I've got a '97 F-150 extnda cab 3 door 4x4. I have been having trouble with what i think is axle wrap, you stop at a light and go to take off there is a little, not a noise but almost like a hesitation. I have had this with older lifted trucks that i have had in the past, but i am running stock height on this one. How can i fix this?

 

I don't know if this will help you or not, but I had a '99 F150 Extended cab that I had purchased with very high miles on it (~170K) and it had been used as a work truck in a fleet for several year. Anyway, I noticed that I was getting some axle wrap and that the rear leaf springs seemed a little weaker than I expected them to be on the truck. I purchased a new set of factory leaf springs (I think they were about $100 each from the dealership - or maybe that was the total for both) and put them on the truck. Huge difference, the truck rode much better down the road and my axle wrap was cured. Another option that I have seen some people use is to install a rear sway bar.

 

I agree with pegasus, I have had lots of experiance with axle wrap in my samurai after going spring over. many things together make it happen, when you replace the leaf srping packs dont forget to buy new U bolts too. another $50 bucks can make the difference in fixing the problem and c=creating new ones. youll see what I mean when you pull your existing U bolts off, youll probable have to hammer them out of the plate and when you et them out they will look streched out most likely to the point that you would have to compress them to get them back in the plate. remember all the force you apply to the pedal has to go thru the U bolts and the springs to get to the ground. if these parts wear out as they get older they allow play or wrap int he axle. every action has an equal and opposite reaction. and in this case the opposite of spining the tires forward is spinning the axle backward. hope this helps, Im not trying to preach to you either.

Michael