Possible bent steering linkage?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 898
Likes: 23
From: Tucson
Possible bent steering linkage?
Well yesterday evening on my way home from work a 1999 Mercedes pulled out in front me as I was doing about 50. I managed to swerve and only sideswipe them. They're gonna need front and rear door on drivers side replaced. My truck on the other hand only has a baseball size dent in the front right of the bumper and the right parking light is slightly cracked. However, the impact pushed my up into a median filled with snow and now my steering wheel sits about 1/8 of a turn to the right when moving strait. The wheels appear to track strait, but does anyone know what the possible causes would be? Bent tie rod maybe? Can an alignment just go out like that?
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 17,988
Likes: 207
From: La La Land
If that screw-type sleeve that's in the steering link is loose (not properly torqued), it could have jumped a few threads. We had a thread on here a while ago about these adjusters getting loose and creating problems. To locate the adjuster sleeve, see:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...ml#post6807416
However, this is not the thread about properly torquing those bolts, which I can't find right now. The proper torque value for these bolts is 45 ft/lbs, however.
Pop
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...ml#post6807416
However, this is not the thread about properly torquing those bolts, which I can't find right now. The proper torque value for these bolts is 45 ft/lbs, however.
Pop
Not a liberal...
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 6,635
Likes: 4
From: Cut & Shoot, Texas
Get down there and shake everything to see if it's all tight. If it is, adjust the steering wheel back to center and see how it goes.
Rotating that sleeve towards the front of the truck moves the steering wheel to the right.
Just did this over the weekend...
Rotating that sleeve towards the front of the truck moves the steering wheel to the right.
Just did this over the weekend...
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 898
Likes: 23
From: Tucson
Thanks for all the replies! Pop, how do I verify the 1/16" toe in? I'm gonna head to the car wash in a bit to wash all that snow out of the bumper and other places it got to, then will check for any play in the parts. Will try the drag link adjust after I figure out the measurements. If the toe in is ok then does that more or less mean that nothing got bent? I knew our trucks were beasts!
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 17,988
Likes: 207
From: La La Land
Measure across the front of the tread, measure across the rear. Subtract the difference, with the shorter measurement being in the front.
I helps to have a friend help with this.
Pop
I helps to have a friend help with this.
Pop
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,235
Likes: 0
From: Kamloops, BC
Wouldn't be a bad idea to get an alignment done and have them inspect your front end. Most shops up here do free front end inspections !
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