Everything in front end of my 02 7.3 Ex is new. I love driving it but the steering is still a little bit off. The wheel doesn't return to center 100% of the time and the truck doesn't wander per se but it does take more attention than most of my old stuff to keep in the lane.

I've tried tightening the gear screw but ended up backing it off instead to try to get the wheel to return to center. Alignment is perfect. The steering is stiff (ball joints weren't stiff at all, could turn the knuckle with very little force) but not sure if that is typical for this gen truck. there is little to no slop in steering shaft.

Does this sound like something a new gear would address or am I just throwing $$ away in an unrealistic pursuit of perfection?

TIA

 

My Ex had around 340K on it and the steering started having a mind of it's own! What I mean is at freeway speeds when like passing a semi and changing lanes it would feel like the steering was "floating" while crossing the crown of the road. That gave me a very weird feeling that I didn't like. The front end is tight so I opted to replace the gearbox. I found a $90 rebuild on Rock Auto so I bought it. Took me about 4 hours to replace. I'm a retired heavy equipment mechanic/ operator and I don't move too fast these days. My truck is lifted running 35's so didn't need to raise it and pull a wheel to replace. Now it steers/ handles very solidly and no more weird *** gut feeling when cruising 70 - 80 mph going thru a curve. I still laugh at my 24 soon to be 25 year old 7.3L powered Ex hauling *** down the highway and I actually think that it likes it too!

 

Sounds familiar lol. Also running 35s as well. It does drift a tad, more feels like I'm constantly making tiny corrections. How long have you been running the RA box?

Worst thing I've noticed since I pumped tires up to 65 from 48 psi is that when I come off a bridge on the interstate the front end does tend to want to do it's own thing independent of what I think it should be doing 🤣

 

Yeah I don't like those feelings! This box has been on since last November...I think. I just remembered that it had been changed before as the mounting bolts were never-seized. Also the old box would "lock up" when wheels were cranked all the way one direction or another it would bang then loosen At first i thought that maybe the tie rod was like going over center and binding. After changing the box all that went away. I've fought that tiny wander corrections for awhile now. I sometimes think the dual steering stabilizers is just a bit of overkill as makes the steering "heavy" Then again I can let go of the wheel at 70 and she goes straight. Other times on bad road sections gotta keep correcting it. There's pages of folks on this site that have tried various things to get that worked out. Best I found was installing 6 deg taper shims between the top of axle under the springs for more caster. Found that on here and that's what makes this place great!

 

Please explain

 

If you have a lift, I would recommend checking your pitman arm nut, my 02 7.3/4x I had installed the lift and noticed years later it was doing the wander, constant correction needed, tightened pitman arm nut about 1/4 turn maybe a tad more, was great after that. Also just did this on my dad's 89 F150 4x, he was telling me what it was doing, then I took it for a drive, it's hard to describe, but it needs constant attention/correction. Breaker bar, cheater bar and honked down on it, again, maybe 1/4 - 1/2 turn, 100% better.

 

So the nut to the sector shaft - correct? Thanks

 

Correct, I believe it's a 1-5/16" or 1-1/2" but don't quote me on that, I'd have to go up to my shop and look at socket, now it's something I check on my trucks during oil change/service.
I have probably done this to 6 different peoples trucks after they tell me what it's doing...

 

Worth a shot for sure. Appreciate it!

 

I am in the same boat as Bronccat. I just got my 03, 7.3L Ex two weeks ago (111k). The dealer had replaced all the bushings and rod ends on front end. But, I still really don't like how it drives. It seems like I have to over-correct the steering all the time. Passing on highway, I start the lane change, and it doesn't seem to respond, put a little more pressure on wheel then it scoots over quickly and I have to quickly correct to keep from going onto shoulder. Maintaining lane seems like a lot of work too. It doesn't really pull to one side or the other but will seem to want to drift all of a sudden, then I have to correct. Doesn't really want to return to center on its own either. Keeping this thing in line takes constant corrections. I have checked the steering shaft and there is hardly any play.

The dealer unfortunately put new rear tires on it only (stock size). The fronts need replacing as well. I will replace those before trying anything else. Do i adjust the box first before trying a replacement? recommendation on a replacement? Is there a replacement box that has less turns to lock? It seems like I have to crank forever to make a turn.

 

Do NOT rplc your box, get a big socket and tighten the crap out of it!
I would almost gayruntee with 98.314% that if you tighten the pitman arm nut you will notice a huge difference, it will cure the issue... as I said, I've done a LOT of them, especially it seems as of late.

I just got a 1-5/16" wrench for my 02 F350 because my socket wouldn't fit, I did tighten it about 1/4 turn with my BAC and pipe but it started slipping, and not even getting to honk down on it it made a difference that I immediately noticed when I took it for a drive, this weekend I'll roll underneath her again and give it a good couple of grunts.

The splines on the shaft and grooves on the pitman arm over yrs of turning wear just a slight amount, and tightening the nut pushes the pitman arm up just enough to take up the slop.

Try it and let us know, but I'm sure it will cure what ails your steering!

 

For me?

New tires ALWAYS go on the front first, never, on the rear....

a rear tire blowout is just a flat.
a front steer tire blowout, is you in the ditch.

 

Little update on mine. I think what I'm experiencing is called "tramlining" i.e. the tenandancy for the vehicle to follow the contours of the road. I have NONE of the issues that typically cause this so no idea how to fix it.

I intend to try the pitman nut thing, but not sure how that would help this.

 

Because play/slop/looseness compounds itself by the time it gets to the wheels, when you tighten the pitman arm nut, there is literally, very little play/movement, and it is amazing that just that little bit changes how it drives and follows the semi ruts/contours of the road. I didn't drive my 02 Ex 4x/7.3 often, so after it had been a while and I drove it I was like WTH, this thing is all over the road, so I was ready to rebuild the entire front end, but everything, everything was tight, had my daughter in the truck and had her slowly move the wheel L & R and watched everything, saw just a little movement at the pitman arm, tiny movement. Got my socket and breaker bar and got a good 1/3-1/2 turn. Took it for a drive and the difference was profound! The Ex had maybe 140-160k on it then, since then, that was the first time, I have had numerous guys, friends etc... with SD's, Ex's, even my dads 89 F150 that I have tightened, and it's only 1/2 turn or so, maybe a tad more, but it does wonders.

 

when I bought my '02 Excursion,
I made about 100 miles from the time I handed over the cashier's check.

stopped at the 1st alignment shop I saw, the Pittman Arm was wobbling loose.
it was replaced with whatever was available in a town of 1500 population size, with only one parts store.

the Drag link sleeve was sliding back and forth about an inch, the threads were stripped.

I don't understand, how anyone could drive something in that bad of condition? long enough to literally strip the threads off the drag link?

when I test drove it, the owner lived up in the mountains, and 25 mph on dirt roads was all I was able to check it out on....

when I made blacktop, it was real noticeable that it wanted to change Berms, left or right, it didn't care...

but all of that is wear out items, so I kept going and had it fixed.