My Excursion Pulls to the Left

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May 15, 2015 | 03:20 PM

Big_Bowser

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From: Lafayette, LA

My Excursion Pulls to the Left

Running out of ideas on what to check. I have a 2000 XLT, V10, Auto, 4" suspension lift on 315/75R16. It recently started pulling to the left and has been getting worse. At <5mph the steering wheel will pulse to the left almost a quarter turn if you let it go and hold there. At actual driving speeds it feels like a constant pressure. The tire appears to have a wobble to it when driving, I know this because my wife drove followed me in it so I could observe. It also turned easier to the left than to the right when I jacked up the front end and both wheels spun with ease. I have checked the tire rod, drag link, ball joints, and wheel bearings. They all checked out. The last things I can think to do would be to check the steering stabilizers, I have the dual inline set up, or swap the front tires and see if the problem moves from left to right. If any of you have some other idea for me to try it would be greatly appreciated. I do not have much time to get this fixed because I am going offshore in a few days and this is the family ride so I need to get it fixed for my wife.

May 15, 2015 | 03:28 PM

WE3ZS

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From: Media PA

Welcome to the best place on the interwebs for EX owners Bowser!

Swap the tires side to side or front to rear, see if the pull or wobble moves with the tires.
Check for frozen brake caliper slide pins, very common issue on these trucks and a dragging caliper will cause some pull.
Make sure that the front hubs are actually unlocked, you should be able to reach behind the tire and turn the U joint in the steering knuckle with the hubs set to "Free". A stuck hub and a sticky axle U joint can cause a pull to one side and a clunky pull on the wheel.

May 15, 2015 | 03:39 PM

Big_Bowser

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From: Lafayette, LA

Thanks for the advice. The hubs are unlocked, I forgot to mention that I spun the U-joints. I haven't checked the brake caliper slide pins though. That is now added to my list of things to do. The roads here in South Louisiana work the suspension pretty good, I have had a smoother ride driving washed out skidder trails when I lived in Washington.

May 16, 2015 | 09:26 PM

Big_Bowser

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From: Lafayette, LA

So after I got a break from the thunderstorms I jacked it back up to take another look at everything with better light. Turns out the passenger side front tire had a significant bulge in the outer half of the tread. So it is an easy fix, just not as cheap as I wanted.

May 16, 2015 | 10:20 PM

Drunken_Unicorn

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From: Idaho

Glad to hear you figured it out!

What part of WA did you live in, and how long ago did you move away from the state next to the greatest state in the Union? :-P

May 17, 2015 | 12:50 AM

Big_Bowser

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From: Lafayette, LA

I lived in a small town near Seattle know as Carnation when I was little, then moved to Colville about a hour North of Spokane, then I joined the Navy and after about 2 years of training in South Carolina I got stationed out of Everett. I have been gone for about 2 years now, moved the wife and kids down back in August. Technically I am still a WA resident since I have lived in hotels and at campgrounds since I have been down here. Most of my Fords are still in Colville with my parents, I am hoping to make it out next summer to retrieve them. The part of WA I am from isn't far from ID, but we still have to put up with the ideas of the people on the wet side. Honestly if I ever get to move back up that way I would probably shoot for somewhere around the Sandpoint or Post Falls area. I like Idaho's gun laws much better.