Front end

[Mr_B]

I have the two wheel drive f250 in my 86' and it is really chewing up my tires on the out side edge You would think that over time the springs would sack and the tires would ware on the inside of the tire... Anyways, I've replaced all pitman arms, tie rod ends (basically everything from the wheels to the steering box) and have replaced the wheel bearings and races. I just got done doing the king pins and had it aligned and they said there was nothing I could do for the camber adjustment except to keep bringing it in and buy tires!! I told them to go fly a kite... I have seen that tuff country has some brackets (http://www.jackit.com/ford/axle_pivot_brckts.htm) but they are for the 4wd... is there any real difference between the how the 2wd and 4wd are attached under the motor?

Granted the d60 swap would be nice but then again I don't have a cool $1000 laying around either so I'm leaving it a 2wd for a while (ok, long while...) If the brackets would work for a 2wd as well I would probably just lift it some. Looking at the truck, it looks like I could get a longer bolt for the lower part of the spring and put some solid steel spacers between the i-beam and spring for the front and put some blocks on the back axle... To me there really dosn't seem to be anything more to it than that. does this sound feasible to anyone else or have I jumped off the deep end?

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

We have a 90 F250 4x4 with the twin beam axle thats doing the same thing. We installed new ball joints, all tie rod ends tie rods drag links, wheel bearings, camber shims etc. Only to have the shop we'd taken it to to tell us what "ALL" was wrong with it in the first place tell us that it still needed another $1800 in parts an labor.
I have a big rant post about how suspension shops/tire shops are all turning into crooks.

 

[sassyrel]

if you can find a competent shop--ford or otherwise--those i beams can be bent--to bring everythign back in line. the ford dealer in waterloo ia has a 40ton jack to bend them properly!!!!!!!!

 

[Mr_B]

I took it to a guy today who I know a lot better about correcting the problem and he said he thought there wasn't a lot I could do. He has done alignments for quite some time now and has his own shop. I did ask him about bending the beams but he wasn't too sure about that. The stealership close to me are total crooks and I wouldn't buy or have something serviced from them if it would save my posterity. I'm pretty good with fabrication so I might just have to come up with a nifty little way if those brackets wont fit my truck.

 

[Fordsandguns]

Bending them is how they fix the camber on the twin I beam. You just have to find the shop that knows how. Google twin I beam and it will give you some info on how they fix them.

 

[7.3shrk]

A big truck shop might be able to bend them, they probably have the tools for that.

 

[Mr_B]

I suppose that before I go bending anything, what would be the best way to check the springs up front for correct height as well as the bushings. Wouldn't the bushings in the I beams and the arm that goes toward the rear affect the geometry if they were worn out?

 

[ramon f350]

the i beam bushings and radius armbushings ( the one tha goes toward the back)should have very little effect if any at all on the camber. the only way to align a truck with kingpins and twin I beam is to bend the I beams. I saw your in oklahoma I dont know exactly where you are of if a trip to ft. Worth would be possible but we have a very reputible shop that has lots of experiance with twin I beam trucks. the shop is called Bucks Wheel and alignment. they are on commercial st. near downtown Ftworth

Ramon

 

[u2slow]

A shorter or softer coil should help the camber also.

 

[7.3shrk]

I do not know if it would be worth it, but what about a set of junkyard arms? I do not know much about the twin traction beam set up, but it might be a 50 50 chance and a heck of a lot cheaper. Just a thought.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Don't waste your time/money letting someone bend the I-beams.

I have spent two fortunes, two seperate times, on my front-end, and it still chews the front tires on the outer edges.

Sitting level on a hard-surface, the wheels/tires actually appear that the inside edges would wear away, but that is not the case.

It is next to impossible for an I-beam to get accidentally bent.

Other lesser components get worn egg-shaped and out of whack.

Fix/replace all wear points and live with it is my advice.

My truck has eaten the front tires since day one; if there is a cure, I have been un-able to find it.