1997 Ford F-250 Suspension Problems

MY 1997 FORD F250 4WD TRUCK HAS DEVELOPED A POPPING NOISE IN THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL HUB AREA. I FOUND THE DRIVE SHAFT FROM THE FRONT TRANSFER CASE COULD BE MOVED IN AND OUT OF THE WHEEL HUB WITH A POPPING NOISE. I TOOK IT TO BE REPAIRED AND NO ONE CAN FIND PARTS. I HAVE LOOKED ON THE INTERNET AND SEARCHED LOCAL PARTS STORES AND CAN'T FINE THEM EITHER. ALL I FIND IS THAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS HAD SUSPENSION PROBLEMS ON THIS MODEL. HOW DO I GET IT REPAIRED? *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD POP AT THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, AND THE FRONT LEFT SIDE DROPPED SEVERAL INCHES. CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO INSPECT WHAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE, AND DISCOVERED THAT DRIVER SIDE TORSION BAR SNAPPED.*AK

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE TORSION BAR SNAPPED. *JB

MY TIRES WERE SEVERELY WORN ON THE INSIDE EDGES. I BOUGHT NEW TIRES AND WENT TO HAVE THE TRUCK ALIGNED. VIRGINIA SPRING AND ALIGNMENT, ARLINGTON, VA, 22213, INFORMED ME THAT MY RIGHT FRONT SPRING WAS DANGEROUSLY WEAK AND HAD CAUSED THE UPPER BALL JOINT TO BECOME LOOSE. THEY SAID EVERY FORD 250 DIESEL THEY SEE HAS THIS PROBLEM AND THAT FORD DID NOT PUT STRONG ENOUGH SPRINGS ON THESE TRUCKS. FORD IN FACT HAD ISSUED TSB-96-23-16 WHICH CALLED FOR ADDING A LEAF TO EACH FRONT SPRING AND REALIGNMENT. THEY REFUSE TO FIX THE DEFECT IN MY TRUCK BECAUSE IT HAS OVER 36,000 MILES ON IT. IF THIS SPRING FAILS, A 3/4 TON TRUCK GOES OUT OF CONTROL. *AK

BOTH THESE RETAINING BOLTS FAILED. IN THE FIRST INSTANCE I NOTICED A BOLT HANGING DOWN FROM THE FRONT END ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I DO NOT KNOW WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. IN THE SECOND INSTANCE, THE SHOP OWNER NOTICED THE DRIVER'S SIDE BOLT WAS MISSING. HE COMMENTED THAT HE LOOKS FOR THIS ITEM ON FORD F150 AND F250 UNITS. HE HAS HAD VEHICLES COME IN WITH BOTH BOLTS MISSING! FORD CHANGED THE BOLT MECHANISM RETAINING THE STABALIZER BARS IN THIS MODEL YEAR (1998). THEIR DESIGN APPEARS FAULTY AS THE PLASTIC RETAINING DEVICES ON THE BOLT DO NOT APPEAR TO WORK PROPERLY.*AK

FIRST AIR SPRING ON DRIVERS SIDE BLEW LAST SUMMER AND WAS REPLACED. THE OTHER ONE, PASSENGER SIDE, BLEW LAST FRIDAY. BOTH FAILURES OCCURRED WITH TRUCK CAMPER ON BOARD, BUT VEHICLE WAS NOT OVER LOADED. FAILURES WERE EXPLOSIVE, RESULTING IN VEHICLE LOWING SUDDENLY ON THE SIDE AFFECTED. VEHICLE WAS TRAVELLING STRAIGHT AHEAD BOTH TIMES, BUT FAILURE ON A CORNER COULD RESULT IN VEHICLE ROLLING OVER. COMPONENT DOES NOT APPEAR TO MATCH THE LOAD RATING OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

TORSION BAR FAILURE, CAUSED SUDDEN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. *AK

TORSION BAR SNAPPED WITH NO WARNING. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURER DEFECT, YET WAS NOT COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. I HAD TO PAY FOR TOWING AND RENTAL CAR WHILE MY TRUCK WAS DISABLED. I THINK FORD SHOULD COVER THIS REPAIR AS THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING FRONT TORSION BAR BROKE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

