Steering "wander"
Logistics Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,529
Likes: 390
From: SEVA
Most all, if not all street driven cars and trucks have alignment specs calling for some toe-in. With toe-out, a vehicle will always wander to whichever side has the most weight ... and that side-to-side weight varies easily from undulations in the road surface. Roads are built with some crown for water drainage, but each lane is never perfectly flat as you travel forward.
Low tire pressure will cause more outside edge wear than a small amount of toe-in. After owning several Fords, I have found their recommended tire pressures to be on the low side, causing premature outer tire wear. My wife's 2018 Explorer says it should have 35 PSI in the tires. I've kept them at 40 PSI and the tires are wearing evenly across the tread with 45K miles on 'em.
Low tire pressure will cause more outside edge wear than a small amount of toe-in. After owning several Fords, I have found their recommended tire pressures to be on the low side, causing premature outer tire wear. My wife's 2018 Explorer says it should have 35 PSI in the tires. I've kept them at 40 PSI and the tires are wearing evenly across the tread with 45K miles on 'em.
More Turbo
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 618
Likes: 69
On my 2019, I complained of wandering...seemed like you were always correcting for the steering input you just made. It finally cleared up when I swapped out the factory tires.
I'm running some 285/75R18 Falkens and it drives fine now. Aside from the slightly larger tire and Bilstein shocks, everything else is still stock.
Adam
I'm running some 285/75R18 Falkens and it drives fine now. Aside from the slightly larger tire and Bilstein shocks, everything else is still stock.
Adam
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Trailering
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 24
Likes: 15
Just a quick update, on my last trip pulling the TT it seemed to track better and semis going by had no effect whereas prior I sometimes got a little suck in. This weekend I put 300 highway miles with no trailer and there was no wander, i could even let go of the wheel and it would track perfectly. This is now with 2000 miles on it.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 19,685
Likes: 12,806
From: Wyoming
What change did you make to fix the "wander"?
For my setup, when the truck/trailer gets sucked in towards vehicles that are passing me, it's my clue that my WDH isn't configured to return enough weight to the front axle. I put a little more force on it and it's good to go. But you had wander all the time so the WDH wasn't the root cause.
For my setup, when the truck/trailer gets sucked in towards vehicles that are passing me, it's my clue that my WDH isn't configured to return enough weight to the front axle. I put a little more force on it and it's good to go. But you had wander all the time so the WDH wasn't the root cause.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 189
Likes: 37
From: Ethel WA.
New vehicle, new tire, all new suspension can cause wander. Things have to settle in and get worked in, it just takes time. Got new tires on one truck it took about 700-1000 miles before they settled down and things smoothed out. You just need to give it time to make it work. My 2020 wandered when I first got it drove it home 700 miles by that time it quit wandering and drove like it should.
Enjjoy your new truck
Smokeploe
Enjjoy your new truck
Smokeploe
Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 195
Likes: 3
Your truck is still wandering, you just adapted and desensitized from it. If things wore and broke in so much in 2K miles by 10k miles it would be worn out.
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7th Gear
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 7
Likes: 1
For those with wandering steering, take it to your dealer. Tech replicated the problem. Redid alignment, rotated tires, and reset EPAS. He said it drives better but if it starts wandering again, they need to involve Ford engineering. I opened NHTSA issue 11538257 so it’s documented. Also sent Ford an official letter. I want Ford to resolve the issue because otherwise, the truck is perfect for me.
I don’t have the truck yet because it’s in for “no reverse”, Ford has a TSB. it requires clutches and valve body which are delayed. Truck should be ready next Wednesday. I’ll report back if wandering steering persists.
2022 F250 Lariat with Trailer Backup Pro
Current odometer: 6,800 miles
”no reverse” and wandering steering started immediately after buying the truck with a few miles Jan 2023.
I don’t have the truck yet because it’s in for “no reverse”, Ford has a TSB. it requires clutches and valve body which are delayed. Truck should be ready next Wednesday. I’ll report back if wandering steering persists.
2022 F250 Lariat with Trailer Backup Pro
Current odometer: 6,800 miles
”no reverse” and wandering steering started immediately after buying the truck with a few miles Jan 2023.
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