Steering/ Brakes/ Suspension Problems...

[foreman500es]

Hi my name is Matt. I have a 2002 F-250 CC Lariat, Diesel 7.3. I bought this truck used with 92K on it. I have had numerous problems with it. Though i will say it always runs and drives. Ok first things first. I had a horrible oil leak for a while and could not figure out why so much oil was in the valley. well i replaced the HPOP and that cleared up the oil leak. The steering is a major pain. I have put two new gear boxes and two power steering pumps in myself. and yet my steering is like a tractor and has a lot of play in it. i am stumped there dont really know where to go next. i have also replaced the pitman arm, ball joints, leaf spring bushings. Also my brakes pull to the left. harder i brake harder it pulls. sometimes to the right as well but 99% of the time to the left. i have torn them down and rebuilt them several times and greased all appropriate areas. I need some serious help. there is also like a clunk like the axle is moving when i am off road and i hit a rut. i am very gentle with my rig and i do very well at not being hard on it. someone please help. i cant stand something wrong with my truck. thanks Matt. i also am knowledgeable in some areas on these trucks if you have any questions or answers please feel free to e-mail me direct at matt@texascci.com

[foreman500es]

Is there no one on this site that can give me the least bit of help on this? I see it has been viewed several times.

[blizzardwarrior7]

As for the clunk...If you can feel it under your foot its probablt the swaybar endlinks. You can simply remove the sway bar, and if that fixes it you need new endlinks. As for the truck pulling to one side, the first thing I would say to check is the tire pressure of both your front tires, if ones softer than the other it will pull to that side.

[foreman500es]

Ok i forgot to mention that i have already put new sway bar links on it. i also take my truck in and have the tires balanced at least once a month and checked and all that. but the pulling that i am having gets worse the harder i brake. also i am beginging to get quite the shake at around 70mph and up. this is a nice truck but it just does not match up to my dodge. i need serious help. i had the front end alined and i am wondering if it needs it again.

[blizzardwarrior7]

Have you tried just pulling the sway bar off alltogether? I took mine off and never looked back, I was sick of the clunking. Only thing I can think of is something in the brakes... Also check the bearings...

[foreman500es]

what is the best way to check the bearings? i have jacked up the truck and the tires spin pretty well. so you took your sway bar off and no more problems? dont u need your sway bar on the truck? i do need to put new rotors on my truck though it is in dire need of those.

[blizzardwarrior7]

Well, You dont NEED your sway bar...Although performing and hiigh speed emergency avoidance maneuvers probably isnt a good idea with it off, as the truck does lean more with it...However the ride is much better, and I have much better articulation in the front now ...You may want to put the new rotors on and see if that doesn anything...

[2005F250]

For the pulling you might need new rotors.

[foreman500es]

will my truck still be safe for highway use without the stabilizer bar on it? i will be doing my rotors as soon as i can afford too. what do you notice is gone when you removed your sway bar?

[deere4440]

I had a clunk in my truck a while back, i thought it was in the front end also. Well after i was hearing the clunk for awhile, i crawled under the truck to check the u-joints. I have no idea why i did, but i did. And found them to be completely gone. I replaced them and the clunk went away.
I would hear the clunk when i would hit a bump or let off the go fast pedal. I'm not saying that is your problem, but you could check it.