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Premature failure of ball joints and tire feathering



 
 
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  #11  
Old May 26th 19, 07:11 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
Vannessa
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Posts: 12
Default Premature failure of ball joints and tire feathering

No! No! Stay away from the tire stores! They hire some kid who knows how
to take the numbers out of the alignment machine but has no understanding
of the suspension geometry, The automated alignment machines make it possible
for idiots to do alignments, and unfortunately many of them do.

Find a nearby city, drive there. Do not ask at a tire place, ask at a
racetrack.

Hay Scott
Ok.. closest city is over 400 KLM away. Once upper ball joint is replaced... will get it checked as soon as I can. Didn't realize that's how the tire shops work. They just tell me the camber is adjusted as far as it will go an centered my steering wheel so I won't feel like I'm driving of the road.. Lol.. I have not gone back
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  #12  
Old May 26th 19, 07:33 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
Vannessa
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Posts: 12
Default Premature failure of ball joints and tire feathering

Is there a Ford dealer nearby that does repairs?
Ford repair people are usually pretty good with Ford vehicle diagnosis
and repair.

Hi Paul
There are 2. The one that I bought the truck off in one town. Who replaced the ball joint twice while on warranty an who I will not go back to again. The other dealership in the other town has done ALL repairs since with Ford parts. Last time there they wanted to take some parts off an check for bent parts. What parts? The service man didn't know an the mechanic was out when I was there. Otherwise, everything looks solid. My truck has 188 thousand klms. Mostly highway driven an hauling wood.
  #13  
Old May 26th 19, 09:14 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
Scott Dorsey
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Default Premature failure of ball joints and tire feathering

Vannessa > wrote:
>Is there a Ford dealer nearby that does repairs?=20
>Ford repair people are usually pretty good with Ford vehicle diagnosis=20
>and repair.=20
>
>Hi Paul
>There are 2. The one that I bought the truck off in one town. Who replaced=
> the ball joint twice while on warranty an who I will not go back to again.=
> The other dealership in the other town has done ALL repairs since with For=
>d parts. Last time there they wanted to take some parts off an check for be=
>nt parts. What parts? The service man didn't know an the mechanic was out =
>when I was there. Otherwise, everything looks solid. My truck has 188 thous=
>and klms. Mostly highway driven an hauling wood.


So, you bought this used? And the camber is all the way at the end of
its travel when they adjust it the way the machine tells them?

I bet a nickel the frame is bent. A real alignment shop will be able to
tell if this is the case. They might even be able to fix it.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
  #14  
Old May 26th 19, 10:42 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
Vannessa
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Posts: 12
Default Premature failure of ball joints and tire feathering

Scott Dorsey
Vannessa > wrote:
>Is there a Ford dealer nearby that does repairs?=20
>Ford repair people are usually pretty good with Ford vehicle diagnosis=20
>and repair.=20
>
>Hi Paul
>There are 2. The one that I bought the truck off in one town. Who replaced=
> the ball joint twice while on warranty an who I will not go back to again.=
> The other dealership in the other town has done ALL repairs since with For=
>d parts. Last time there they wanted to take some parts off an check for be=
>nt parts. What parts? The service man didn't know an the mechanic was out =
>when I was there. Otherwise, everything looks solid. My truck has 188 thous=
>and klms. Mostly highway driven an hauling wood.


So, you bought this used? And the camber is all the way at the end of
its travel when they adjust it the way the machine tells them?

I bet a nickel the frame is bent. A real alignment shop will be able to
tell if this is the case. They might even be able to fix it.


I bought it brand new. Frame? Would u not notice it dog walking down the highway?
  #15  
Old May 28th 19, 09:19 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
Steve W.[_6_]
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Posts: 1,161
Default Premature failure of ball joints and tire feathering

Vannessa wrote:
> Hi I own a 97 f250 with a problem of a premature upper ball joint
> failure every 5000 KLM with outside tire feathering since new. The
> mechanics have not been able to solve this problem or could not
> bother to try. I need to replace the upper ball joint again an
> wonder other areas that I should be looking at to replace. Can u help
> me plse.
>


That suggests something wasn't made correctly or the suspension or frame
has a bent part in it. A twisted frame horn or bent mount would be
enough to throw it out.
One question that is relevant but unasked so far - which front
suspension do you have and is this a 2 wheel drive or 4X4?

