AWD "heavy" steering

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Mar 9, 2016 | 11:48 PM

Mikeman

Thread Starter

Posting Guru

Joined: Apr 2000

Posts: 1,746

Likes: 4

From: PNW

AWD "heavy" steering

I drove a '97 with the 5.0 and AWD. I noticed that when I turned around in the neighborhood, the steering started to feel a little heavy during a U-turn. I was pretty close to full steering input to the left, but not quite at the lock. Also, it seemed like the tires might be scrubbing the pavement a little bit. No real binding or hopping, just that feel you get when you have the transfer case locked in your old-school 4X4 and make sharps turns. Is this typical for the AWD?

Mar 10, 2016 | 07:09 AM

shorod

Logistics Pro

Joined: Jun 2009

Posts: 4,816

Likes: 83

From: Cedar Rapids, IA

Were you accelerating through the u-turn or basically idling? If idling, what was the engine speed? Maybe your engine was idling slow and therefore reducing the assist from the power steering pump.

-Rod

Mar 10, 2016 | 06:17 PM

jswford

Mountain Pass

Joined: Mar 2012

Posts: 210

Likes: 19

From: Southeast MI.

The steering does feel heavy on these. I've been told that parking lot maneuvers in the summer can be an issue and you may not be able to do tight turns. I haven't had mine long enough to verify that as i just got it in september. if it skips and hops like a 4x4 truck on pavement, something may be wrong with it.

Mar 10, 2016 | 10:24 PM

Mikeman

Thread Starter

Posting Guru

Joined: Apr 2000

Posts: 1,746

Likes: 4

From: PNW

Thanks for the input. Idle seemed normal (600ish, if you can believe the tach) and if it wasn't at idle during the turn, it wasn't much above. Tires looked at about the right pressure and were not oversized. Steering just felt heavier than either my Aerostar or my '98 Explorer. No hopping or skipping. I guess it's just the nature of the AWD beast. If I ever find another one worth taking for a test drive, I have a point of reference.

Apr 2, 2016 | 02:01 AM

nadd

New User

Joined: Apr 2016

Posts: 2

Likes: 0

Sorry to dig up an old post, but i figured i should search and read before starting a new thread.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jswford

I have an 04 Mountaineer Premium with the AWD all track and when trying to pull into parking spots she skips and hops... Not super bad, but enough to hear over loud music.

What do you figure the issue is? By the way this is the fist drive line problem i've ever had in an AWD vehicle. I'm usually pretty good with other automotive repairs.

Thanks in advance.

Apr 2, 2016 | 04:40 PM

steve(ill)

Hotshot

Joined: Jul 2005

Posts: 11,931

Likes: 180

"some" models of AWD will do that. Remember the "AWD" is trying to keep all 4 tires turning the same speed. If one is going too fast or too slow, it assumes the tire is spinning on wet pavement. Picture turning a sharp corner at low speed. The inner front tire is turning very slow, the outer rear tire is turning twice that fast. You would think they could do a better job of programming this into the truck, but "some" manufacturers are better at it than others.. If you can turn more shallow corners and have no other problems with the drive, it is probably as described above.

Apr 3, 2016 | 08:09 AM

jswford

Mountain Pass

Joined: Mar 2012

Posts: 210

Likes: 19

From: Southeast MI.

i guess i'd start with checking everything out. All tires have to be the same size, that has to go with tread wear too. check air pressure, check ball joints and tie rod ends. I just did upper and lower ball joints, inner and outer tie rod ends. Everything was shot, the lower ball joints were the worst i've seen. Handles pretty good now.

if all that checks out, maybe change the transfer case fluid. Making sure you use the right type for your year. I dont know what the '04 takes, but they wanted me to use merconV in mine but i checked things out enough to know I did not want to put mercon V in my transfer case. I used VALVOLINE MULTI-VEHICLE TRANSFER CASE FLUID in mine.

I also had trouble with the steering when turning. I was getting vibrations and steering shudder when turning the wheel. I was not sure if the previous owner used the right fluid in the power steering. so i sucked it out and put the right stuff in, drove it a few days and did it again. that made a huge difference.