Advice On Rebuilding a 2000 f250 4x4 front end

My F250 has a bad shudder under braking. It also kinda sloppy steering in 2wd that tightens up in 4wd, and the tires that came off of it showed bad cupping wear on the inside of the drivers front, so I know there's something wrong in the front end.

Brakes I've got figured out (new rotors, new pads, figure out the problem spot in the parking brake), but would like some advice on checking the tie rods and ball joints. Sitting on the ground, the link from the pitman arm (drag link?) is loose enough to wiggle and clunk at the joint but the rest seems solid. I've seen a lot of contradictory internet knowledge so I figured I'd stop here first.

I'm assuming I just need to get the front end in the air and start pulling on everything to see what's loose? Use the wheel to check the ball joints for play, then try to manhandle the tie rods and linkages? It's been a while since I've messed with suspensions and never on a solid front axle truck.

Also, any opinions on the O'Reily in house rotors (BrakeBest)?

If it is an independent front suspension with coils, jack under lower control arm close to lower ball joint. With tire 3-4 inches off ground, use a long pry bar under tire from outside of tire. Lift tire/wheel up and down slowly while someone watches for lower ball joint movement between lower control arm and spindle. For the upper ball joint leave jack in place and push/pull on top of tire while someone watches for upper ball joint movement between upper control arm and top of spindle at ball joint. Not sure what the specification for movement is. Internet should be able to help.

In reply to outasite:

Read the last sentence of his third paragraph.

Get it up in the air, wiggle things around and make a list. Start with the worse parts and work down. One part (idler arm?) may fix the feel enough that the questionable tie rod ends aren't all that questionable.

I like Suspension Techniques products, not much more than OEM parts but last a bit.

My Ex 4x4 is pretty much the same. Consider ball joints a regular replacement item. You may also want to check the wheel bearings which are sealed units and kinda expensive. There is also a steering damper you may want to replace.

I know Guzzle used to have a full front end rebuild kit on his site. Might be worthwhile to consider just getting the kit and replacing everything at once.

Sorry for the ramble, but it sounds like you are still checking things out. Remember that a little wandering and imprecision is just to be expected, it is a big solid axle truck.

Ball joints seem to wear out pretty often on those. Replacing them isn't rocket surgery, but it is a long day of manual labor. Have a big pry bar and big hammer ready. A four pound mini sledge is my weapon of choice.

914Driver wrote: Get it up in the air, wiggle things around and make a list.

Solid axle. Needs weight on it to determine anything. If the components are in full droop, you won't see/ hear much.

Proper technique is per Outasite's previous description.

Mine has 508K miles. I have a little experience.

Its a ford truck best advice i was ever given was that there all about 20k past due for ball joints.

American truck front end parts are 10yr/100k mile items tops. Use good parts, especially on the ball joints, not a job you want to be doing often.

Got both ends in the air and started poking around. First impressions... It feels so much more serious to be under a 3/4ton truck vs a Miata or compact car.

Ball joints actually appear to be in good shape. No slop and when I greased them the boots held together. No such luck on the drag link or tie rods, the drag link and the passenger side tie rod boots burst when I greased them. Only wiggle to be found was the drag link at the pitman arm. All Moog replacements are $280ish on Amazon prime, sold.

Rear rotors definitely need replacing, but the fronts look good and pads are good. Hopefully changing the rears fixes the shudder. Gotta replace the parking brake while I'm there too.

The rear has both disks AND drums. The E-brake is a drum brake inside of the hub.

I would get both the pads and the shoes, and I wouldn't do the brakes without doing the bearings.

If you haven't done drum brakes, they are a bit annoying. It just takes patience.

Would it be false economy to do just the drag link, as that's the only part that's loose and has busted boots?

With the rear, if I go in I'll do everything. I'm also thinking my shuddering problem Might be a stuck caliper. Under hard braking, the truck really pulls to the left.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Except for brakes.

agreed. Swap the drag link, see what it feels like. I just did the entire dragl link assembly on my '96 2wd F250. You can probably swap all the components without even jacking up the truck, so doing them later isn't that big of a deal.

Crawling under that diesel beast with the I-Beams 18" up on jackstands makes my liver quiver.

Next question.... Steering damper. Mines original and from what I can tell isn't working. Is one brand better than another? Not gong to a dual setup.

Shocks, I think I'm either going with Rancho RS5000's or bilstein 5100's as I'm going to be hauling a lot of water with this truck over the next couple years. Figure a 2000-2500# load in the bed weekly for a 325gal water tank to fill our house tank.

I've heard nothing but good things about the Bilsteins on the older trucks, but have heard some mixed reviews about the Ranchos. I got nuthin' on dampers since mine's 2wd.

skierd wrote: Would it be false economy to do just the drag link, as that's the only part that's loose and has busted boots? With the rear, if I go in I'll do everything. I'm also thinking my shuddering problem Might be a stuck caliper. Under hard braking, the truck really pulls to the left.

the rear calipers are a some-what known issue for sticking, my 2000 f250 2wd had one that would randomly stick and would drag hard a for a few miles then be fine

I put Bilsteins on my 2000 4x4 Excursion. Doesn't turn it into an M3 but definitely much better than stock.

One other comment if you are replacing rear calipers on a 2000 - there was a mid-year change. The early 2000's had the calipers in front of the hub on one side and behind the hub on the other, therefore using the same part # both side. Later 2000's put both sides either both behind or in front, but in any case they have two part #'s. I found this out once I bought a pair and couldn't figure out why the driver's side caliper had the bleeder on the bottom. A quick look under the truck will tell you which one you have.