Has anyone had this problem?
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Has anyone had this problem?
I have an 01 F 250 2WD about 230,000 miles, the problem is... It wanders around the the road and the sreering doesn't return all the way back to center. I've had the ball joints done, new steering box,tires, alignment, shocks. Nothing helped. I had the shop check the ball joints 2 times now and they say they are free. I took it to 2 other shops and one said left side ball joints but no guarantee and the other one said maybe leaf springs are sagging and bushings need replaced, the second shop also said weak power steering pump. Any ideas would be awesome, this has been going on for over a year and I need to get this fixed.
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Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Wayyy NoCal, USA
Not self returning to center?
The three most common causes (in order of likelihood) are:
1) Inadequate caster. Did the alignment shop actually measure and record the caster angles? What were they? You would be shocked how few actually measure it. You would assume that is what you are paying them to do and that they would, but my experiences say it is not so. Especially the "discount" or "big name high volume" shops. I've even had them try to tell me the caster couldn't be adjusted on these. Whoa... run away! run away! Clueless hacks! There are good alignment people, but they are never the cheapest! Ask around. Usually a relatively small local shop, and they rarely have the flashiest machines. Usually an older machine, and they will charge at least twice as much as they will take 3X the time as that is what it takes to do it right.
2) Something very tight. A tight ball joint or tie rod end can have so much friction the self centering can't happen.
3) Something very sloppy that causes geometry that is constantly changing.
It's a bit disturbing that the shops you took it to can't figure this out.... Weak power steering pump? Wow.... never go back there. Ever. They clearly have more boat payments than knowledge!
The three most common causes (in order of likelihood) are:
1) Inadequate caster. Did the alignment shop actually measure and record the caster angles? What were they? You would be shocked how few actually measure it. You would assume that is what you are paying them to do and that they would, but my experiences say it is not so. Especially the "discount" or "big name high volume" shops. I've even had them try to tell me the caster couldn't be adjusted on these. Whoa... run away! run away! Clueless hacks! There are good alignment people, but they are never the cheapest! Ask around. Usually a relatively small local shop, and they rarely have the flashiest machines. Usually an older machine, and they will charge at least twice as much as they will take 3X the time as that is what it takes to do it right.
2) Something very tight. A tight ball joint or tie rod end can have so much friction the self centering can't happen.
3) Something very sloppy that causes geometry that is constantly changing.
It's a bit disturbing that the shops you took it to can't figure this out.... Weak power steering pump? Wow.... never go back there. Ever. They clearly have more boat payments than knowledge!
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Just got off the phone with the shop where my truck is right now and they rechecked the alignment and he specifically metioned the castor was within range. I talked to another shop and he mentioned that he doesn't use moog ball joints because of this same problem and guess what? I have Moog ball joints in there.
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From: Stephensville WI
Even though the caster is within range, ask the shop to change it to the positive side of the range.
This was cut from Caster, Camber, Toe
Caster is the angle to which the steering pivot axis is tilted forward or rearward from vertical, as viewed from the side. If the pivot axis is tilted backward (that is, the top pivot is positioned farther rearward than the bottom pivot), then the caster is positive; if it's tilted forward, then the caster is negative.
Positive caster tends to straighten the wheel when the vehicle is traveling forward, and thus is used to enhance straight-line stability. The mechanism that causes this tendency is clearly illustrated by the castering front wheels of a shopping cart (above). The steering axis of a shopping cart wheel is set forward of where the wheel contacts the ground. As the cart is pushed forward, the steering axis pulls the wheel along, and since the wheel drags along the ground, it falls directly in line behind the steering axis. The force that causes the wheel to follow the steering axis is proportional to the distance between the steering axis and the wheel-to-ground contact patch-the greater the distance, the greater the force.
You may also want to have your steering stabilizer checked.
This was cut from Caster, Camber, Toe
Caster is the angle to which the steering pivot axis is tilted forward or rearward from vertical, as viewed from the side. If the pivot axis is tilted backward (that is, the top pivot is positioned farther rearward than the bottom pivot), then the caster is positive; if it's tilted forward, then the caster is negative.
Positive caster tends to straighten the wheel when the vehicle is traveling forward, and thus is used to enhance straight-line stability. The mechanism that causes this tendency is clearly illustrated by the castering front wheels of a shopping cart (above). The steering axis of a shopping cart wheel is set forward of where the wheel contacts the ground. As the cart is pushed forward, the steering axis pulls the wheel along, and since the wheel drags along the ground, it falls directly in line behind the steering axis. The force that causes the wheel to follow the steering axis is proportional to the distance between the steering axis and the wheel-to-ground contact patch-the greater the distance, the greater the force.
You may also want to have your steering stabilizer checked.
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