This thing has been a nightmare, It started by trying to do an oil change and tire rotation at work... only to loose a stud in the rear brake drum.(didnt even get my rotate done, lugs were TIGHT) In a hurry, I put it all back together and drove it... figuring I'd get around to it in a day or so. That never happens.. last weekend it ended up lodging up in the brake drum, destroying everything to do with the brakes in the rear..So after two afternoons fighting with the lug nuts and other things I got it back together.. my bad, but still frustrating.


Today, I decide to tear the thing down to fix the ball joints thats been going bad since I got it. (here it is 6K plus miles later ) So, I start tearing it down and whoever put it together last mangled this thing. First off, NEITHER upper ball joint was tight. Took both nuts off by hand, whoever put the wheelbearing in on the driver side at some point, cross threaded the spindle, passenger side doesn't look much better either. The brake rotors are also cracked (passenger side all the way through the rotor), the wheel bearings are shot, and the u-joints in the front axles are bad.

Right now my parts list is:

2 upper ball joints
2 lower ball joints
2 spindles
2 outer wheel bearings
2 inner wheel bearings
2 u-joints
2 brake rotors
1 set of brake pads
...and list is still piling up

That sucks... Should be in good shape when you get done though.

Bnot trying to beat on ya Tyler, you know me...

But this is all stuff you were blinded of, when you saw POWERSTROKE, 5 Speed, & 4x4.. IMO ya jumped too soon..


But good news is your looking like ya got it under control and are gonna get it fixed

Thats just part of life with an older truck. Those are all wear parts.

look around the salvage yards. ive found lots of folks will rebuild the frontends, then when the motor or trans crooks they'll junk out the whole truck. I bought a complete front end (4x4) for 2 of my halftons that had new brakes,rotors, balljionts,ect for $120 each then I got a set of heavy dutys coils for the one truck and I couldn't believe the springs where less then a $100 for the pair.

5.0Flareside said:

Bnot trying to beat on ya Tyler, you know me...

But this is all stuff you were blinded of, when you saw POWERSTROKE, 5 Speed, & 4x4.. IMO ya jumped too soon..


But good news is your looking like ya got it under control and are gonna get it fixed

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It was said to have 110k, miles on it.. but I'm starting to not believe it.

And I looked over the truck WELL, as did my pappaw when he picked it up for me. All of these things couldn't be checked just looking the truck over. I checked everything that could.

Atleast I'll know FOR SURE that everything is new and good to go, when I get done.


Next on the list is glow plugs....this colder weather is starting to be a PITA

nobodyspecial said:

Thats just part of life with an older truck. Those are all wear parts.

Click to expand...

Yep, and atleast I'm doing it all at once, instead of tearing it down 5 different times.

wizzard351 said:

look around the salvage yards. ive found lots of folks will rebuild the frontends, then when the motor or trans crooks they'll junk out the whole truck. I bought a complete front end (4x4) for 2 of my halftons that had new brakes,rotors, balljionts,ect for $120 each then I got a set of heavy dutys coils for the one truck and I couldn't believe the springs where less then a $100 for the pair.

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I'll take a look. I maybe can find something. I'll probably just go new stuff though, cause I'v never had good luck out of junk yard suspention parts.

The spindles get messed up from the hubs or spindle nuts, no need to get new ones. Just buy a thread file and clean up the ends. Thats where they are always are messed up. I check that stuff when I buy a rig. Its a good place to get more money off the rig. All of that stuff is easy money to fix. Make sure to get all greaseable parts

95F350XL said:

The spindles get messed up from the hubs or spindle nuts, no need to get new ones. Just buy a thread file and clean up the ends. Thats where they are always are messed up. I check that stuff when I buy a rig. Its a good place to get more money off the rig. All of that stuff is easy money to fix. Make sure to get all greaseable parts

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These aren't gonna be fixed with a thread file. The nuts where cross-threaded. Junked the threads all the way back. plus they have big chips out of them that can't be filed down.. they are all messed up. For $120 a piece I feel better replacing them.

Damn never seen em that bad. Ive always just filed the ends. Thats a good price for em, get new spindle nuts also while ur at it.

ouch tyler... sounds like your trucks taking lessons from mine...

95F350XL said:

Damn never seen em that bad. Ive always just filed the ends. Thats a good price for em, get new spindle nuts also while ur at it.

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Bronco graveyard has it all... and I can't believe how fast it got here. Ordered sunday, called monday to tell me my credit card didnt go through, gave them a different one, and it showed up 2pm tuesday

Broke the, I don't know what to call it..... the pin on the pedal assembly that holds the master clutch rod to the pedal assembly. Leaving me with no clutch. Pair of vice grips, is holding it for now and got me home.... was a $$$$$ to drive to work though in traffic with no clutch.

any ideas where to get one, other than a junkyard?

My assembly looks a little different, (from what I can tell..) but same idea.

This story is starting to sounds like Jenny's Camry. Seemed like a nice car, had a chance to talk with the original owners, yada yada. From the first week we got it on, there was a constant, never-ending chain of events that required attention and $$$'s. As it turned out, the best part of the car was we bought it right. When she totalled it, I didn't shed a single tear- the Insurance Company paid fair value for it, and we moved forwards to something much later model. Peeps say Camry's last forever. I now know why- owners keep throwing parts at them to keep them on the road.

So far, the replacement Taurus has been golden. The lesson here is, when you've got one that, despite your best efforts turned into a problem child, cut your losses and move on.

polarbear said:

The lesson here is, when you've got one that, despite your best efforts turned into a problem child, cut your losses and move on.

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I'm with you 100%, and given the right opportunity this thing will be gone.

Just gotta find someone who wants it.

Well, little update...

clutch is fixed,
glowplugs have been replaced
new starter
fuel bowl rebuilt
new fuel filter
new fuel pump
new rubber lines
new banjo bolt lines

and still have a small fuel leak i'm trying to track down, dunno if I messed up on the fuel bowl rebuild, or if it's leaking around the filter cap, or a line... but I have fuel in the engine valley...again.


Now, time to find a new wheel as my inner driver side rear is bent. (63.5 ounces out of balance ) and get some new tires in the very near future..

At least you're making progress. Happy new year Tyler.

Trying to... and thanks buddy same to you

What fuel line did you use?? If you used any line other then the OEM line its not going to work. And its going to give out as soon as you start it. That fuel at 40PSI. Ive been there before. Or if you did use the right line . Did you replave the fuel in water valve?? i just had a truck in here that had that problem. it was just dripping.

Got everything from dieselorings.com, fuel bowl rebuild kit and lines other than the fuel pump and metal banjo lines they are OEM from the dealership.

Didn't replace the valve, but all the orings are new, and I took my time installing them.. now that doesn't mean the seated properly by any means.