Topic: Old Ford pick-up folks lend me your ear!

[Brantley]

I know someone on this forum has got to be into older Fords, too. Here's what's up: I'm considering buying a 1970 F250 for what I think is a fair price. Mechanically sound, cosmetically OK. My only hang-up is there's an uncomfortable ammount of play in the non-power steering. I used to own a cherry (until I got a hold of it) '71 LTD that sorta had the same thing, albeit with power steering. Anybody know if this is just an inherent Ford trait
or is it fixable? Tie-rod ends? How about a forum as good as this one? The ones I easily found had too much new stuff (Ford ads) to wade through to get to the info I need.

[mattcb350f]

I'm not into old Fords but I own a 94' F-250 4x4 and have worked on the older ones.

I'm guessing it's a 2 wheel drive with the I beam front end? If so, the play is likely in the King Pins and steering box. The old Fords are known at least around these parts to have quite a bit of play in the front ends. My truck does too. That being said, it should be able to be tightened up. I know on my Ford, the steering box play is adjustable, much like the clutch is on a bike (bolt and lock nut).

 Matt.

[Bob550four]

I'd get it,  my 83 quarter ton ranger did the same thing.   they're TOUGH trucks to kill(if you can)

[Rocking-M]

Most steering gear boxes on old trucks have the adjustment Matt suggest. You should see a fairly big nut with a
flat head screw in the center on the top side of the steering gear box. Do not take all the play out as some have
done this in the past and been going down the road and had the steering lock up. There should be a certain
amount of lash.

[mattcb350f]

Most steering gear boxes on old trucks have the adjustment Matt suggest. You should see a fairly big nut with a
flat head screw in the center on the top side of the steering gear box. Do not take all the play out as some have
done this in the past and been going down the road and had the steering lock up. There should be a certain
amount of lash.

Yup, I adjusted mine too tight and had to back it off. If it's real bad you can rebuild or buy a rebuilt box

[TwoTired]

I have a 72 F-100 pick up.

On it, the steering box has a play adjustment (screw and lock nut).  Also, there is a thick rubber/fiber coupler in the steering column to isolate vibration transferred to the steering wheel.  The setup has stop pins, so in case the rubber thingy fails, you still have positive steering.  However, if it has failed, you will get a lot of slop in the steering.  Replacement rubber bits are still available.

King pin wear shows up as sloppy steering dodges when bumps are encountered, not on smooth roads though.   Tie rod ends should, of course be replaced if any play is present in them. This type of wear affects wheel alignment and behavior of steering under irregular road conditions or lateral weight shift, it is not steering wheel slop specific.

Cheers,

[jevfro]

Pretty typical for a '70s ford...
 I've got a few, a '78 E350 w/ 400,000 miles on it and a '79 F100 w/ who knows how much on it, and they are both just a lil' loose, as is my '88 E350 4x4 conversion, but not what I would call bad.  It might be just a matter of getting used to it.

I'm a member of the ford trucks enthusiasts forum and there's lots of help there http://www.ford-trucks.com (not as good a group as here but this is a pretty hard forum to beat!)

I'd check the three 5/8" bolts that hold the steering box to the frame (mine got real loose once).  Also check the power steering lines for leaks (had one of those once too!).  I was warned against messing w/ that steering box adjuster as it is supposedly very touchy and if you're off too far it'll ruin the box.  If you do mess w/ it, make very small adjustments and then check it again. It should want to self center (jack up frontend)


Gotta love those old trucks they're pretty bulletproof.

Good luck

[fuzzybutt]

i love old fords myself. what motor does the truck have? 390 or 428?

[Brantley]

I know a lot more about making a 500lb bike move than a 2 ton truck turn, so thank you all for the input...
Matt- Yeah it's two wheel drive, but all I know about I-beams are my cousin's '66 F150 said it on the badge 22 years ago, and the warehouse's roof I used to have was held up by 'em.
Twotired- No mechanical noise when steering and tracked well on flats, just a ton of compensation.
Bob- That's the vibe I got.
Jevfro & Rocking-M- I could live with a little loose (or lash). I would consider this a lot loose. Remember this doesn't have power steering. Is the gearbox held the same way?
fuzzybutt- 360. And if you're in Charleston and see the bike in my avatar say hi.
OK, I've been distracted at work all night thinking about this monster. I've been looking for something cool to drive to work in the rain and cold, get groceries, and facilitate cb750 project completion, not take on another project. Where is the steering gearbox? Anything visible to check without tools? Everything'll help.

