Truck Front end Part ID Help

[brendonv]

I developed a small shimmy in the front end, I feel it's due for tie rod ends, and all that jazz.

I'm just not sure the correct names for all the parts, 4 joints in total. Anyone give me so ideas. I know of tie rod ends, drag link, blah blah.

I'll install them, then have it aligned. And add the factory steering damper that there are no signs of ever being there.

 

[sotc]

Just tie rods and tie rod ends, you just have to specify if it connects to the left tire, right tire, drag link or mid rod

 

[sotc]

Good prices here

 

[SkwerI]

Inner and outer tie rods/ ends.

On my F150 I've kept the non greaseable tie rod ends lubricated by using a grease needle on my grease gun. I poke it under the rubber dust caps and grease them up with every oil change. 130K miles and still tight!

 

[arborworks1]

My unit bearings had slop in them,might be something to inspect as well.

 

[brendonv]

Unit bearings....hub bearings? I did the hub bearings and all ball joints about 9k miles ago.

 

[sotc]

9Kmiles should still be fine

 

[brendonv]

That's why I'm looking at the tie rod ends as the culprit.

Thanks for the link, have you ever bought from there before? Looks like they have OEM and Moog.

 

[SkwerI]

Moog are the way to go. They will have grease fittings.

 

[squisher]

You can easily test your tie rods to know for certain if they're the culprit with a medium sized pry bar.

 

[Husabud]

I've bought from Rock numerous times without a hitch. Just make sure you are getting the correct part as they have many options (light duty or light heavy duty etc.) If you find the stock number it is easier to cross to get the right parts. Moog, they come with a guarantee.

If you jack one side at a time and try to move that wheel left to right you should see the culprit in the tie rods or ends.

 

[lumberjack]

Tousley Ford is a good place to get Ford OEM parts for a decent deal.

 

[sotc]

Yes Brendon, without a hitch, cheap prices compared to local too

 

[Al Smith]

Tie rod ends are relatively easy to change .Use about a ton of some type good penetrating oil before you get to unscrewing them and it goes a little better .You'll need a tie rod seperater to get it apart which is fairly cheap to buy .For that matter at places like auto zone you can rent one .

Mark the ends somehow as to length and install about the same . Get it aligned and you're back in business . You can actually do the toe in adjustment with a ruler and a straight edge but it's just as simple if you've never done to have it professionally aligned .On that though on a 3/4 ton straight axle F-250 the toe in is about 1/4" inch .You can find it on the net if you want to go that route .

 

[sotc]

Be sure you have a good quality pickle fork, the cheap ones splay out.
If you jack the front end up you can scribe a line in your tires by setting a punch or file on a block, spin the tire and lightly touch the tire with scribe. Do that on both tires near center. When you get the new ends on just measure fron line to front line and back line to back line. Adjust tie rods till you have about and 1/8" closer measurement in the front than the back. Works well till you get into the alignment shop. When I worked in the logging shop that is how we did all the crummies, they never saw a true alignment

 

[SkwerI]

For those of you who haven't had to replace the tie rods on your truck yet, I recommend greasing them in spite of the fact that they don't have grease nipples. I bought a grease needle from NAPA cheap, it has a grease nipple on the back end so you can stick it on your grease gun and then slide the needle behind the rubber dust boot to grease the joint.

I bought a 1988 F150 brand new and the original tie rods were junk at 32K miles. The replacement Moog ends with grease fittings were still tight at 200K miles. My 2002 F150 has the OEM tie rod ends with 130K miles, I grease them with the needle at every oil change. I just finished greasing the OEM tie rod ends on my Mustang using the same method. The ones on my big truck have grease fittings so I don't need the needle to grease those.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Thanks for the heads up. Pizza and wild women on me!

 

[flushcut]

And get new adjuster sleeves it will make the job easier.