Question for you guys - my 2018 F350 6.7 is used solely for towing our fifth wheel and I have just over 20k miles on her and my daily driver is a company issued silverado.

The family and I took off in the 350 yesterday and I noticed the steering felt funny, but since I drive it so rarely and am so used to the work truck, I'm having trouble remembering if it's always been this way or is a developing problem. The best way I can describe it is:

On a straight section of freeway, if I take my hands off the wheel, the steering wheel wobbles back and forth. It's not as severe as some of the death wobble videos I've seen and happened on some sections of freeway but not others. It seemed like it was less noticeable on better quality pavement/freeways. It also seemed more noticeable at higher speeds around 75-80 mph. Next time I drive it I'll get a video.

Also, the steering feels a bit loose and disconnected from the road, or in other words, I feel like I have a lot of slop in the wheel that doesn't translate like I'd expect. I feel like I'm spending a lot of time and effort manipulating the wheel to maintain a lane because of what I'd define as the slop in the wheel. By comparison, driving the work truck this morning, the steering felt firm and well connected and held it's lane well.

I'm out of warranty and just dropped a few thousand repairing a pully, so I'm hesitant to take her in to spend money on a diagnosis and figured I'd check here first. I'm not sure if I'm just comparing apples and oranges between the two trucks or if in fact my 350 is developing, or has, a problem.

Anyone have any opinions orthoughts?

Thanks

 

Get under the truck and start looking for anything that has any play it in. The steering is a bit numb and vague, but that is pretty normal for a solid front axle. Check your tire pressures too. I doubt your front axle was under loaded.

 

have you checked the usual ball joints, bushings, tie rods to see if any of those are worn? 22k is not a whole lot of miles but if it was ~100% towing a 5er and with the weight of the diesel over the front, it is not impossible that something is worn and the slop is what you are feeling.

 

Thanks for the advice, I'm embarrassed to admit I haven't, but I'll start poking around today.

Knowing numb/vague steering is somewhat expected is slightly reassuring, and since it's been a while since I've driven the truck it might explain why it was more noticeable compared to my daily driver.

 

rotate/balance the tires.

Rotating the fronts from side to side is inexpensive along with checking the air pressure when the tires are cold.

 

My steering damper came loose on my spring western trip. Might want to check that.

 

There is a TSB on the steering damper. My 2017 had to have it replaced after I got a case of the death wobbles on the highway. TSB # 20N04.

 

You might have flat spots on the tires causing the shimmy, happens if it sits too long on pavement. It may eventually work itself out. The looseness feeling is from the weak Castor settings and becomes more pronounced as parts wear. Replacing the damper, which has probably outgassed itself by now, will help to stiffen it up. A shimmy isn't DW, but eventually will lead to DW once the track bar bushings and ball joints reach that looseness stage.