rough ride

[Cooder22]

I recently purchased a 96 Bronco. I don't expect a smooth ride but something is obviously wrong with the front end. Pot holes feel more like man holes from the driver's seet. The shocks don't feel to be worn out to me, is it possibly the tie rods? Also, when I get up to around 70 MPH the truck starts shaking pretty bad. Anyone have any suggestions?

[Truck]

U joints / CV Joints
Front end needs Lubrication / gaskets.
Front end Springs + Shocks.
Wheel Bearings.

The Ford Truck Front End has gotten a pretty bad rap, but most people don't know you should lube the steering / tie rods / King Pins - EVERY WEEK. (What better way to spend an hour Saturday morning?)

Check and make sure all your 'greasable fittings' have proper rubber to hold the grease in. (That would be the start of any rebuild, too...If the seals are shot, the metal can't be far behind.) Add grease-even if they're bad, if you're not going to replace them that day. And if you replace a tie-rod, you have to get it aligned, and if it's 4x4, you need to get them all aligned.

Even if your shocks *look* good, they may still be bad. I replaced them for my '88 and they still looked good long after they started to bum out. (Here's a hint, get as Heavy-Duty a shock as you can afford...I got cheapie "SUV Shocks" which were rated for 10K Km. (Like I know when I drive 10K Kilometers...) They worked great for a couple of weeks, then it was back to turn, lean, and pray....

[jlglause]

I had the same problem with my 95 Bronco and had to replace the upper and lower balljoints on the passenger side. Hope that helps