@Hoppy - check your tranny fluid and see if it looks alright. i dropped my pan and changed the filter and put some fluid back in and i thought it looked alright....until i flushed it completely. i knew the torque converter held some more, but when it was flushed, you could definitely see a difference with the newer, brighter fluid. shifts like a dream now. also, check your upper and lower ball joints, tie rods, etc. all the front end components could use a look. my lower ball joints are shot, so im replacing those as well in the next week or so. check your rear end and transfer case oil too. keep in mind, this isnt an actual recommended list, its just stuff that im looking over because they're key points. the dreaded spark plugs are on the list too...

@Rick 06 - theres a tool that automotive stores rent out. well, most of them do, but i was lucky that my buddy had one on hand. it compresses the spring so that youre able to loosen the nut at the top of the assembly and slide the entire strut out. you can replace the coils if you want to (i believe they are code U at the factory), but mine still had so much tension on them that i didnt replace them. the problem is, you really need to know what youre doing with that spring compressor. if you dont, you risk the tool sliding off and flying through your fender or your stomach. epic, i know, but true.

 

Had all the fluids checked today...all good but the power steering. I can go another 5K then I'll flush it, maybe the coolant too.

 

This may sound dumb, but I've heard that tranny flushes are bad? I did one on my ranger before it was totaled and it made the transmission shift horribly. Maybe I'm just rednecked educated when it comes to these?

 

There's at least two other long threads that debated this subject, so I'll just provide the short of it all...

If you flush the automatic transmission at 30K intervals, you'll get long life. If the automatic transmission was not flushed at 30K, or never flushed, then it was recommended by some here not to do it at all, because the lack of flushes early on would cause crap to lodge in the shift valve body passages, and get dislodged and cause havac. Some have sworn to testimonials that this happened to them; they flushed after 75K and up (being the transmissions first flush), and soon after their transmission failed. Others have stated they have 100K on their original transmission fluid with no problems.

I have been flushing mine during it's suggested 30K.I have no issues. I also installed a transmission oil cooler in series with the radiator cooling lines (some F150's come with this already; towing or "heavy duty" package).

I would at the very least drop the automatic transmission pan and change the filter, and add the 4 or 5 quarts of fresh transmission fluid the pan drop will require. At least you'll have 5 fresh quarts out of about 10 or 11 to help re-install some required additives to the automatic transmission fluid.