New member, first post. Lil’ help here
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Elder User
Joined: Dec 2018
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From: Katy Texas
New member, first post. Lil’ help here
First post here, and i am looking for a little info. I have a problem with my 2017 f250 2wd 6.2. The reason i have joined this forum is because after days of searching online i came across a post on this forum where some fellows were having the same problem i am, however there was really no conclusion by the end of the thread. I am hoping one of them will see this and tell me if they ever found a fix. I was having a wandering bump steer issue with tire wear and a metallic chatter in my steering wheel while driving my truck. Felt like something was loose. I diagnosed the issue as too much play in the ball and socket joint where my center link attaches to my pitman arm. I found it by placing my hand on all of the joints in my steering system while having my ol lady rock the steering wheel back and forth. I took the truck in to ford and they confirmed my findings. The center link was replaced under warranty and everything was good.... for 500 miles. Now my truck is back to wandering, and back to chattering in the steering wheel. Once again i crawled up under my truck and had my wife rock the steering wheel back and forth.....joint on centerlink attached to pitman arm once again has a ton of side to side play! I am now freaking out...Has anyone else run into this? I love this truck but it drives like it has 150k miles on it.... only problem is that it has 5.800. I have set up a warranty claim with ford and they want me to take it back to the dealership. Ultimately what i am worried about is them telling me “well thats just how they are” which i know its not. I have worked in the automotive industry for 15+ years from collision to sales to service and i know how the service centers can be when they dont have an answer. Has anyone else run into this? I feel like ford may have a machining tollerance issue at this point seeing as how both the original centerlink as well as the replacement centerlink have both gone bad. Thanks to all who read this and any and all info is greatly appreciated.
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Elder User
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 652
Likes: 5
From: Katy Texas
I certainly will. I feel like the odds of me getting it replaced and the new one going bad within 2 weeks seems astronomical. Especially within 500 miles. Now dont get me wrong the first centerlink had way more play in it than the new one does. I can just feel the truck start to chatter when i drive down the freeway, and it starts to wondering. It just starts to feel like something is loose. I literally dropped a duce on the driveway when i put my hand on the new joint and felt it pop.
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Elder User
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 652
Likes: 5
From: Katy Texas
Would any of you guys out there be willing to crawl under your truck and get your ol lady or your buddy to rock the steering wheel back and forth while you hold your hand on the ball joint coming attached to the pitman arm? Can you tell me if you feel any side to side play with a metallic pop? All of my automotive experience tells me that a ball and socket joint on a steeing system should have 0 horizontal play. Im right.... right?
Cross-Country
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 61
Likes: 7
I believe most shops will give a free estimate for suspension repairs. I would take it to a shop and explain the situation. Be up front that you're going to take it in for warranty. When the tech is done throw him a $20 for a couple of beers after work. Good luck.
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Elder User
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 652
Likes: 5
From: Katy Texas
So i went out this morning and had a look at my truck. I had my wife turn the steering wheel 10 -10 while i felt around on all of the steering linkage under my truck. I believe that the problem is not the centerlink joint, but possibly in the pitman arm. Its like the taper is mis machined and it allows the tapered spindle on the ball joint to wobble back and forth. The nut is tight and there is no up and down play. Only side to side when force is applied with the weight of the vehicle ion the ground. Hmmmm
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,424
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From: BC Canada
First thing to do is take to Ford and see what they can do, how they do their job. This can be a huge safety issue and I would make sure they understand that. Then if thypey don’t resolve to your satisfaction, have them start a file with Ford, take to a reputable suspension shop and have them diagnose and repair. Explain what your after. But I would spdefinatley get Ford to deal with it first, the more times you bring it in under these conditions, the more it will force them to repair the issue.
sorry, but the last 2 wheel drive was the 1967 F250 I helped my Uncle and Grandpa rebuild for my Dad. He was the original owner, and the last owner, cause it was totalled less than a year after I finished it.
sorry, but the last 2 wheel drive was the 1967 F250 I helped my Uncle and Grandpa rebuild for my Dad. He was the original owner, and the last owner, cause it was totalled less than a year after I finished it.
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Elder User
Joined: Dec 2018
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From: Katy Texas
I agree. It is a possible serious safety issue. I went ahead and started a file with ford on friday morning. I have worked in the automotive industry my whole life and i dont care for back and forth and running around so i went ahead and got the blue oval involved. Im pretty sure that the problem is in my pitman arm, which on a new truck is very odd. It appears as though the taper on the end of the pitman is mis machined. Im wondering if this is the culprit for the wobble issues some people are having with the 4x4’s. Only way to find the play is to check with the weight of the truck on the tires, while rocking the steering wheel back and forth. Up in the air no play is felt. Ford seems to be taking my issue seriously. I will applaud them for that. Ford told me to contact my dealerships service manager on Tuesday and they will schedule a rep to come out and look at it. I should know more next week.
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Elder User
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 652
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From: Katy Texas
02/17 is the date on my vin sticker. The truck fist started showing an issue at 4500 miles. I had centerlink replaced at 5500 miles. I now have 5700 miles and ball and socket at the pitman once again has excessive play. I can feel it pop and i can physically see it move horizontally back and forth round abouts 1-1.5 millimeters.
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Elder User
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 652
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From: Katy Texas
Played with my truck a little more this evening. I pulled back the dust boot on the centerlink joint and had a look at where it goes into the pitman arm. There is no movement where the spindle on the ball and socket go into the pitman. My theory of a bad taper on the pitman is bunk. A for sure metallic pop in the joint its self. Is there any way i could get someone to give it a shot on their truck? I need ammo for when i go into the service dept. I feel like there should be no banging felt at the joint going into the pitman arm. Should it not just smoothly articulate? I’m right.....right?
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