the truck. O5 super d 6.0l. 200,000 miles
The problem. After start and warmup, and then a couple of miles driving, I make a slow 90 degree turn after a stop sign. The wheel in my grip seems to go stupid for a very short time. It responds by jerking and kind of stuttering. Yet it does this only once per trip. Also it does not do this every trip. Just sometimes. After the stutter the steering is Normal. There is no vibration at speed, and no wander from side to side. Everything seems solid and straight.
So what's going on? Should I start by draining the reservoir with a hose and refilling, repeat repeat, to "flush out old fluid". Or is my pump or steering box headed for a fail. Maybe hubs or knuckle joints.
Help me if you can guys. Getting ready to travel from saskatoon Canada to Mesa az very soon and don't want to be sidelined for three or four days in back water somewhere waiting for parts and a 3000 bill.

 

It could be the loose nut behind the wheel haha sorry lol Couldn't resist. Have you ever flushed out the power steering/hydroboost system? Really easy to do. I just quickly scanned through the video below...not sure if it mentions this...but also pump your brakes as well as turning the steering wheel back and forth.....the hydroboost system is used for steering as well as power assist on the brakes. This is where I'd start esp if fluid has never been changed.

 

Thanks for the video budd. It looks easy, and yes I've never done it. Truck us Canadian reading in kilometres at 230,000 or close to 200k. Also it is now 10 years old. Soooooo yes will flush the system today. Also a second video says to NOT use Ford power steering but DO use Ford Mercon fluid bought from a Ford dealer.. Full synthetic and better for this app as it cleans and quiets several problems. Any thoughts on that point?

 

Definitely DO NOT use power steering fluid in the hydroboost system...it DOES take transmission fluid for sure. It will say in your manual the exact fluid which for my 08 is Mercon V, should be same for yours. I used Amsoil ATF multi vehicle synthetic trans fluid in mine, which of course is compatible with Mercon V .

 

Another thing I'd do is grease the front u joints....if these start to bind they can affect steering. Not sure what year though Ford started putting grease able u joints in the front axle mind you. This is of course presuming that your truck is 4x4.

 

No biggie but 200k in miles is 320k in km. so you're aways off of 200,000miles.

 

Dont rule out binding front outer axle ujoints. If these are frozen up or about to be frozen it will wreak havoc with the steering.

 

Did the fluid flush using the Mercon V ran two new litres in to the system. Before moving the truck I checked to see if there were grease fittings on the U joints. Was I blown away. There they were. Never thought they would have nipples. Man do I feel stupid. Now please forgive me this is my first ever 4x4 and I just have no excuse. Being that the lower ball joints have none, oh forget it, there is no damn excuse. So I greased the passenger side and it was a tough push. The drivers was rusted solid. I removed the nipple and clamped it in a vice, tapping the spring loaded zirc to free it. Did manage to force in about 5 shots then the hose on the grease gun blew. So I'm betting it had never ever got a shot of lube In It's life. I have had the truck from 58,000 kilometres. I always had my oil changed at our local Ford dealership. I did this till factory warrantee was up at the 120,000 then switched to doing my own changes with synthetic. I went to the dealership to have a record of my oil changes so some Ford jerk would not screw me over when my 6.0 blew up as most did.
Now I'm ready to ask you all. If my truck had grease nips, and I was having my oil changed every 5000 as Ford demands,,,,,, why on earth had my front u joints never ever been given a shot O grease. Any thoughts?
Also by the way, my 6.0 never did blow up, and is still running strong. I credit this to having the EGR delete done, with a new oil cooler at the same time, 120,000 right when warrantee ended. Also I believe fully in the sinister coolant filter I run on the truck.

 

Yes if you had the work performed at a dealership then these zerks should have been hit each and every time. I grease mine when ever I think about it which is about every 2-3 months. I run 15K mile Mobil 1 with Prolong additive. I let it go out about 6-7K or about every 6-8 months the oil gets changed. Infreguent use doennt help these jhoints. put it in 4wd with the hubs locked once a month and take it for a short ride on dirt or something soft. The front ujoints are salved up well with grease. When you get the u joints replaced use Spicer brand. And get the Spicer grease as well for the new grease gun.

 

I'd lock the hubs and drive around for a bit to allow the u joints to work and distribute the grease and then hit them with the grease gun again just to be sure they are well greased. You can manually lock your hubs and as long as you're NOT in 4x4 you can drive around on pavement just fine.