Parts list to restore a TTB front end?

[scotts90ranger]

That sounds like radius arm bushings, pivot bushings (somehow I've never changed mine, they're getting bad but not shot yet...), possibly balljoints and likely one or two tie rod ends...

"loose dirt" enough to not be considered a hard surface would be a freshly worked farm field unless it's like 90% sand, it doesn't take much to bind up in 4x4...

 

[Eddo Rogue]

That sounds like radius arm bushings, pivot bushings (somehow I've never changed mine, they're getting bad but not shot yet...), possibly balljoints and likely one or two tie rod ends...

"loose dirt" enough to not be considered a hard surface would be a freshly worked farm field unless it's like 90% sand, it doesn't take much to bind up in 4x4...

Yep, probably all those. It loose enough that tires spin pretty easy. So then does grinding away some material help with the binding? Or is it normal and ok to live with?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

You will have u joint phasing no matter what.

They are not really intended to operate at the angles a front axle can subject them to.

 

[Josh B]

"Front end sounds (and feels) like a car accident in a metal shop when hitting bumps, and I have a good 45 degrees of steering wheel slop each direction."

Sounds like my 73 TIB van before replacing the king pins

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Steering box might need adjusted too for the steering slop. I was dealing with that with the F-150. Finally got smart and opened the hood and watched the steering shaft and the pitman arm. You could move the wheel a good bit either direction before the pitman twitched, so I loosened the lock nut on the top of the box and adjusted until there was about zero play, moving the wheel moved the pitman and locked it down.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

Steering box might need adjusted too for the steering slop. I was dealing with that with the F-150. Finally got smart and opened the hood and watched the steering shaft and the pitman arm. You could move the wheel a good bit either direction before the pitman twitched, so I loosened the lock nut on the top of the box and adjusted until there was about zero play, moving the wheel moved the pitman and locked it down.

I read about that and some say it is not a proper fix and will cause the steering to bind at the ends of the turns. It might help, but she needs a lot of things...gone neglected too long...

I would rather just replace stuff if possible, but have noticed that new parts are mostly junk. I would have to hunt down quality or oem parts, and then hope its not a dud.

Nowadays I keep the old parts for awhile (if re-usable)....just in case.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

You will have u joint phasing no matter what.

They are not really intended to operate at the angles a front axle can subject them to.

So you are saying its falls into the engineering limits/ live with it category?

As long as its not hurting the truck, I can live with a little binding in 4 low....lets me know its working lol.

Dang TTB's lol.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I read about that and some say it is not a proper fix and will cause the steering to bind at the ends of the turns. It might help, but she needs a lot of things...gone neglected too long...

I would rather just replace stuff if possible, but have noticed that new parts are mostly junk. I would have to hunt down quality or oem parts, and then hope its not a dud.

Nowadays I keep the old parts for awhile (if re-usable)....just in case.

Well, the problem is that you can overtighten it and you can damage the steering box by over tightening. My solution was to have someone wiggle the wheel while I got it tightened up and I stopped when movement of the shaft moved the pitman arm. Felt a little off for a few days and then settled in. I was worried because that’s the second time I’ve tweaked it. So far so good and I think that’s the way to make sure you don’t get it too tight.