The steering on my expy feels loose to me, I have replaced the steering box, inner and outer tie rods. My next itmes to replace are the ball joints. Has anybody else noticed that the expy has loose steering. Because my buddy has a 97 epxy also and his has some play as well. However my cousin has a Tahoe and the steering in it feels responsive and tight. Is there else that I could do to minimize the play or to make it feel the steering feel tight? Or is ths a design flaw that this particular year of expy has? My expy has 120K miles and runs great other than the loose feeling of the steering.

 

Define "loose feeling"? Do you move the wheel but not have the same reaction with the wheel? Or does it feel that it steers too easily?

 

It feels like it steers too easily. I can go around a curve in the road and it feels like I have to constantly have to adjust the wheel, where as in my other car I don't feel like I have to do that. I know that it sounds weird I guess the steering is not as responsive as I would like it to be is more of how I can explain it.

 

have you checked your alignment lately? A bad caster alignment will make it feel like it (the steering) is falling into the corners and make for very touchy response. To some degree too much toe-out will make it twitchy in the corners too.

I'd have that checked before you go to the expense of changing the ball joints. BTW, they will probably tell you when you get the alignment if you need new ball joints because it will be hard for them to align with sloppy b-joints.

 

When I had the steering box replaced an alignment was done, but the guy told me that the ball joints were going to need replacing soon, adn the left upper control arm? I figure that this has a lot to do with it but I was hoping to not have to fork out 6 - 700 dollars to get the work done. Oh well it has to be done sooner or later, however I did notice an improvement when the steering box was changed. So maybe I just need to start changing parts and see if there is a noticable improvement in the handeling. I'll keep you posted as the parts are replaced. Thanks for all the input and time to helping me out.

 

I'm confused.

It steers too easily and yet is NOT responsive??

Jack up the front wheels yourself. (Do one at a time. ) Pull from the top and also try to lift up and out from the bottom of the wheel. Any play will indicate worn ball joints.

Odd thing is, usually worn ball joints don't let you steer very well and would never really be described at TOO easily steered.

 

I have had that situation. When I first bought my Expy the alignment was way off, the caster on the passenger front was WAY out of spec and it made the feeling exactly like he describes, which is why I suggested checking the alignment.
On mine, you almost had to fight it to keep from "falling into" a turn, meaning that it wanted to turn by itself all the time so you had to constantly fight the wheel to keep it straight. Once you actually wanted to turn, it would do so extremely easily. However once in a turn the steering would be very sloppy and you had to again fight back and forth with the wheel to keep it at the turn you wanted. Especially at mild turns (big sweepers) I would find myself constantly moving the steering wheel back and forth over about a 2 inch range to keep it pointed in the right direction.

 

between 55 and 65 my steering wheel shakes back and forth. Especially when turning. Example: at about 59 mph on a curving entrance ramp the wheel just shakes back and forth.

I just had upper and lower ball joints recently replaced, along with a tie rod.

It never did this before the repair. Any ideas?

 

My 98 5.4 is feeling the same way Pablo, and OMG when it rains I definetly wear my seatbelt as when you hit a puddle it wants to stear into it and have almost hit the wall a few times, my trusted mechanic said it needs a steering box and upper/lower control arms and ball joints and the idler arm is gone too, about $2000 is more then we can handle for now, will drive the Sebring when it rains for now.

 

I have already replaced the steering box and now I am looking at $5-700 to replace the left upper control arm and all ball joints, when the work is done I'll let everyone know if it improved the handeling. Thanks everyone for all the help!!!

 

Make certain the idler arm is also checked. They commonly fail and cause a lot of slop in the steering. It only costs about $70 and is relatively easy to replace.

Steve

 

thanks Steve I'll make sure that it gets looked at.

 

One thing I would definitely review at this point is the air pressure in the tires. First-gen Expeditions are unbelievably sensitive to tire pressure, and will be very twitchy at speed if the tire pressures aren't right. With the tires cold, adjust the pressure in all four tires to EXACTLY the pressures found on the sticker on the drivers door, then take it for a ride.

 

Have not looked at that yet, but will give it a shot. Thanks