77 F150 jumpy steering

eddge

New Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2006
Location
Fayetteville
Im having an issue with my 77 f150 4x4. i put a 9" lift on it, its got 35" tires. it has really really jumpy steering. i know that big trucks like that usualy have a little bit of jumpy steering, but this is really bad. there is play in the steering, not a whole lot of play, but enough to notice. when you go to correct the steering, say from the left to the right (or right to the left, either way it does it) when the steering tightens up again it tends to jerk the truck. what might be causeing this? or what can i do to fix it? im actually in iraq right now, but i was looking at parts for my truck, and wanted to know how i might fix that problem. i have a break problem too, it doesnt like to stop. i have bleed the brakes a few times, and it kinda works when i pump the breaks. any ideas would be appreciated :driver:
 
Do an over the knuckle steering with Chevy 1 ton tre's and check the castor. I added some 6.5* shims and that corrected my problems. Did it follow ruts in the road?
 
if everything is right, you should not have a problem. what all came in the lift kit ? 9" and you have to do a lot more than just springs. need more details.
 
it was a skyjacker full system. came with bushings, springs, both leaf, and coil, came with the 30 degree angle brackets, extended pitman arm, umm... what else... i cant think of anything else it came with. it also came with shocks and steering stabilizer
 
did it come with a trac bar drop bracket and an adjustable trac bar with new bushings ? degreed c-bushings, drop radius arm brackets, drop pitman arm, brake lines, springs, etc.
 
out of the stuff you just listed it did NOT come with trac bar drop bracket or adjustable trac bar. it did come with the bushings though, for everything, it did have radius arm brackets, drop pitman arm, brake lines and springs. so i need to get the adjustable track bar (i forgot about that one)
 
on your front axle , follow the trac bar down to the bottom where it bolts to the axle at the c - cap. the factory hole that the bolt goes through wears out very bad on hp44's over the years. if the hole is not true , your trac bar bolt will not stay still even though it is tight , it will walk side to side. this will cause your steering to shake or feel like a death wobble.
IF thats your problem , its an easy fix. we have welded the bolt for a quick fix . but the correct way to fix it is by using a tapered bolt specifically for the problem. i think you can order it from jeffs bronco graveyard . com
although this might not be the problem.
 
eddge said:
out of the stuff you just listed it did NOT come with trac bar drop bracket or adjustable trac bar. it did come with the bushings though, for everything, it did have radius arm brackets, drop pitman arm, brake lines and springs. so i need to get the adjustable track bar (i forgot about that one)
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with that much lift on a ford . im sure you need the drop trac bar bracket and adjustable trac bar. ive noticed over the years that a complete lift kit is not complete when you get it.
 
i cant post pics from this computer, but i will try to get some up late this evening. there should be pics posted by the AM, if i dont have any problems that is. if nothing else, ill get the wife to take some pictures and send em to me.
thanks for the info so far though.
 
broncomania said:
on your front axle ... this will cause your steering to shake or feel like a death wobble...
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its not really a death wobble, its a death jump. it almost feels like the front end jumps from the left to the right. and its not a constant like a death wobble is. its a lot worse on uneven roads.
 
eddge said:
its not really a death wobble, its a death jump. it almost feels like the front end jumps from the left to the right. and its not a constant like a death wobble is. its a lot worse on uneven roads.
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sometimes it will drive smooth and all of a sudden it feels like an earthquake ? its either what i said or you have a castor issue with the wrong degree c- bushings. on those trucks, when the lift kit is a matched kit , you can run 100mph on 44's . and im not saying you should do this. im just explaining that it should be smooth enough to drive it at any speed.
 
its like its going smooth, then all of a sudden the road goes uneven, like its at a slant to the side of the road, even if the road is flat. it will jump to one side or the other, like i just went over a curb or something. would a trac bar that is too short cause that?
 
I say castor and worn TRE's. Mine did exactly what he is discribing. Once I did the Castor Change most was gone but when I did the OTK with the Chevy TRE's all the drifting was gone and it rides great. Even without balancing the 38.5x14 tires
 
im trying to get some pictures. i may have to post again later on when i get back. i will try what you are talkin about with the castor, and the OTK with the chevy TRE's. its a start. if that doesnt fix it, im sure it will still at least make something a little better anyway.
 
this is not the problem but another thing to consider when you get it fixed is that bias ply swampers get flat spots in them when the truck sits. and when you drive it it feels like :poop:
until the tires get some heat in them it gradually goes away.
so just remember that to.
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
you might could check if the balljoints are worn... this will cause the truck to randomly be all over the road
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yes , jack up one side at a time and grab the wheel and tire on the sides and rock back and forth to check for play. and while your at it grab at the top and bottom and do the same thing to check wheel bearings.
 
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