Sensitive Steering
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 134
Likes: 0
From: North Attleboro, MA
Buzzard,
You mentioned a horizontal steering stabilizer that you installed. Would you mind sending me some details on it? (brand, where to buy, etc., installation difficulty)
Thanks,
Smitty
You mentioned a horizontal steering stabilizer that you installed. Would you mind sending me some details on it? (brand, where to buy, etc., installation difficulty)
Thanks,
Smitty
Logistics Pro
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 3,960
Likes: 5
From: All over Texas
Smitty:
Follow this link, http://rough.roughcountry.com/stabilizers.htm
It is very easy to install. One end to a fixed component of the front end and the other to the steering linkage (center link, I believe). It firmed-up the steering tremendously.
Follow this link, http://rough.roughcountry.com/stabilizers.htm
It is very easy to install. One end to a fixed component of the front end and the other to the steering linkage (center link, I believe). It firmed-up the steering tremendously.
Senior User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 135
Likes: 0
From: Baltimore
A few years ago I owned a Bronco II and it had the same touchy steering that my Expy does. I've driven Fords, Chevys and Jeeps and in my opinion this is just standard Ford SUV steering. I love my Expy but it could learn soomething from Jeep in the steering dept.
New User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Va
buzzard and southpark.....thanks for your feeble attempt at comedy. And no, I did not have a BMW before this piece of crap. And no, I do not expect a 5600 lb truck to handle like an Accord. And yes, I owned other trucks before this one.
I have driven my friend's 2003 Suburban extensively and it feels as if it IS a BMW compared to this hunk of junk. It would outhandle mine all day long and exhibits NONE of the twitchiness mine does.
I have driven my friend's 2003 Suburban extensively and it feels as if it IS a BMW compared to this hunk of junk. It would outhandle mine all day long and exhibits NONE of the twitchiness mine does.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 3,960
Likes: 5
From: All over Texas
Originally posted by DeathStar
buzzard and southpark.....thanks for your feeble attempt at comedy. And no, I did not have a BMW before this piece of crap. And no, I do not expect a 5600 lb truck to handle like an Accord. And yes, I owned other trucks before this one.
I have driven my friend's 2003 Suburban extensively and it feels as if it IS a BMW compared to this hunk of junk. It would outhandle mine all day long and exhibits NONE of the twitchiness mine does.
buzzard and southpark.....thanks for your feeble attempt at comedy. And no, I did not have a BMW before this piece of crap. And no, I do not expect a 5600 lb truck to handle like an Accord. And yes, I owned other trucks before this one.
I have driven my friend's 2003 Suburban extensively and it feels as if it IS a BMW compared to this hunk of junk. It would outhandle mine all day long and exhibits NONE of the twitchiness mine does.
Thread Starter
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Junior User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
From: Virginia
I checked with my alignment guy this afternoon, and he says I am out of luck.
He has been in the business for years (General manager at the largest shop in town) and says that this is a problem with Expys (and F 150s) and that he cant fix it with alignment.
He bought an Expy a year ago and has tried every alighment trick he knows.
Then I asked about the horizontal stabilizer and his comment is that although it does help stabilize, and "tie together" the ront end parts, it will do nothing for my problem.
His words.. "its the nature of the BEAST, you just have to get used to it".....UUUUUUMMMM.......OK
He has been in the business for years (General manager at the largest shop in town) and says that this is a problem with Expys (and F 150s) and that he cant fix it with alignment.
He bought an Expy a year ago and has tried every alighment trick he knows.
Then I asked about the horizontal stabilizer and his comment is that although it does help stabilize, and "tie together" the ront end parts, it will do nothing for my problem.
