hello

wasnt here long time but now i have to get some support about a very strange problem with my wifes 2017 ford f150 xlt 4wd 5.0 v8 flexfuel.
since some weeks there is a small scratching effect in the steering wheel when driving to the right. in low speed there is very less and increase driving faster or more sterring to the right.

in reverse there is nothing.
i lifted up the front wheels and could move both wheels with little play from differential forwards/backwards ( thumbwidth ). they both have similar play in that, the wheelbearing seams to be ok, no noise, no play.

a friend of mine told that it could be maybe the homocinet in the right side drivetrain.

is there anybody who knows maybe how to check more carefully the problem or knows what it can be exactly?

therefore we have a hard winter in the north of sweden we have to drive around half of the year with 4wd.

thanks in advance and regards from sweden


mickael

 

Are you certain it's in the drivetrain? You might want to put it up on a lift, put it in first gear and run it at an idle while turning from left to right. That should allow you to isolate where the noise is coming from.

 

I've been chasing this problem for awhile. No amount of internet searches have resulted in a solution. The only thing I find are others reporting it too. Any movement of the steering wheel off center to the right can induce it most times. Sometimes it's subtle, like a resonance, other times it's more noisy, like you describe, a scratching, or tapping. It sounds as if it's right there in or behind the steering wheel.

I've replaced both front hubs, and the clockspring so far. Not because I was throwing parts at the problem, but because they needed to be replaced. Each time I hoped the noise in the steering would go away, but nothing.

My next step may be to remove the airbag, and see if that makes a difference when driving. It's about the only thing I haven't tried. It bothers me enough, that I would buy a new airbag if that turns out to be the problem.

 

I don't understand how the airbag might be at fault. It doesn't have any moving parts, and it's not near any moving parts. Maybe the lead wires?

 

Could be the wires, I’m at the point now where I’m going to try it. It only takes about 2 minutes to remove it.

I also read last night, that it could be the bearing where the steering shaft goes through the fire wall. That makes the most sense right now.