knock kneed f250

[tanusfarms]

I noticed on the front which I don't think is visable in any of my current photos that my front tires lean together at the top quite a bit. Could this be a sign of a potential issue that needs to be addressed?

[averagef250]

Camber isn't adjustable on your truck. If it's showing, get in there and fix it now, wait and you'll lose a wheel.

[averagef250]

You have the light duty weeny front end. Which is funny because it's the polar opposite from your rear leaf springs. That front axle is junk. Get something better if you're going to use that truck.

[tanusfarms]

i need to look for a dana 60 correct? i'm gonna climb under the truck within the next few days to check some other issues out i'll verify gear ratio then. Will the year of the new d60 matter? Respectable cost i should pay? anything major i need to factor into cost when i do the swap besides the axle itself? thanks for the help

[averagef250]

No, you don't need a 60, just the heavier 44 drum or disc brake. The front end you have uses tapered trunnion bearings that belong in a volkswagon. It was the bottom dollar axle under the 3/4 tons and doesn't hold up for long if you have weight on the truck.

You can rebuild the trunnions to get yourself by for now and keep your eyes out for a 76-79 44 front end with discs. Even the HD closed knuckle drum front end is a big upgrade from that, but I wouldn't pay more than $50 for one.

[tanusfarms]

OK i climbed back under it today to look into the issue some more. so here are some photos i could get.


the passenger side also has the same visable gap showing however i can actually see threaded bolts or studs through the crack on the passenger side going around in a circle pattern. Would those bolts be the Studs to mount the tire or differnet studs dealing with the axle assembly?

if you click on them it takes you to photo bucket where each photo has a comment as to why it was taken or what i am worried about.
I'm curoius if i can retighten these and make due for now or poosibly if the bolts have been streched thus creating the gap.

[fordman]

in that last picture with the bailing string. that is worn out and need to probably have the ball joints replaced in that knuckle.

[Doug Comer]

Fordman this particular axle uses bearing and not ball joints. I agree with Average250. I think your money will be better spent on upgrading the axle. Repairs can be made that will get you by but thats it, get you by. Just my
Doug

[tanusfarms]

ok so i just did some number crunching on how much weight my bumper and winch ad to the front of this truck, the bumper alone weighs 250# (its made out of 1/2" steel maybe 5/8 but i forgot to take the calipers out to the shop with me) based on steel weighing .2836 per cubic inch. I spoke with a warn dealer about my winch i was wrong on the model I have the 8274 model winch which typically added another 85# so all together i have at least 335# extra hanging on the front of this truck. Will the hd dana 44 still be enough or should i just look into the dana 60 option? Also just a temp fix to get me by till i can save the money for the axle swap either way i go. What would i have to buy to fix my issues on my existing axle?

[Doug Comer]

If I was trying to get by with this axle I would tear each side apart, one side at a time. Repack all the wheel bearings. Take the brake drum and hub off and retorque the bolts that hold the spindle on. Might even want to put some type of lock tite on the bolts. Been my experience they will loosen after time. As far as the tunion(?) bearing I belive there are shims that set the preload on them. You could try taking some shims out and it might help. These are my opinions and I'm no Ford factorty trained tech .
Doug

[tanusfarms]

Is there much in the way of things i can screw up in the front end if I attempt to do this Myself? I've never cracked open a front axle but i've swaped ring and pinions out of a rear axle and i am able to almost all of my own wrenching. I just don't want to get in over my head and have this monster stuck in my shop.

[averagef250]

The front axle is simple, pretty self explanatory. removing the spindle nuts is usually the hardest part, though old drum brake front ends can be fits if nobody antiseized the drum screws.

[fordman]

one of my first experience was to take apart and put new wheel bearign in a 4wd. i dont even remember what kind o fturck it was now. i was 17 years old. it was in shop class. the teacher had both of us that okk it apart call from our other classes to put it back together. i guess it made it fine i moved soon after so i dont know if it ever came back in. so if a 17 year old with no experience can do it by memirzing how the parts go back together then you can probably do it. oh and thank you doug for correcting my mistake.

[tanusfarms]

WHat do i need to look for when i'm trying to find the right axle to swap this one as far as years. Will the hd dana 44 still work or do i need to go ahead and look into getting a dana 60. also there were no tags on either of my axles whats the best way for me to figure out my gear ratio?

[fordman]

supposedly the ring gear has the ratio marked on it. but the last 9 inch ihad apart i either couldnt read the numbers or they werent on there. but the newer ring gears do have the ratio marked on them. if you have no numbers the tooth counts are also on the rign gears. and addign those up will give you the ratio.