power steering

[gebus]

hey, my 81 f100 has very stiff steering, i think it's the power steering pump but am not sure, after driving the truck a good 20 km, with lots of turns i decided to check the power steering fluid, and none at alll has gone down, none, so im hinking iether, the pump or the hoses, i an hoping it is not the steering gear, i can get a slightly used pump, and pressure, and return hose from a friend, but i don't want to take all that time taking it off his parts truck, taking mine off, and replacing, if it isn't that

[danny]

jack up the front end of your truck so both front wheels are not touching the ground. try turning(steering) the wheels and see if they are still hard to turn

[KA9MOT]

Yeah because in 81 I believe they still used kingpins. Kingpins may need replaced.

[danny]

beefy, do you know when ford stopped using the twin "I" beam front ends?

[KA9MOT]

They started in 65, I believe and stopped with the 97 model. I think. That is a long time and many feel (I do) that it is the best truck suspension with straight axles being better off road. I really dislike the new independent front suspension.

And it was either 81 0r 82 they switched from Kingpins to ball joints.

[danny]

they had ball joints on the i beams?

[KA9MOT]

Yes! Wanna see a diagram?

[danny]

i believe you, and sure i'd like to see a diagram. i haven't been under any newer fords and have not seen them

[thecarguy]

the f-150 went to a arms with the 97 model year, rangers went to arms with the 98 model, exploders with the 95 model. The superduties use a SFA in the 4wd's and I beams in the 2wd's.

[KA9MOT]

This is the Twin Traction Beam Dana 28 Ford front end. It is exactly what is under my Bronco II. The two wheel drive are very similar.

[thecarguy]

As far as travel #'s. I beams are liked in desert racing as its easy to get 16"+ travel for a relativly low cost compared to a arms. They have gobs and gobs of travel, but where the a arms take over is when it comes to clean travel. A arms arent as sloppy and ride much nicer.

[thecarguy]

Originally posted by Beefy's Bronco
This is the Twin Traction Beam Dana 28 Ford front end. It is exactly what is under my Bronco II. The two wheel drive are very similar.

The two little axles aleays seemed a little weird to me considering how it travels with the suspension, but I guess it works pretty well.

[KA9MOT]

There is a slip joint in there. I've not had mine apart but I keep trying to break them so I can get into some of my spare parts and see how it works.

[thecarguy]

Yeah, how it all goes together is somthing ive wondered about as well. You can look at diagrams all day long, but without actually seeing the part and holding it makes no sense.

[danny]

makes sense to me, looks like a good system. plenty of travel makes good articulation possible.