Have a 1990 F250 4x4 5.8l ZF5. I think my front end is going to need some work. How much does it cost in a worst case scenario to go through the front end on these trucks. I need an alignment because it pulls bad to the right and that tire is showing a lot of wear and i'm afraid being it is a plow truck that it going to need some part. Also, i noticed i have a little grease coming out of my manual locking hubs. I think there ford hubs because the have the red center. Is going to be around a grand with labor to get this thing fixed up good or am i better off junking it out. Also the transfer case has a little leak, not bad but something i should also have fixed i don't like a leaky transfer case.

 

It depends on what's wrong with it. I went through rockauto.com once and priced out every wear item in the front end - rotors, calipers, pads, bearings, seals, ball joints, tie rod ends, steering box, i beam bushings, radius arm bushings, and whatever else I'm forgetting - and it was about a grand just for parts. And that was a 2wd F-150.

Now, chances are that not everything needs to be replaced. It probably just needs an alignment. TTB trucks are notorious for drifting out of alignment. If it pulls when you hit the brakes, replace the calipers. If it pulls all the time, it's probably just alignment.

You also didn't say how many miles - if you're looking at a 300k plow truck, then a lot is probably wrong with it.

 

i had mine rebuilt basically.

axle u-joint 27.81 55.62
wheel seal 11.31 22.62
alignmet bushings 26.97 53.94
replace front axle u joints
retourqe upper and lower ball joints 209.40
(i had a back yard mechanic do my ball joints...i could have done his work with my eyes closed better)

install alignmet bushings 69.95
alignment 66.95

500 bucks, got a fairly good deal


i would get new lockouts. Warn or Milemarker. I had my stock ones "rebuilt" because the guy hit on mine with a hammer to get them out. They ended up breaking not too long after. 60-70 for the lockouts, and $30 installed unless you have the tools. I would have needed a few special tools so i just had them installed professionally..

 

How hard is it to do a solid axle swap on these trucks. With the plow on there it would hold up better. what do i need for parts and so on and what needs to be changed for a solid front axle to bolt up.

 

All you need is a solid Dana 60 from an F-350 from 1986.5 to 1997. It will bolt right up, everything else is the same.

Be prepared to shell out about $1k for the axle, though. They are in high demand.

 

Dang, that's a chunk of change!! guess i won't be doing that anytime soon.

 

you can go with a dana 44 from the 70's fords. Usually you will pay a few bucks for those or have to do some work to them. Go to a local junk yard and see wht they got. They might take one off a truck with no title..


B&R in Mapleton, mn on hwy 22 is prolly the biggest salvage yard in MN

 

My '95 F250 4x4 5.8L was pulling bad to the right when I got it. Since I'm near a lot of desert offroad areas, I took it to a 4x4 shop to see what I should do to make the truck fully offroad worthy.

The owner immediately noticed that the front springs were shot. The front end was lower than the rear, and the whole truck drooped to one side. He rebuilt the springs (and installed Rancho 5000s). The front end now sits slightly higher than the rear, side to side it's level, and the truck drives straight as an arrow.