Just adjusted mine, thank you dbtx and thank you FTE. Had to use a ratchet with allen head socket, no 3/16 allen head wrench readily available. I guess about 1 full turn and it feels a bit tighter.
Wow, what a great thread. This is a great web site, it always has a good answer for my questions. I was about to ask how other Excursion owners are addressing the lane wander issue when I found this thread.
I have a 2000 V10 4x4 Excursion with 125K miles, which always had a little wader problem. At first I thought the stock, worn-out Steel Tex tires were the cause so I bought some BFG A/T. The ride improved but not the wander. Then last year I purchased a 31’ travel trailer, my first experience towing anything bigger then a U-Haul trailer. Driving over three hours in medium winds is just tiring and nerve-racking. This tail waging the dog problem is getting dangerous.
I replaced the steering tie rod and drag link because I thought the ball joints were worn at 110k miles but that didn’t fix the problem. I always knew the old recalculating ball-screw steering gears were adjustable but I never remembered to check the lash in the sector shaft.
I have a long camping trip coming up at the end of the month so my first task this weekend will be working on the steering gear. I’ll report back with the out come.
Just adjusted my steering box.
Now my steering wheel is back to center. It was off center going down the freeway before. I had a lot of slack at 105,000 miles. Very tight on center now and tracks very true.
I used a 5/8 spark plug wrench to break the locking bolt free. Then turned the allen screw down until there was resistance. Seemed to be a couple turns from where it was. You have to hold the locking nut when doing this. Then backed it off a 1/2 turn, and locked it. Checked for binding lock to lock and was fine.
Wow! Leave town for a week or so, and a lot happens!
Isn't the net (and this board) great?! Shared knowledge working for everyone. All I did was pass on what I had dug up.
Hello - You're welcome.
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2008 Expedition EL 4x2 with heavy duty tow package
2007 F150 XLT SCrew 4.6L Black with Chrome package
Mods: Katzkin Dark Charcoal Leather Interior, Rubber Bed Mat
2005 Excursion 4x4 Limited V10 (traded on the Expy)
Mods: Helwig Rear Sway Bar
Woo hoo! I fixed mine too. However, being vertically challenged at 5'7", I took a slightly different approach. I opened the hood to get my bearing and worked from underneath. I used an open-end 16mm wrench for the lock nut and a 4.5mm allen for the adjuster screw. When tightening the lock nut back, I left the allen in the adj. screw as a visual to see if it was staying put whilst locking it down. For the most part it did. There was a little movement.
My truck has 132,000 miles and I turned the adjuster screw about 1 turn clockwise, maybe slightly more. It drives like new
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2000 Excursion Limited 7.3L PSD
Bilstein Shocks
ProComp Steering Stabilizer
Panasonic in dash monitor w/backup cam
Dual headrest monitors for the little one.
howdy! to all ya'll x's from lorena, texas just south of waco i will be doing my adjustment shortly to cure my wandering issue hope to have same results as ya'll see ya!
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2001 x 4x4 psd/ 1970 f-100 sportcustom swb/ 2-1966 his & her stangs/ '92-94 f-250/f-350/f-450 prepsd 30ft.Vortex toybox with 5-4 wheelers and a 02 GOLDWING TRIKE if it smokes and knocks sweet music to me! PRETTY WIFE,PRETTY&SMART GIRLS (LOOKS,SMARTS FROM THEIR MOMMA ) TWO SPOILED,LAZY DOGS
I have an 04 PSD X and I follow the steering rod down from the firewall .. and it disappears into a notched plastic shroud ... where are the adjusments relative to this shroud and does the shroud have to come off?
This is looking down from the drivers side leaning over the quarter panel .. I'm 6'5" and was not on any step stool .. not that that would have helped ...
Get on a step stool - I'm 6'2 and needed one to reach the box from the top on my 4x4 Ex. The box is the next closer thing to the radiator after the shroud. A flashlight might help, even in the daylight. It's way down there.
While I don't have the wander problem, My steering wheel has been offcenter when travelling straight since nearly new. Is this something that can be easily adjusted?
Hello, Thanks to this great forum I was able to fix the wandering problem it was very simple it took aprox. 30 min. Wow what a differance. Thanks to all!!!
2002 Exsursion 70K
While I don't have the wander problem, My steering wheel has been offcenter when travelling straight since nearly new. Is this something that can be easily adjusted?
Mine too.
Mine is cocked slightly to the left.
Stewart
__________________ The Brotherhood of FTE <~click the link 1999 F150 Lightning: WMS built block, 6lb lower, Monsterbox, Truetrac, CF driveshaft 2002 PSD F250 SC 4x2: 38R, AC codes, MBRP 4", AFE, JWVB, Riffraff HPX, CCV, and boots, ITP OBA, Live Tuned by Jody 2000 PSD Excursion 4x4: John Wood 4R100, F5, MBRP 4", AFE, BDP 1.0, ITP OBA and Pre-Pump mod, V & B code springs, Hellwig rear sway
While I don't have the wander problem, My steering wheel has been offcenter when travelling straight since nearly new. Is this something that can be easily adjusted?
Nest time you get an alignment, thell the tech that the steering wheel is off center. He/she can take care of it with a tie rod adjustment.
I'm wondering about other's mileage as well when needing this done. I can understand KellySue's needing the adjustment with 140K miles, but dbtx with 15k seems like a factory spec that must not have been met, too early for wear isn't it? If so, will Ford do this under warranty or will they just tell me it's OK or worse yet screw it up? Anyone tried to have Ford make this adjustment via warranty coverage?
I have a 2005 6.0psd - assuming the steering box is the same I'm gonna check and possibly adjust mine since I have some vagueness/wandering but not as bad as some here seem to describe (kind of a subjective thing). I have the factory sway bar and plan to add Roadmaster Active Suspension in the back when I get a travel trailer this Fall, but oddly the wandering seems worse on mine unloaded then when I tow our boat (only 4k lbs or so). The weight on the back end seems to stabilze things on the hiway.
Wondering if you've added the Roadmaster Active Suspension yet. I have been contemplating adding it to my Excursion in the spring, before I start towing my TT again and wanted to see how it performed for you and if there were any snags with the installation.
You're welcome, it's great to hear it helped someone else out, especially a Buckeye! Wife and I grew up around Columbus, so we're digging the Bucks and Wolverines this year.
It so simple it's a crying shame that more people don't know about it. If you can use 2 wrenches, you can fix this yourself as long as you're careful not to over-tighten.
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howdy!
