Hi guys, i cant figure this out for the life of them. Seems as im under the truck everyday trying to figure something out and nothing makes it better.

Truck is a 2002 F250 4x4 with 160k miles.

My lower bushings were shot, steering wheel was about 1/4 to the side, but the truck was driving straight and did no wonder and was easy to keep going straight over bumps or imperfections, with the exception of the some wheel movement and knocking sounds due to bad lower joints.

So it was time to get the joints replaced, so i took it to a shop.
-New lower and upper joints were replaced on both sides
-New steering link bar with bushings installed
-Everything was tight and no play anywhere.
-Was put on alignment machine and everything aligned properly.

After everything fixed and aligned driving it seems like a battle! Seems like all it wants to just wonder all over the place, minimal road imperfections make it wonder all over the lane, someone is gonna call the cops on me for being drunk or texting haha.

Last few days i have been trying to mess with the toe in and toe out. it seems like it was adjusted good, but i tried to make minor adjustments to see if anything will improve. It seems that it doesnt really matter if the toe in is 1/8" in or 1/2" in or even if the tow is 1/8" out it seems to wonder the same, honestly i think it actually wonders a bit less with the 1/8" toe being out!!!

what are the wonder causes?

ball joints (fixed)
steering tie rod and ball joints (fixed)
lower connecting tie rod (tightened and checked)
Alignment (done)

By the way truck has maybe 2.5" lift and 315 tires and it was driving just fine before repairs were made, as if some repairs bring out other unknown problems.

seems as tho my luck continues as i just a month ago ask a friend who works on cars to install all new shocks for me and real 2" lift blocks. I try to do most of my junk myself, but lately haven been to busy and decided to pay someone to do the work... yea lesson learned!!

 

Loose steering gearbox mount bolts? Bad steering gearbox? Take it back to the alignment shop, tell them the problem (minus you changing things), let them inspect and realign it. If it comes back still wandering, check everything else on the suspension.

Bad or soft spring bushings (front or rear) could cause wandering. Loose or not hooked up shocks could cause it. Loose or not hooked up sway bar (or soft SB bushings) could cause it.

Literally check EVERY part of the suspension. You are feeling a weak link (no pun intended) that was hidden before.

 

Could be that they changed the caster when they did the alignment. Mine still wanders after having just about everything replaced except the leaf spring bushings. Did not get a Redhead steering box ( Ford rebuild) but it may be the solution.

 

When they did the upper joints...
Did the put in new caster/camber bushings...
If so...
Are they the 4x4 style like they are supposed to be?

The 2wd ones dont have the "teeth" sticking out the top side of the o.d.

4wd should have the teeth.

 

so far all things checked, caster i dont know if was changed or not, wasnt supposed to be changed only the bushings. I tried to tightened steering a bit about 1/2 turn, it improved just a little, and still trying to check toe in once in a while, had to readjust a little here and there. Ill keep checking!!!

 

Be real careful adjusting the steering box or you will be buying a new one no matter what. Should only go about 1/4 turn at a time to be safe.

 

Track bar bushings? Mine wandered bad enough to keep the wife from wanting to drive the truck, (Yeah I know...not such a bad thing. )
New bushings and it snugged the steering right up.

 

if the lower ball joints were not installed and torqued in the proper sequence it will make it wander.

 

Leaf spring bushings being blown out can cause this, also loose u-bolts can do it.

 

Here is my story........I pulled it from another thread.

I am currently dealing with a similar situation with my steering not returning to center.
Prior to my new ball joints (moog), the X seemed to drive pretty good on the fwy. I had recently added V/B mod springs new shocks and tires. Since I did so much work I took it to an alignment shop and they said I need new everything in my front end.
So I added ....
New ball joints upper and lower
New front end links left and right
New steering link
and one more link I can't remember what its called.

After I added the ball joints the steering was not good on the fwy and it was all over the road it did not and does not return to center. This was causing me to steer the X to keep it centered.

The alignment shop told me the ball joints are tight and need to break in.
Prior to the ball joints it seem good and I can see that the ball joints are somewhat breaking in....

I lowered the air in my tires and I removed the steering dampener. These have helped the drive but not fully. I feel that my steering box is too tight from the previous owner and is not returning to center because of this.

My theory...Since my old ball joints were no good the tight steering box compensated for this which made the drive ok. But with good and tight ball joints the steering box may now be too tight on it causing it to not return to center. I am going to back it off a bit and hope that it has not been overtightened and now no good which may have me purchasing a redhead steering box.

and then ....

I just backed off the steering box by about a 1/4 turn (loosened it) and it has helped the constant steer I had to do while I was on the fwy.
It didn't completely remove the issue with it not returning to center but it drives much better.
r

I also removed the end links from the each of the knuckles and turned them by hand and they turn free, smooth and are not binding. They don't feel tight at all. As soon as I hook it all up and move the wheels by hand it is tighter.

I did toe in my alignment which was pretty much at 0. It is now 1/8" toed in and it has helped it driving straight and returning to center. I may be doing it some more so that it is at 1/4" toed in which is the max you should do.


All those helped but I still wasn't satisfied...I also did the following..

Power steering flush
and finally a RedHead steering box.

Now it drives very very good.

Tim M