steering wander problems
New User
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Reply
I had a similar problem with my 2004 f250 crew cab. When I turned the wheel and let go it wouldn't return to zero, and it would drift on the road and jerk side to side real hard and fast. So I jacked it up and took my tie rod off. then I used a big screwdriver and put it threw the u joint and rotated it so the yoke was straight up and down (like a plus sign, not an x) then I turned the tire both ways to full extent. It pretty much went where ever it wanted to and and was loose. I then rotated the u joint 90 degrees so the other axis of the yoke is up and down, and repeated the last step. This time it was a little harder to turn the wheel and it didn't move around freely. This meant that the the Bearings on this axis of the u joint was bad I Replaced them and the problem was solved. It increased the handling dramatically and was easier to turn than it was for the last 20,000 miles when I didn't notice any problem at all. And u joints are easy to change and cost about $30. Im only 18 and I had the whole thing tore apart, fixed, and reassembled in 3 hours
5th Gear
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
excursion wandering
I have a 2001 Excursion with the 7.3. I have replaced the steering gearbox, front end bushings, shocks and had it aligned. It has 130,000 miles on it. It is a chore to keep it between the lines at highway speeds. If the road is humped in the middle it handles even worse. It can be unsafe when I am towing my toy hauler down the highway.
I took it to a good frame and alignment shop and he says the bushings in the leaf springs are a bad design. He recommends I replace the spring packs and find some that don't have the stock ford rubber bushings. I am looking for springs with a bushing that has a metal sleeve around it so it will last. Any suggestions out there. Not looking to lift the rig. Thanks...
I took it to a good frame and alignment shop and he says the bushings in the leaf springs are a bad design. He recommends I replace the spring packs and find some that don't have the stock ford rubber bushings. I am looking for springs with a bushing that has a metal sleeve around it so it will last. Any suggestions out there. Not looking to lift the rig. Thanks...
Tuned
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 476
Likes: 91
From: Owen Sound Ontario
[QUOTE=Kusich;15438533I then rotated the u joint 90 degrees so the other axis of the yoke is up and down, and repeated the last step. This time it was a little harder to turn the wheel and it didn't move around freely. This meant that the the Bearings on this axis of the u joint was bad I Replaced them and the problem was solved. It increased the handling dramatically and was easier to turn than it was for the last 20,000 miles when I didn't notice any problem at all. And u joints are easy to change and cost about $30. Im only 18 and I had the whole thing tore apart, fixed, and reassembled in 3 hours[/QUOTE]
This man has got it figured. There are a few guys that have come up with this conclusion. If the truck doesn't get the hubs locked in often then one axis of the u joint can get stiff and when it spins itself in line with the balljoints then it will cause stiff steering and wandering.
This man has got it figured. There are a few guys that have come up with this conclusion. If the truck doesn't get the hubs locked in often then one axis of the u joint can get stiff and when it spins itself in line with the balljoints then it will cause stiff steering and wandering.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
regret
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
36
Jan 13, 2017 06:59 PM
bulldog389
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
3
Jun 25, 2013 08:28 PM
