Hi folks,
Does anyone know for sure if the ibeams in a '85 F350 2WD kingpin front axle are forged or cast? I was in a collision, and one of mine is bent. If it's forged, I can bend it back. Thanks for any help!

 

I'm pretty sure they are forged.
Any attempts to realign bent suspension or steering parts is considered a NO-NO. I doubt any machine shop would even consider doing this because of a liability issue.
If you need to replace the I beam for one side , consider trying a salvage yard or , "Vintage Parts Inc. " located in Beaver Dam, Wisc.

Those king pins can be a stinker to get out if you decide to replace them. You are not supposed to heat them and if you cannot get the king pin out , you might need to rent a special hydraulic press made specially for that purpose and can be done on the vehicle. When that frozen king pin breaks loose, it can scare the pants off ya !

 

I believe they're forged also, thanks for confirming! Forged I-beam axles get straightened all the time in the big truck world. As long as they have their spring to 'em, you can bend 'em. Once they get too easy to bend, and don't spring back, they're done. I was thinking about trying to straighten mine, but considering all the available good ones in junkyards, and also considering that mine is bent along more than one plane, and the chances of me not ever getting it perfect, I'm going to replace it with a used part. That'll more or less force me to replace the bushings, and kingpin and all that "while you're in there" stuff.

Thanks again!

 

Thanks for getting back to us.
I am aware ,if you have the proper equip, some front axles can be realigned. As far as I Beams, They are a different animal and have never heard of any ever being straightened.. I don't know for sure if all I Beams are the same,.dimension and length wise.