ok so i tried looking for my old post that i started that had the description of what was going on so i can just use that one but i have yet to find it. I on the other hand have found other threads with some what of the same issue and no answer of what the problem was..... My truck had bad steering issues so after talking to other FTE guys on here. I jacked the front end up of the truck and checked both sides. I found a bad wheel bearing on the passenger side. I just had that placed last summer but oh well found one, bought it, and got it installed monday night. As i was taking the studs off the old one, i found out why the wheel bearing went bad. The spanner nut that is on the back side walked itself back causing a down ward spiral on the bearing. I also had picked up some stock 17 inch rims off of an 03-05 f250. My front two where all choppy and not good. Now with good new tires on it all the way around i am noticing the problem more. When i am driving down the road it will start out straight then it will start pulling to the left so i adjust then out of no where it will pull to the right so i adjust and so on and so on. Some days i look like i am on the warm up lap of nascar it is yanking so bad. When i go around a right hand turn and only right hand turns. I'll turn right and out of no where it shoots to the right and feels like the front driver side tire hit ice and wants to slide away from the truck then grabs and yanks me to the right. I finish the turn fine and after the turn I go to straighten out and it pulls to the right and my back and forth starts all over again....

Some of the work that i have done to the front end not much but here it is.

-wheel bearing pass side/ driver side is still going strong
-ball joints driver side the pass side look brand new
-have checked the u-joints on front axle driver side looks new the rubber at the bottom of the caps look new no signs of cracking or dry rot/ pass side looks like it could use a change but it will get me through till next summer seeing as i will not be driving the truck for a year

i have gone out to the truck with the steering wheel locked and moved the tire half inch from side to side. Sounded like something was knocking in the gear box. Then put the key in unlocked the wheel and moved them from side to side. Everything moved as it should. I was under the truck moving the wheels by pushing and pulling on the tires.....

Thanks in advance for the help and reply's hopefully i can get this figured out... I do NOT have a steering stabilizer on my truck.

 

If you changed the bearing you probably had to tear the wheel apart to get to it(ford is the only vehicle have own you have too tear everything off to change a ball joint). I would take it to someone you truth in full to do an alignment. They are really easy to cheat on. Then go to its is a failing part?

 

i didn't mess with anything that would mess with the alignment and after the ball joints where done it drove straight that was at the begining of last summer. this issue started about a week week and a half ago

 

Well maybe it is your gear box. I had a locking steering wheel issue new pump and flush did the trick. Way easy to flush. Rent a pulley puller from advanced and it takes Mercon V tranny fluid instead of power steering fluid. Trey Spooner on YOUTUBE does some good repair videos.

 

i was going to try to flush it i found video on youtube where they removed a 3/8 hose from the hydobooster nd turned the wheel and pumped the brakes till the fluid came out clear and i was going to try full synthetic as well before i go and spend the money on a gear box

 

Its a little easier with helper to keep the fluid pull and jack the front wheels up of the ground a little to help you to get a full turns. You can not get air in there, it will work its way up over time. Keeping it full insures you have it all out 1 turn back and forth is all it takes to empty that tank. Super easy, little messy have some rags on hand.

 

Ever figure it out?

 

Alex, if you're having problems with your steering start yourself up a thread and there are guys here who can probably help you out. Be as specific as you can include age and mileage on your truck.

 

That's a bit strange, it sounds like your tires are moving independent of each other.
How large is the dead spot in your steering? I'm not sure if 1/2" of motion is too much or not. I would start with an alignment. Once it will drive in a straight line, it will be easy to determine how large the dead spot is. You can adjust the steering box to reduce the dead spot.