[gerhed]

I thought you said "old" Fords.
My Model A has always had about a quarter turn of free play.

[mark]

Short smartass answer - You'll get used to it.....


(whaddya want fer $335?)

Longer answer - Get yourself either the Ford manual or the big Chilton truck book..

The steering gear bearing preload(big nut and case plug on the input end) needs to be set before the sector mesh(small nut and screwdriver) adjustment.

Pitman arm, drag link, and tie rod ends can all contribute to loose steering.


Nice T&A pic there gerhed. 


Happy trails.

[Brantley]

Perhaps I should have specified "older than me" Drive those down to the laundromat much do ya?

[TwoTired]

Twotired- No mechanical noise when steering and tracked well on flats, just a ton of compensation.

Then check/adjust the steering box worm and sector adjustment at the end of the steering column.  And, look at that steering rubber coupler, near the engine side of the firewall, while someone wiggles the steering wheel back and forth.  If upper and lower don't move in unison, replace the rubber coupler.

Short smartass answer - You'll get used to it....

If you have steering play, check that rubber coupler.  It's not in any maintenance manual I've seen.

...

I wish mine would have been white from the factory.  The blue paint simply sublimated off my truck and rust brown replaced it.  It's ugly, but in pretty good mechanical condition.  It would take me cross country (and did ten years ago) without much worry (apart from the gas consumption).  I've had it since 1975.
I'd consider a thermite grenade in order to stop one of these things.  And, if I thought a new Ford truck was made as well as and a reliable as mine has been, I'd get a new one, if this one got wrecked.
Cheers,

[mattcb350f]

Matt- Yeah it's two wheel drive, but all I know about I-beams are my cousin's '66 F150 said it on the badge 22 years ago, and the warehouse's roof I used to have was held up by 'em.

Jevfro & Rocking-M- I could live with a little loose (or lash). I would consider this a lot loose. Remember this doesn't have power steering. Is the gearbox held the same way?
fuzzybutt- 360. And if you're in Charleston and see the bike in my avatar say hi.
OK, I've been distracted at work all night thinking about this monster. I've been looking for something cool to drive to work in the rain and cold, get groceries, and facilitate cb750 project completion, not take on another project. Where is the steering gearbox? Anything visible to check without tools? Everything'll help.

The "I beam" suspension was really called that as a marketing ploy, although the suspension pieces do have and "I" shape to them. Suspose to be a tough yet smooth suspension... I suppose it was at the time. They are the parts that connect the front wheels to the frame.

See pic:



As for checking the steering... If there is a lot of play like you say than you should be able to see the problem visually.

Have a friend sit in the cab and slowly.. but not too slow, turn the steering wheel side to side within the slopy zone. While he/she is doing that, you look at the steering linkage to find the worn parts. Start at the steering shaft and follow it down to the steering box... on out to the tie rod ends (long rods connecting the steering box to the Knuckles which hold the wheels on)

This won't always find worn parts but for me, it usually does.

You should be able to see if something is up. example: If the steering shaft is turning with the motions of the steering wheel all the way to the steering box, but the shaft comming out of the other side of the steering box is not moving; than the play is in the steering box. Or, like TwoTired said, you will find if that coupler is bad this way too.

Check this site out too... that's where I got the pic:
http://www.fordification.com/

 Matt.

[Brantley]

I had the chance to check this beast out at length today. Twotired, yr spot on with the fiber/ rubber bit; it's wasted. Matt, followed yr advice and the only other glaring problem is the rubber at the tie-rod ends are shot. And thanks for the FORDification link; learned a lot fast. I'm goin' to leave a deposit tomorrow. I haven't owned anything with four wheels in four years. I'm almost as excited as the first 750 I brought home.

[tortelvis]

I have a pretty pristine '86 F150 and it has a lot of play in the steering. I had a mechanic check it out and the stock answer was "they all do that, nothing to worry about." I test drove a couple of other Ford pickups of a similar vintage and they all had sloppy steering. I got used to it and am fine with it.