a real econoline steering fix!

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#61

02-26-2011, 04:44 PM

ps101851

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I just finished this installation on my '01 E350 with 162,000 miles. The steering has always had miles of play. I have'nt had an opportunity to get up to highway speeds yet, bit it feels a tad tighter so far. We'll see. I ordered brackets from Horizon in Seattle and damper from Rock Auto.
I tapped bottom hole with 7/16 and it seemed too tight with existing hole but it went. I changed to 3/8-16 for side holes and they were much easier. The frame is beefy enough and the bolts cinched up nice and tight. Also used thread locker on all three.
A GREAT thread and GREAT idea. Thank you Andrew.
P

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#62

02-27-2011, 09:03 PM

andrewzx92000

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Sounds like you might need to adjust the steering box. 5/8 box wrench and an allen head or screw driver on earlier vans. I have noticed that the draglink where it joins the steering box arm is the one that has a lot of movement when there is a lot of play. Just half a turn in on the center screw makes a huge difference in the slack.
Andrew

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#63

03-04-2011, 07:50 PM

bork

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Thank you so much Andrew, Parts came in today. I had parts guy look up bolt size for the frame mount, and size states, 10mm x 20. (different parts numbers for the 3rd bolt in bottom but supercedes to the same number as the other two bolts.)Doesn't say pitch size. I'm going to pull out sway bar bolt to see if it will screw in threaded hole.

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#64

03-05-2011, 02:09 PM

andrewzx92000

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Yes the bottom hole is bigger I believe, but the ones I used for the other chassis holes fit fine anyway and I used washers on all of them. Never had one come loose yet and my first stabilizer has been on there two years.
I just towed from North Louisiana to Pensacola Florida towing my trailer. 56 feet long total length, 17,200 lbs GCW and a lot of wind. The stabilizer made a huge difference in the amount the front of the van moved in the cross winds. My Hensley does a great job, but this is much better than before, I am very pleased AE

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#65

03-09-2011, 04:11 PM

moorefc

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Quote:

Originally Posted by andrewzx92000

I thought I would share my experience to help some folks.

On the half tons I had purchased the moog, and rancho steering stabilizers that bolt to the suspension arm for the passenger front wheel. I never was very happy with this, the suspension moving up and down affects this type of set up.
Andrew

Andrew, thanks for the post, but I do have a few questions. I called on the moog setup on the SSD121 and moog (per summit racing after checking with moog and a 4X4 conversion company that has (historically installed these for years) indicated they have mounts that attach the stabilizer to the frame. Maybe the ones you tried earlier were a different configuration? Anyway, prior to talking to the 4X4 van conversion company, I elected to install the brackets and shock you have described. I got the parts from the conversion company in the end, since they remove the shock and drag link bracket (etc) from stock vans for the 4X4 conversion. It seems to work in terms of making the steering feel more solid and silky.
Also the ford OE frame bracket bolts are self tapping (as some people I believe have mentioned).
So thanks for the input and the idea for steering improvement, but I am wondering for most if it would be just as effective, simpler to by, and less costly to go with the moog kit I mentioned above?
F

Last edited by moorefc; 03-09-2011 at 04:14 PM. Reason: Added frame bracket bolt comment

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#66

03-10-2011, 06:55 PM

andrewzx92000

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I have never seen the moog application that bolts to a bracket on the chassis. Every one they sold me for the vans the bracket that is supposed to be the stationary end bolted to the suspension arm. If it bolts to the chassis it should be good I would think. I tried the ones offered and was dissappointed. Decided to spend the money and get the real deal that Ford should have put on these vans and sure enough it works extremely well and I have bought the Ford parts for three vans so far, I am that impressed. I drove the van the other day that still has the moog set up on it and its not licensed at the moment, but I drove it down our road a way and its a float boat.
AE

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#67

03-10-2011, 07:02 PM

andrewzx92000

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I looked up the SSD121 and it is identical to the ones I was sold. It does not bolt to the chassis like the Ford photos I posted earlier in this thread. I am sure something could be done to make it work but they want you to use the large bracket and the piece of flat steel and bolt it to the passenger side suspension arm as the stationery end. It does not work well because everytime the suspension moves up and down it effects the drag link somewhat and just created another weirdness to my steering and didn't fix the first weirdness I was trying to eliminate. Plus I don't know the specs on the moog stabilizer but the Ford oem spec stabilizer really has the right resistance for me AE

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#68

03-12-2011, 10:30 AM

moorefc

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Quote:

Originally Posted by andrewzx92000

Since I didn't buy it (the moog), I cannot comment beyond what I was told, but I ended up with the parts off a 2011 van conversion (to 4wd). The brackets were the ones shown in this thread, and the motocraft shock actually also said "monroe" on it

.
On my two drives the steering seems a bit improved ie silkier, although I have yet to get in any real crosswinds.
Thx

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#69

06-30-2011, 07:10 AM

ilateapex

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9; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> I just wanted to bring this back to the top. I installed this last night and so far like what it has done. I ordered the brackets from my local Ford dealer and tried to get the bolts that are self drilling for the frame but their computers says to source local and that they are not in Ford’s parts system anymore. So with information I got from this Thread I decided to get some M10X20 bolts with 1.5 pitch along with flat and lock washers. I then used a tap and taped the holes in the frame. Worked like a charm. I purchased the damper from NAPA using the part number found here as well. Install was simple and straight forward. I am anxious to see how it helps while towing. I think the bolt for the Damper was a M14. I got lock nuts for both ends of the Damper.

