# all over the road



## andyman0291 (Oct 18, 2008)

when i am driving, my truck seems to sway all over the road. i dont know if it just needs a front end alignment, or if the ball joints are bad? anybody have any ideas? i dont feel like paying the $85 diagnostic fee for nothing. thanks


----------



## brad96z28 (Aug 21, 2005)

What kind of truck do u have? I work at a frt end/ allignment shop


----------



## andyman0291 (Oct 18, 2008)

its a 2001 f250 v10 crew cab


----------



## brad96z28 (Aug 21, 2005)

I would definitly make sure the track bar / track bar bushings are not worn out and the bolts are tight. It is a common thing to wear and give u the complaint u have. Also smart to have the frt end cked for any other problems such as tie rod ball joint wear and poss wheel bearing play. We dont really even charge to ck them If we are gona line it up anyway. Find a good reputable place to ck it out.


----------



## andyman0291 (Oct 18, 2008)

is there anything that i can do on my own??


----------



## brad96z28 (Aug 21, 2005)

andyman0291;613588 said:


> is there anything that i can do on my own??


U tell me? Not trying to sound like a ^$!%. But do u know how to ck for play in a frt end. 
Not Something u want to leave to chance If it seems to be all over the road best to have someone that really knows there stuff look at it.


----------



## brad96z28 (Aug 21, 2005)

andyman0291;613588 said:


> is there anything that i can do on my own??


But u could ck the track bar bolts to make sure there tight. To ck if the bar has play its best to have 2 people.


----------



## 02powerstroke (Nov 7, 2006)

Jack the truck up so the tires are about 3-4" off the ground take a large pry bar and place it under the wheel and lift up and down on the pry bar and watch the bail joints (upper and lower) while doing this. There should be no play if there is this could be the cause of some of your problems. My 2002 had the same thing happeing and I had a really bad upper drives side ball joint so I replaced the upper the lower and the axle U joint while I had it all a part. Problem solved.


----------



## brad96z28 (Aug 21, 2005)

02powerstroke;613822 said:


> Jack the truck up so the tires are about 3-4" off the ground take a large pry bar and place it under the wheel and lift up and down on the pry bar and watch the bail joints (upper and lower) while doing this. There should be no play if there is this could be the cause of some of your problems. My 2002 had the same thing happeing and I had a really bad upper drives side ball joint so I replaced the upper the lower and the axle U joint while I had it all a part. Problem solved.


Hope u and he cked the tie rods too!


----------



## Ropinghorns (Oct 16, 2008)

It's a Ford!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nuff said. They all did that in the older models. [80's - 90's]


----------



## brad96z28 (Aug 21, 2005)

Ropinghorns;613826 said:


> It's a Ford!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nuff said. They all did that in the older models. [80's - 90's]


Ok great thanks for all the help.

My 97 only had problems when the track bar bracket loosened up. other then that it was perfect AS IT SHOULD BE.


----------



## hydro_37 (Sep 10, 2006)

You can also just grab the tire on the top and bottom and wiggle it to check for play. Then do it side to side and check for play.


----------



## Doakster (Aug 15, 2008)

02powerstroke;613822 said:


> Jack the truck up so the tires are about 3-4" off the ground take a large pry bar and place it under the wheel and lift up and down on the pry bar and watch the bail joints (upper and lower) while doing this. There should be no play if there is this could be the cause of some of your problems. My 2002 had the same thing happeing and I had a really bad upper drives side ball joint so I replaced the upper the lower and the axle U joint while I had it all a part. Problem solved.





hydro_37;614125 said:


> You can also just grab the tire on the top and bottom and wiggle it to check for play. Then do it side to side and check for play.


This is not a hard thing to do to check for play and yes you can do it yourself. The above two quotes are good advice.

Hydros suggestion is right on, you want to wiggle the wheel at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock as mentions, this will normally indicate a bad wheel bearing. Wiggle the wheel at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock and look are any movement in the suspension components. This a really was a mechanic will do to check for warn parts.

