School Me on TIBs

[Bronco638]

I've been going around-and-around with trying to figure out what ball joints to get for my '80 F-150 Flare Side. No one lists ball joints for my truck. I called the Moog Tech Line and they pretty much believe that all 1980 Ford F-Series trucks with 2WD and Coil Springs are kingpin only. But, based on this:

That's not true.

What's confusing though is the terminology used. I know what 'forged' is but what does 'stamped' mean? I initially thought that 'stamped' meant heavy gauge sheet metal was stamped in a big press to form the part (in this case the TIBs). But, I don't have TIBs made from heavy gauge sheet steel. I have what appears to be cast or forged TIBs (excuse the oily grime):

Can anyone tell me how to refer to that I-beam?

Also, that sure appears to be an '84 Engineering number cast into it. I suspect my truck was in an accident and there's other parts, forward of the firewall, that seem to come from early Bull Nose trucks, and not necessarily from 1980. So, I'm ordering ball joints for a 1984 F-150 2WD (which are the same for 1981-86). TIA.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Yep, forged is solid steel like you have.

Stamped is thick sheetmetal like my D44HD beams, or a frame rail

Yes, if it has a E4TX number it never CAME on a 1980 truck.

I think you are in the clear ordering parts for an '84, because that's definitely what it is.

[Bronco638]

Yep, forged is solid steel like you have. Stamped is thick sheet metal like my D44HD beams, or a frame rail

OK, so why is Ford titling the illustration, in the o.p., as having a Stamped axle? If I look at the illustration with the Forged axle, it's not what I have, it's shaped slightly differently and physically smaller. I have a '80 F-150 and an '81 F-100 to compare/contrast. The F-150 TIBs are definitely different from the F-100 TIBs. Yet, there doesn't seem to be a Ford illustration with forged TIBs for the 2WD, coil sprung F-Series.

You know, since I seem to have '84 TIBs, I wonder if the '80 TIBs were stamped steel.

Yes, if it has a E4TX number it never CAME on a 1980 truck. I think you are in the clear ordering parts for an '84, because that's definitely what it is.

Thanks for confirming that.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Yep, forged is solid steel like you have. Stamped is thick sheet metal like my D44HD beams, or a frame rail

OK, so why is Ford titling the illustration, in the o.p., as having a Stamped axle? If I look at the illustration with the Forged axle, it's not what I have, it's shaped slightly differently and physically smaller. I have a '80 F-150 and an '81 F-100 to compare/contrast. The F-150 TIBs are definitely different from the F-100 TIBs. Yet, there doesn't seem to be a Ford illustration with forged TIBs for the 2WD, coil sprung F-Series.

You know, since I seem to have '84 TIBs, I wonder if the '80 TIBs were stamped steel.

Yes, if it has a E4TX number it never CAME on a 1980 truck. I think you are in the clear ordering parts for an '84, because that's definitely what it is.

Thanks for confirming that.

Ford uses generic illustrations in the MPC.

Gary will attest to this.