I have a 97 F150 4x4 Supcab with 4.6L & 5spd. This winter while crossing a creek the truck bottomed out and I heard a "ratcheting" sound coming from somewhere in the steering set up (it sounded closer to the dash). The steering wheel felt like I lost steering for a moment, but it was icy and I was bouncing all over the place so it was hard to tell. Then the truck seemed to be just fine. I didn't notice any issues at all. I drove home and didn't notice a thing wrong.

Next day, I noticed while driving down the freeway, the steering wheel was offset about 20 degrees to the right. It doesn't pull, drift, or take off in either direction. There is no fighting the steering near as I can tell. When I let go of the wheel the truck seems to track straight as ever. There does not seem to be any extra play in the steering.

I checked everything I can think of and nothing appears bent or damaged. The pitman arm seems to be normal. Any ideas? Is there a way the steering shaft disengaged from the steering wheel and re-engaged on a different spline? Or am I overthinking it? Any suggestions are helpful...
Thanks for your time.

 

I had an 89 that had a wheel offset. I bought it used and really never checked on it. Guy had told me that it got that way after he got some crash damage repaired.

Ran it for a long time w/ no issues. ( it was a 4x2)

However, the 89 factory manual says that if there is an offsert -- something is wrong.

So, a real contradiction. If it was me, I'd run it and continue to monitor it for a while.

hj

 

i dont know why or how it got that way. If you check everything out and nothing is bent or broken.. then you can align the front end and have the steering wheel point with the tires. Basically what you want to do is point the steering wheel dead center where you want it. Next get out and stand 10 ft in front of the truck and sight at the front tire to the back. Fronts will be angled slightly to one side. Look a the tie rods underneith from the steering arm to the spindles. YOu loosen one side and screw the rod out 2-3 turns, then screw the other side in 2-3 turns. You have not changed the alignment or toe in, you just changed the steering wheel in relation to the tires. Tighten, check and see if you need to go further or went to far.