wait. What I could use is you knowledge on updating the steering and then the brakes.

 

I've got a '73 with the factory closed knuckle, drum brake, low pinion, kingpin style Dana 44 HD front axle.

I don't know that ball joints are any better than kingpins as far as longevity. I suspect the change to ball joints was a cost issue (cheaper to make).

I bought a '79-'79 Dana 60 front axle which is open knuckle (no knuckle seals to leak), disc brake (better than drum) high pinion (better design than low pinion) and also a kingpin axle.

I agree 100% with 73 Ford guy that upgrading your front axle and steering would be a major improvement in "driveability".

 

The OP said he's not going to run anything larger than 35's so his D44 will hold up just fine, but i agree the D60 is a great upgrade if you happen to find one, probably the best 1K you'll ever spend on your truck.

 

Back to the issue at hand. Below are a couple of pictures (yes I know they aren't the best pictures) but I hope it will help in figuring out it this front end is a link pin or ball joint.
I just got the truck and I am sending my oldest off to college so the money is going to be a little tight that is why no major imporvments are going to happen. I just want to fix what I have for now and then later we will discuss what I should put in it. OK!

 

That's a closed knuckle D44 with king pins, it's not the "big ball" heavy duty D44 but rather the "small ball" standard D44.

 

Are you sure because the parts book says the king pins are for a GVW with the numbers 6200 on them. My plate reads GVW 3300#

 

Positive, it's a closed knuckle king pin D44.

 

I use to have one of those dinosaurs.