This last Saturday I went out to the mountains down the road to do some bird hunting. Upon returning I noticed that when I pulled into the parking lot of the local bar, that I was hearing a popping noise. When I went to drive home, my steering would not return to zero, I had to steer it back to zero. One side note is that some jackwagon in a Navi was coming up the road and wouldn't yield and I had to put the truck in the ditch. I didn't notice anything visibly broken underneath, though. 2002 F-350 7.3

 

Would be hard to tell without getting under it, but I'd bet you probably bent a tie rod at the very least..

 

 

Yes. The truck slid into the ditch *** first and didn't hit hard on the front.

 

"One side note is that some jackwagon in a Navi was coming up the road and wouldn't yield and I had to put the truck in the ditch. I didn't notice anything visibly broken underneath, though. 2002 F-350 7.3"

Did the noise and steering problem happen before or after the accident? If after the obvious answer is something was damaged. Almost impossible to diagnose ober the internet...just educated guessing. Have it inspected before driving...safety item here.

If the steering problem occurred before the ditch meeting then start by checking the front outer U joints. Then BJs and tie rod ends etc.

How many miles on it?

 

183k miles. Wasn't an "accident", no visible damage.

 

Check your front axle u joints. I'll bet one or both are bad. Now you didn't say if your truck was 2 or 4 wheel drive, so I'm guessing it is 4 wheel.

 

Check Front Ujoints, just fixed this issue on mine. Also rattled going over bumps.

 

I noticed when I hit bumps my truck makes a sound like a plastic ball inside a milk jug from the front end.

 

my front axle Ujoints rattled/clunked so loud going over bumps in town I was embarrassed. After I replaced the clunking was gone and was steering able to return after a turn. Hope you get it figured out

 

 

 

Just an update...finally got under the truck...the steering damper is smashed nearly completely flat...that'd do it.