Sharing my PAIN! Salt belt sucks. I am in the process of tearing into the front end on my 2012 F350 to replace the auto lock seals in the shackle. Haven't done one since 2004 or 5 when I had the 99 Dually, and forgot what a PITA they are. That stupid lock clip on the axe inside the hub, I tried and tried to remove it with snap ring pliers but cannot get a grip on it to save my life.
Found the proper tool on Amazon and will have it tomorrow. I have one side apart waiting on the tool, will tear into the other side on Thursday, have bowling tomorrow night.
So one other task, drain and inspect the front differential. It makes a weird thrumming sound, not sure how to describe it but only when the hubs are locked, which they were manually locked since the seals leak. The fluid was clean, no metal, can see wear on the teeth, but otherwise the diff looks good, but need to inspect the pinion for wear and bearings for play, though the seals is good, no leaks which is a good sign the bearings are good.
The outer seals are dry, but I have replacements for them, part of the seal kit. Pulling those will allow me to inspect the outer bearings, but I have to pop the diff out to inspect the inner bearings.
RUST! Everywhere! I need to wire brush what I can and hit it all with rust reformer and paint. I did the back of the frame last year when I replaced the rear springs, but not even that stops is, some rust popped up again.
142,000 miles on the original ball joints, I think I will replace them since I have most of it apart already, just a couple nuts and a whack with the BFH to get the spindle off, and press them out and new ones in. Then I can replace the cam with one that allows for 4 degrees of caster instead of 3 to help reduce death wobble. It looks like the tie rods have been replaced, but I see the track bushing has some play so will replace that along with the drag link since that is still original, this way all the steering components are new and tight which goes a long way to preventing death wobble.
These are the EASY repairs. The hard repair is coming up in the next couple weeks. I have to pull the bed and replace the floor and cross members. Getting the bed off will be easy, just lift it with the tractor forks, its the flipping the bed over to get to the cross members and floor flange spot welds that will be a bitch. I cant rest the bed on its bottom skirts, they will fold up like playing cards.
Then I pull the bumpers, grind the rust spots off, fill with putty and level then sandable primer and smooth it, paint it and put it back on, the front, the rear I have a replacement passenger side piece to replace the bent one, and the drivers side has a couple spots to correct and paint.
It was either this or buy a new truck. Since a new truck is extremely expensive today, I will just have to make do with what I have and live with the short bed and being over GVWR when towing the 5th wheel .
OR when its all fixed, list it for sale for an insane amount and see if there are any takers.
The truck was deleted by the previous owner and I bought it from a Ford dealer. They would take it in trade, but no other dealer would touch it, and I am not about to dump $5K into it to bring it back to spec. It does run good and has gobs of down low power, it will spin the tires in 2nd with the 5th wheel hooked up.
I'm just hoping I can curb the rust on it before it gets too bad, especially the cab and tailgate, right now there is a little on the door bottoms but fluid film stopped it, but not so much underneath nor the frame.
OK end of ramble
So, How was YOUR day?
Found the proper tool on Amazon and will have it tomorrow. I have one side apart waiting on the tool, will tear into the other side on Thursday, have bowling tomorrow night.
So one other task, drain and inspect the front differential. It makes a weird thrumming sound, not sure how to describe it but only when the hubs are locked, which they were manually locked since the seals leak. The fluid was clean, no metal, can see wear on the teeth, but otherwise the diff looks good, but need to inspect the pinion for wear and bearings for play, though the seals is good, no leaks which is a good sign the bearings are good.
The outer seals are dry, but I have replacements for them, part of the seal kit. Pulling those will allow me to inspect the outer bearings, but I have to pop the diff out to inspect the inner bearings.
RUST! Everywhere! I need to wire brush what I can and hit it all with rust reformer and paint. I did the back of the frame last year when I replaced the rear springs, but not even that stops is, some rust popped up again.
142,000 miles on the original ball joints, I think I will replace them since I have most of it apart already, just a couple nuts and a whack with the BFH to get the spindle off, and press them out and new ones in. Then I can replace the cam with one that allows for 4 degrees of caster instead of 3 to help reduce death wobble. It looks like the tie rods have been replaced, but I see the track bushing has some play so will replace that along with the drag link since that is still original, this way all the steering components are new and tight which goes a long way to preventing death wobble.
These are the EASY repairs. The hard repair is coming up in the next couple weeks. I have to pull the bed and replace the floor and cross members. Getting the bed off will be easy, just lift it with the tractor forks, its the flipping the bed over to get to the cross members and floor flange spot welds that will be a bitch. I cant rest the bed on its bottom skirts, they will fold up like playing cards.
Then I pull the bumpers, grind the rust spots off, fill with putty and level then sandable primer and smooth it, paint it and put it back on, the front, the rear I have a replacement passenger side piece to replace the bent one, and the drivers side has a couple spots to correct and paint.
It was either this or buy a new truck. Since a new truck is extremely expensive today, I will just have to make do with what I have and live with the short bed and being over GVWR when towing the 5th wheel .
OR when its all fixed, list it for sale for an insane amount and see if there are any takers.
The truck was deleted by the previous owner and I bought it from a Ford dealer. They would take it in trade, but no other dealer would touch it, and I am not about to dump $5K into it to bring it back to spec. It does run good and has gobs of down low power, it will spin the tires in 2nd with the 5th wheel hooked up.
I'm just hoping I can curb the rust on it before it gets too bad, especially the cab and tailgate, right now there is a little on the door bottoms but fluid film stopped it, but not so much underneath nor the frame.
OK end of ramble
So, How was YOUR day?
