MPFit

Hey all! 1989 F150 4.9 Reg Cab Shortbed with 2.73
Planning to start working on th suspension soon as the steering is a little squirrelly and loose. Was going to start with what I can visually see; bushings in most places are worn almost completely out. Was looking for advice on other things to tackle since it’ll be up in jacks and tires removed. I’ve heard Ball / U Joints can often help this issue but never done them. Anything else to look at?

clintm6

I'd look at all the tie rods and steering box too while you're at it. I've changed them all (including ball joints) myself and none of them are a big job. I'd also get the best steering box you can (like a Redhead) because that seems to be the weak spot in the steering system. I went cheap on that and have regretted it ever since. I'll have to get the Redhead one sometime soon!

BLDTruth

Clint is on the money. Best thing to do is get under the truck and have someone turn the wheel. Look for things that aren't turning when the wheel is turning.

If it is a new to you truck and you don't have any history, plan ahead. If you can afford to do it, don't mess around. Plan on replacing everything. Ball joints, tie rods, steering box, sway bar bushings, pivot bushings, radius arm bushings, wheel bearings and seals, springs - if its a 4WD then add spindle bearings and seals, axle u joints and seals - heck I would even pull the pumpkin, change the oil and re-gasket it. Since you are in there you can replace brake pads, calipers, turn the rotors, etc. Then when you are done get it aligned. It will drive like a new truck.

It sounds like a lot and it will set you back some coin, but really, going thru the front end of these trucks is something you only want to have to do once. Coming from someone who has gone thru mine at least three times for different reasons. My 2 cents.

Energized

You can also adjust the play in the steering box itself, just throwing that out there.

Brandon587

This. I have replaced my pivoit beam bushings and radius arm bushings plus f250 cool springs added. But a recent wreck has caused me to go back through everything and just replace it all including my driver side beam, but that's unrelated to your case. But I am 3/4 of the way through completely redoing my front end, just didn't finish it this past weekend with work. I have new ball joints, tie rods, draglinks, pivoit beam bushings, radius arm bushings, front and rear sway bar bushings, coil insulators,a (kinda pricey but well worth it) redhead steering box that I put in a few years ago, plus I regeared and rebuilt both differentials a little while back but that's unrelated to, just saying it's ALL new up front now haha. Also, working on replacing
My intermediate steering shaft (another great place to look for play). Anything related to the fronts of these trucks I've done, including aligning them. I have the adjustable camber caster bushings that I'd recommend As well after doing all the work and espically if you add the upgrades coils. Simply put, it makes a huge difference. If you did it all at once, it would be night and day no doubt. So the better question is, how far do you want to take this and how much do you want to spend? I would recommend moog steering parts for anything really, although others make good suspension bushings too. I got my bushings from bronco graveyard, and the steering parts from moog

MPFit

Thanks for all the help! I’m of the idea if it ain’t broke don’t fix it- but I don’t like the idea of tearing down the front more than once. I’ll give it a really good inspection and replace anything that looks suspect (All the bushing look bad), so if I’m going to start taking it down anyway I’ll keep an eye out. I got the truck for 1300$ so I’m not ready to dump serious money into it yet- as I want to be sure it’ll make it at least a year without an expensive fix. However safety fixes are first. Steering, tires, and I want new seatbelts. Then I’ll do the fun stuff

77Ranger460

Does a 1989 have a rag joint in the column?

ALTAJAVA

this is not recommended, it very easy to make it worse. I've only meet one guy that can do this right and he's got about 45 years experience working at a repair shop