The 97 F-250s could have something like 4 different suspension options
depending on the actual vehicle. Twin I beam, full independent
suspension with A arms, twin traction beam or solid front axle.
Is it stock or has it been lifted or altered?

--
Steve W.
  #16  
Old May 29th 19, 06:15 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
Vannessa
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Posts: 12
Default Premature failure of ball joints and tire feathering


That suggests something wasn't made correctly or the suspension or frame
has a bent part in it. A twisted frame horn or bent mount would be
enough to throw it out.
One question that is relevant but unasked so far - which front
suspension do you have and is this a 2 wheel drive or 4X4?

The 97 F-250s could have something like 4 different suspension options
depending on the actual vehicle. Twin I beam, full independent
suspension with A arms, twin traction beam or solid front axle.
Is it stock or has it been lifted or altered?

--
Steve W.

Hi Steve.
It's a twin I beam, 4x4, stock front end.
  #17  
Old May 29th 19, 06:30 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
Vannessa
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Posts: 12
Default Premature failure of ball joints and tire feathering

The only parts that have been replaced on it is upper and lower ball joints on passenger side. The lower was changed out once at my request when the upper had to be done. It tracks straight by tracks on dirt road. When parked an wheels are straight, the camber is noticable when looking at it on passenger side. All bumpers look straight, doors close an are aligned properly.
  #18  
Old May 30th 19, 03:22 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
[email protected]
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Posts: 128
Default Premature failure of ball joints and tire feathering

On Wednesday, May 29, 2019 at 12:30:50 PM UTC-5, Vannessa wrote:
> The only parts that have been replaced on it is upper and lower ball joints on passenger side. The lower was changed out once at my request when the upper had to be done. It tracks straight by tracks on dirt road. When parked an wheels are straight, the camber is noticable when looking at it on passenger side. All bumpers look straight, doors close an are aligned properly.


I used to own a 1967 long wheelbase Ford pickup truck that had the twin I beams front suspension. Every time I had to make a hard right turn or a hard left turn the front of the truck felt to me like it was hopping up and down. I don't believe the Twin I Beams was one of Ford's 'brighter ideas'
  #19  
Old May 31st 19, 10:50 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
Steve W.[_6_]
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Posts: 1,161
Default Premature failure of ball joints and tire feathering

That suggests something wasn't made correctly or the suspension or frame
has a bent part in it. A twisted frame horn or bent mount would be
enough to throw it out.
One question that is relevant but unasked so far - which front
suspension do you have and is this a 2 wheel drive or 4X4?

The 97 F-250s could have something like 4 different suspension options
depending on the actual vehicle. Twin I beam, full independent
suspension with A arms, twin traction beam or solid front axle.
Is it stock or has it been lifted or altered?

-- Steve W.


Vannessa wrote:

Hi Steve. It's a twin I beam, 4x4, stock front end.


OK so the Ford Dana 50 Twin Traction Beam. If it is so far out that with
the camber adjuster maxed it still isn't in spec there isn't anything
else to adjust. Has to be either the beam is bent or made wrong or the
knuckle is machined wrong for the ball joint. I'd probably find another
front end in a salvage yard and grab the entire unit. They are very
common and the same from 1985 - 1997. Just need to match the gear ratio
that you have. Or just get the right side pieces and swap them out.


--
Steve W.
  #20  
Old June 1st 19, 02:05 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
Vannessa
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Posts: 12
Default Premature failure of ball joints and tire feathering

Steve W.
- show quoted text -
Vannessa wrote:

Hi Steve. It's a twin I beam, 4x4, stock front end.


OK so the Ford Dana 50 Twin Traction Beam. If it is so far out that with
the camber adjuster maxed it still isn't in spec there isn't anything
else to adjust. Has to be either the beam is bent or made wrong or the
knuckle is machined wrong for the ball joint. I'd probably find another
front end in a salvage yard and grab the entire unit. They are very
common and the same from 1985 - 1997. Just need to match the gear ratio
that you have. Or just get the right side pieces and swap them out.


--
Steve W.

Is there anyway of knowing this is the problem besides seeing a visual difference? Can a wheel alignment specialist figure this out also?
 




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