Highway Wanderer
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Joined: Sep 2001
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From: New Orleans
Highway Wanderer
I just acquired a '82 F250, 2WD, independant front end. Original owner put 16" chrome rims and p235 85 series tires on it. Heard he had it in the chassis shop a lot for nagging troubles.
The front tires (mudders) were a bit loud for me and i rotated them with the rears which have a regular tread.
The truck is almost impossible to steer straight on the highway. The problem seems to be worse with the tire rotation, but i noticed it to some degree before that. They are probably more responsive than the loud ones.
I checked shock bushings, tried air pressure adjustments, and temporariliy ran in the steering box adjustment. No good.
Has anyone run into this? Could it be a caster adjustment? How do you change that?
p.s., running the steering box adjuster in actually seemed to be worse. I know on G.M. products you go clockwise to tighten freeplay, is it the opposite for Fords? I had to turn the wheel lock to lock to get it set back where it was, the screw wouldnt turn CCW with the wheels straight.
The front tires (mudders) were a bit loud for me and i rotated them with the rears which have a regular tread.
The truck is almost impossible to steer straight on the highway. The problem seems to be worse with the tire rotation, but i noticed it to some degree before that. They are probably more responsive than the loud ones.
I checked shock bushings, tried air pressure adjustments, and temporariliy ran in the steering box adjustment. No good.
Has anyone run into this? Could it be a caster adjustment? How do you change that?
p.s., running the steering box adjuster in actually seemed to be worse. I know on G.M. products you go clockwise to tighten freeplay, is it the opposite for Fords? I had to turn the wheel lock to lock to get it set back where it was, the screw wouldnt turn CCW with the wheels straight.
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From: Linwood, N.J. USA!
Highway Wanderer
There is a special way of adjusting the steering box. If you don't follow it properly, you wind up making it worse. Sometimes irreversable. As for the wander, you may want to start with a clean slate. If the tires that you have are worn one way or another, you may want to start fresh with a new pair up front. I would also check all of the steering and front end components. Check all tie rod ends, ball joints, draglink, bushings, and steering shaft links for slop. Make sure that the front springs don't have any sag in them. Sag can throw the front end off also. A steering stabilizer may be something to invest in also as a last resort. Good luck.
Jakegypsum // Ford fleet, soup to nuts.
Jakegypsum // Ford fleet, soup to nuts.
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Joined: Jul 2001
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Highway Wanderer
Check your tie rods and pitman arm also the I beam inner bushings can cause it to wander if they are bad. OH and the radius arm bushings could do it too. Pretty much just check everything that connects to the I beam or spindle, and see if the tires are out of balance or damaged.
John
John
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From: New Orleans
Highway Wanderer
thank you for the help. the only loose area was the radius arm bushings, which werent even holding the rubbers snug. i'm changing them tomorrow. the truck has a steering stabilizer on it. i'd like to do the i-beam bushings too, but do i need to bring the whole thing to a machine shop for that, or can i just lower the arm end on a floor jack and pop them out? is there any downward pressure on them? the rubber looks somewhat worn but it doesnt jiggle when pried in any direction.
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Highway Wanderer
One last thought! The I-beam bushings purged my memory. Check and make sure that the bolts that hold the pivot bracket have not loosened up. The pivot bracket, the part where the section of front axel that comes from the passenger side front wheel attaches to under the engine. The bracket bolts to the crossmember directly under the engine.
I have seen these bolts loosen up due to oil build up from leaks on the engine. Between engine/truck vibration and constant oil drippage, the bolts will eventually loosen up enough to cause the axel to wander. Happened to me last year with my 92' F-250 daily driver.
Good luck. Jake.
Jakegypsum // Ford fleet, soup to nuts.
I have seen these bolts loosen up due to oil build up from leaks on the engine. Between engine/truck vibration and constant oil drippage, the bolts will eventually loosen up enough to cause the axel to wander. Happened to me last year with my 92' F-250 daily driver.
Good luck. Jake.
Jakegypsum // Ford fleet, soup to nuts.
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From: New Orleans
Highway Wanderer
I-beam pivot bracket bolts ok. I changed the radius bushings and it got rid of half the trouble. I took the pittman loose and checked to make sure the wheel was actaully straight up at the box center. then slowly increased the pinion preload adjustment untill some drag was felt at center. (The Ford manual calls for an increase of 14 inch pounds at center.) The control is much better now, it doesnt take four inches of steering wheel movement to correct vehicle direction. It still tends to over-react to steering wheel movement, is that typical of this design?
Anyone got an opinion on steering stabilizers? After adjusting the box i dont feel road bumps kicking the steering like they were before, so i removed the stabilizer (shock absorber on the linkage, i guess that's a stabilizer). I dont off-road this truck.
Anyone got an opinion on steering stabilizers? After adjusting the box i dont feel road bumps kicking the steering like they were before, so i removed the stabilizer (shock absorber on the linkage, i guess that's a stabilizer). I dont off-road this truck.