His words.. "its the nature of the BEAST, you just have to get used to it".....UUUUUUMMMM.......OK
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 263
Likes: 0
Let me provide you with some facts:
Turning Radius:
Expedition: 18.91ft
Suburban: 21.15
In Car and Driver tests, the Tahoe LT out performs the Expedition XLT, however the Expedition EB outperforms the Yukon Denali - I guess the XLT may be a lot differen than the EB, maybe that's where our differences come from. The chebby versions have stronger motors, I just mean in handling (body roll, front end dip, stability, traction, etc)
Also, Ford changed the steering from 17:1, to 20:1 in 2002. That made it a little less sensative - again it's something to get used to.
Turning Radius:
Expedition: 18.91ft
Suburban: 21.15
In Car and Driver tests, the Tahoe LT out performs the Expedition XLT, however the Expedition EB outperforms the Yukon Denali - I guess the XLT may be a lot differen than the EB, maybe that's where our differences come from. The chebby versions have stronger motors, I just mean in handling (body roll, front end dip, stability, traction, etc)
Also, Ford changed the steering from 17:1, to 20:1 in 2002. That made it a little less sensative - again it's something to get used to.
Last edited by southprk; Oct 29, 2003 at 05:54 PM.
New User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Va
Thanks for the facts but I was not at all referring to the turning radius. I was referring to the way the truck feels at highway speeds when trying to execute a lane change of even just the initial slight movement of the wheel in a sweeping turn. Call me crazy or an idiot if you will, but I know what I am talking about as far as the way my particular truck feels. I would trade for my buddy's properly driving/steering Suburban in a second.
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 256
Likes: 0
From: Hendersonville,NC
My 99 also has what I call sensitive steering. It took awhile to get the feel for it but now its only noticeable after driving something else for awhile and on a very windy day. I have always owned a truck but I realy like my expy. My wife even wants to drive it more than her 02 jeep.
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,297
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The Suburban has a longer wheelbase, which will add stability (or sluggishness, depending on perspective) to handling, particularly during brief, sudden events like lane changes. Expy vs. Suburban is not quite an even comparison.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 110
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My experience
I had a leaky steering box and got it replaced and it was so stiff a called back up three times to have it checked out cause it was so easy to turn this thing it was a one finger thing before the new box now its losing up but its still alittle lite for me... Ive run 30f 35r and I also tweaked the rear LLS it raised the rear end to get it a better look and actually stiffen the rear suspension...I think the expy is the best truck Ive owned but it can be improved Heres my suggestions btw (I have 99 EB 4x4 LLS) Revos or something with a stiff sidewall I have wranglers rts now but cant wait to burn these wranglers off to get something new... tall tires like wranglers or something else are made for comfort not performance they have soft sidewalls...also If Im not mistaken all expys come with speed senstive steering and I think that might something to do with it....
Freshman User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 48
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I concur, the first trip with the vehicle I almost ran off the road reaching for some change for a toll. Have owned foreign, domestic, big and small vehicles and this setup is by far the worst I have ever had.
They state varible steering, but it doesn't seem to work for me and to lower tire presser just to increase frictional forces to "improve" the handling is a bandaid approach to blind engineering.
They state varible steering, but it doesn't seem to work for me and to lower tire presser just to increase frictional forces to "improve" the handling is a bandaid approach to blind engineering.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 263
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I tried this out for a while the other day ...
Seems like most vehicles have a small "dead" spot in the center.. the expy doesn't have this... (good or bad, personal thing)
In addition, the body roll with worn sway bars is pretty high, so your correction(overcorrection?) makes the jerk feel more drastic than it is. If you actually view the car, it doesn't move that much but it rolls a lot.
When I bought mine the sway bar linkage was broken just from normal everyday driving - check yours! Could remedy a lot of the symptoms if they are broken.
Seems like most vehicles have a small "dead" spot in the center.. the expy doesn't have this... (good or bad, personal thing)
In addition, the body roll with worn sway bars is pretty high, so your correction(overcorrection?) makes the jerk feel more drastic than it is. If you actually view the car, it doesn't move that much but it rolls a lot.
When I bought mine the sway bar linkage was broken just from normal everyday driving - check yours! Could remedy a lot of the symptoms if they are broken.
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