Now on to try and remove the front sway bar bushings. Found one separated from its metal housing.

Michael

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#70

06-30-2011, 09:32 AM

PStruwing

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Andrew and everyone else that posted here.

Thanks for this post, I will be doing this steering fix ASAP! I have had my 97 Conversion van in a few times for the steering wander with no solution.

Now I have the fix, really truly appreciate your efforts.

Cheers

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#71

08-20-2011, 07:19 PM

NY Signman

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The best mod I've ever done on this van after 112,000!

Have had this 2000 E-150, 4.6 cargo van since new and have always had "wondering" and bouncing/jumping issues with rough roads. I had just replaced the ball joints (3rd time since new) but put the Moog problem solver ones in this time, and still need tie rods replaced, new tires and fix leaking steering box before I'm done..........but............just put this stabilizer in and drove from NY to DE today...........with all the stuff I still need.............it drove like a Cadillac!

I would have never believed that ONE small MOD would do all this!!!!!

Thank you for the info!

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#72

09-06-2011, 09:15 PM

E350John

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Best I've Heard

Andrew, Thank you, thank you, thank you! Ford needs to pay attention to your post and include this assembly on every Super Duty.

This is the best MOD info I have found to resolve the Steering (Wandering Van) Issue. My 07 E350 Wandered all over the place. I reduced my tire pressure to 47 front and 65 rear. Replaced my shot ball joints, and it was better, but still tended to lag and oversteer.

I ordered Bilstein B6 HD Series shocks and a 5100 Series dampener from Summit Racing. I hit fordparts.com for the mounts, and the bolt specialty store to complete the package. I tapped the frame holes with an M10 x 1.5 tap. There isn't room for a T-Handle so I used a small adjustible wrench. The bracket bolted tightly to the frame with the Ford M10x1.5 x 25M bolts. The rest went as planned, except for the unbeleivably sucky access to the top shock mount nuts.

She now rides, steers , and tracks like a dream. Thanks again for sharing this info with the rest of us! Below is a complete list of the parts I used.

Ford:
(1) F2UZ3E652A (BRKT-STNG SHK ABS RH)
(1) F2UZ3E652B (BRKT-STNG SHK ABS LH)
(1) W611645-S439 (4-PCS M10X1.5 X 25MM BOLT) (BRACKET TO FRAME)
(1) N806085 S441 (NUT) (STABILAIZER TO DRAG-LINK BRACKET)

Bolt Specialties:
(1) 12MM X 63MM HARDENED BOLT (STABILIZER TO FRAME BRACKET)
(1) 12MM HARDENED LOCK WASHER
(1) 12MM HARDENED NUT

Summit Racing:
(1) BSN-24-174534 (5100 Series Stabilizer)
(2) BSN-33-187570 (B6 HD Series Front Shock)
(2) BSN-33-186900 (B6 HD Series Rear Shock)

Last edited by E350John; 09-08-2011 at 08:38 PM. Reason: New Info

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#73

09-15-2011, 08:23 AM

andrewzx92000

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Hi folks, this is Andrew. I recently drove my friends E350, same as mine accept it is a 2010 and what amazed me is that his steering felt almost identical to mine with the stabilizer on in normal driving. I think Ford could have saved a fortune just putting a stabilizer on these vans rather than all the computerized anti roll over stuff. I could be wrong, perhaps it does something more when the wheel is turned rapidly, but I thought it was very interesting. Glad some of you are finding the results I did. I am very impressed with how it has made my towing a wonderful experience, the front doesn't move around at all, drives like its not towing. Andrew.

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#74

09-15-2011, 07:03 PM

maples01

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Considering how I've driven my 99 15 passenger E350, and have been for nearly 9 years, that instability garbage is stupid, I put airbags in my front coils and that was it, along with run the wider 245/75 tires, skinny tires on a van with a narrow rear axle is a recipe for disaster. I don't have a stabilizer and drive with one hand on the wheel, the other on my handcontrol, I'm paralyzed and have never experienced steering issues, I guess there are some weak armed people driving these vans.

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#75

09-15-2011, 10:36 PM

86scotty

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I just sold my van and pulled this setup off of it before selling. The brackets and damper were only on there for about 5000 miles. PM me if interested. I'll make someone a deal on these parts, basically new. The damper is from Oreilley and the brackets came from Ford of course.

thx

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