My guess though is that you have ball joint issues, check with the method in the first quote above. This is usually the number one reason for a truck wandering on the road.

Take your time and look for everything it's nothing that most people can't handle.


----------



## brad96z28 (Aug 21, 2005)

Doakster;614216 said:


> This is not a hard thing to do to check for play and yes you can do it yourself. The above two quotes are good advice.
> 
> Hydros suggestion is right on, you want to wiggle the wheel at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock as mentions, this will normally indicate a bad wheel bearing. Wiggle the wheel at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock and look are any movement in the suspension components. This a really was a mechanic will do to check for warn parts.
> 
> ...


How do u suggest he cks the tracking bar everyone forgets to mention.


----------



## Doakster (Aug 15, 2008)

brad96z28;614222 said:


> How do u suggest he cks the tracking bar everyone forgets to mention.


Well lets see you could jack the front end up...pull the track bar off and check the bushings...really not that hard....a couple of bolts as you know.

Or you could remove one end of the track part and push on the track bar to check for play in the other bushing and repeat for the other one.

Does that do it for you?

The real question for the OP is how bad the truck is all over the road....any sever vibration and front end moving around like you are scared to death to drive the thing?

This points to a track bar issue. But if it just wonders slightly on the road I would guess ball joints or tie rod ends.


----------



## andyman0291 (Oct 18, 2008)

its right in the middle of both of what you said. this is going to sound stupid, but im not even sure what the track bar looks like under the truck....


----------



## Doakster (Aug 15, 2008)

andyman0291;614242 said:


> its right in the middle of both of what you said. this is going to sound stupid, but im not even sure what the track bar looks like under the truck....


In this pic my had is on the track bar....the driver side of it









In this pic my hand is on the track bar...passenger side of it









I couldn't get a pick of the whole thing.

Next question...if I said the word..."death wobble" is that what your truck feels like sometimes?


----------



## brad96z28 (Aug 21, 2005)

If they are loose they will show up by turning the wheel back and forth and having someone else watch them for movement. Prying on them with a pry bar works too. How are the frt tires wearing?


----------



## andyman0291 (Oct 18, 2008)

they have brand new tires, just bought the truck that way. and yes sometimes it does have a death wobble. i looked and the bushings looked old and cracked, how would i replace these? and i really appreciate everyones help.


----------



## brad96z28 (Aug 21, 2005)

Old and cracked they might be, but are they worn? Have someone start the engine and turn the wheel side to side. If there is any play in them u should see it.


----------



## brad96z28 (Aug 21, 2005)

U can have new bushings pressed in. The bar is expensive to buy.


----------



## Doakster (Aug 15, 2008)

andyman0291;614261 said:


> they have brand new tires, just bought the truck that way. and yes sometimes it does have a death wobble. i looked and the bushings looked old and cracked, how would i replace these? and i really appreciate everyones help.


Jack up the front...remove the bolts that hold the track bar in place...check the bushings...I can't remember if they are pressed in or you need to buy a new track bar. I'm pretty sure they are pressed in, if they are you will need a shop press or something to jack out the bushings and put the new ones in.

Then reinstall the track bar, don't torque down the bolts yet just install them, if you torque the bolts and then lower the truck you may distort the bushings.

Lower the truck....torque the bolts to 369lb-ft

If you don't have a press or something that will torque to 369 (which most people don't) then you will probably have to take it into someone.


----------



## Doakster (Aug 15, 2008)

brad96z28;614273 said:


> U can have new bushings pressed in. The bar is expensive to buy.


There you go...that answers it.


----------



## daninline (Nov 1, 2004)

I changed one before on my Jeep and boy did it make it drive like new.

Also when I check tie rod ends I allways use a pry bar to push the ball into the joint to see if it worn-out. sometimes just pulling the whell side to side will not do.


----------