THE TORSION BAR SHEARED OFF, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL AND SWAY SUDDENLY. *AK

THE FRONT SPRINGS ON THIS HEAVY DUTY TRUCK BEGAN COLLAPSING AFTER APPROXIMATELY 14-MONTHS OF SERVICE. THE CONDITION WEARS THE FRONT TIRES EXCESSIVELY AND DOES NOT MAKE THE VEHICLE HANDLE PROPERLY. THE CONDITION WAS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALERSHIP, DON VANCE FORD, MARSHFIELD,MO. AND ALL THAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED IS TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP AND DISCUSSIONS WITH FORD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE. I HAVE LOOKED AT SEVERAL F250 VEHICLES WITH THE 7.3 L AND 460 MOTOR PACKAGES AND THEY ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM AS I HAVE. FORD HAS OBVIOUSLY RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM I AM EXPERIENCING AS THE TWIN I-BEAM IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE ON THE 1999 MODEL F250'S. *AK

TORSION BAR, WHICH CONTROLS THE STABILITY OF THE VEHICLE, SHEARED OFF, CAUSING A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. *AK *ML

IN MAY 1997 I PURCHASHED THIS VEHICHLE NEW. MY PROBLEMS BEGAN WITH A TORN SEAT COVER AND DEFFECTIVE SUN VISORS. THOSE PROBLEMS WERE FIXED. DUE TO THE DISTANCE FROM MY RESIDNCE TO ST. HELENS AUTO CENTER, I BEGAN TAKING MY VEHICHLE TO LAND MARK FORD, LOCATED AT 12000 S.S. 66TH AVE. TIGARD,OR. 97281. ON JULY 27, 1998 I TOOK THE VEHICHLE TO LANDMARK BECAUSE OF A POPING NOISE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION. THE NOISE WAS VERIFIED. NO REPAIRS DONE AT THAT TIME. ON AUGUST 05, 1998 I TOOK THE VEHICHL TO LANDMARK FOR POPING NOISE, NOISE WAS VERIFIED. LANDMARK FOUND THE CROSSMEMBER LOOSE, TIGHTENED FRONT SUSPENSION BOLT, LEAF SPRING U-BOLT, A-ARM TO FRAME BOLTS, REPLACED #2 HUCK RIVET, LOOSENED AND AJUSTED TRANNY CROSSMEMBER. THIER INVOICE STATES "RETEST OK." ON AUGUST 12, 1998 VEHICHLE WAS TAKEN INTO LANDMARK FOR POPING NOISE IN FRONT END, AND BECAUSE THE VEHICHLE PULLS TO THE LEFT. ALIGHNMENT WAS OFF AND SET TO SPEKS. ON SEPTEMBER 12, 1998 VEHICHLE WAS TAKEN TO LANDMARK FOR POPING NOISE IN FRONT SUSPENSION. THEY REPLACED.

WHEN DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES THE WHOLE FRONT END OF THE TRUCK WOULD BOUNCE AND THE TRUCK WAS HARD TO MAINTAIN. ALSO THE FRONT TIRES BALDED ON THE INSIDE. THE TRUCK WAS LOOKED AT BY A MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE NEVER GREASED BY THE FACTORY. THE BALL JOINTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK

CONSUMER NOTICED THE LEFT REAR SPRING BROKE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO VIRBRATE AT ANY SPEED. *AK

VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING ONGOING VIBRATION PROBLEM. WHENEVER A RIGHT TURN WAS MADE, A GRINDING SOUND WOULD COME FROM THE WHEEL. VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING. ASKING NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK

FRONT SUSPENSION IS UNDERDESIGNED. UNABLE TO SUPPORT WEIGHT OF POWERSTROKE ENGINE. CAUSING EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR AND BALL JOINT WEAR, AND PULLING TO RIGHT

BALLJOINTS GRINDING, METAL ON METAL, FAILURE DUE TO UNSERVICEABLE TYPE BALLJOINTS FROM THE FACTORY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON WET PAVEMENT AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING BRAKES, THE BRAKE'S FELT LIKE THEY WERE NOT WORKING AND WOULD LOCK UP. ALSO, THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE WOULD COME OUT FROM BEHIND. *AK

WHEN TURNING OR DRIVING UP A HILL OR UNEVEN GROUND CAN HEAR A POPPING/KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER PUT VEHICLE INTO THE SHOP FOR REPAIR WORK. WHEN THE CONSUMER GOT THE VEHICLE BACK THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED, THE PROBLEM WAS STILL THERE. WHEN CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE COULD STILL HEAR THE NOISE, AND DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK