03 SD Steering loose

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Oct 6, 2005 | 11:59 PM

plumnuts

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03 SD Steering loose

Truck wanders all over the road... 2 inches of play in the steering wheel...I did a search in this forum and not clear on the final word on loose steering with the 2003 SD diesels..6 liter. My Ford dealer and tire company say there is no adjustment of the steering box (I have ruled everything else out, new tires, alignment, loose parts)...

so, is there an adjustment or not??? Is the adjustment like the older Fords where you loosen the lock nut, turn the screw in a little, and tighten the nut back??

Oct 7, 2005 | 12:39 AM

KenB

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Joined: Apr 2004

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From: Shreveport, La.

Suggest you take it to an alignment/front end shop. See if there's one in your area that specializes in trucks. Pay them for written diagnosis if need be, then take that to dealer.
Unless you're still under warranty, don't ask Ford dealer to find a problem or a tire company about a tire problem. If you must go to either, you'll probably have to get insistant.

Oct 8, 2005 | 12:54 AM

plumnuts

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yep still under warranty... been there done that, but maybe if I get something in writing maybe I can get FORD to fix it!!! Any ideas out there???

Oct 9, 2005 | 08:33 PM

plumnuts

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anyone else with ideas???

Oct 10, 2005 | 06:35 AM

slc10844

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From: Baltimore

If there is 2"s of play in the steering wheel you need to find out where it is coming from. Is the play when the truck is at rest or when driving down the road? You want to eliminate everything else, including tire pressure, before attempting to adjust the steering box. Check the steering box and steering linkage by having someone rock the steering wheel back and forth with the engine running and wheels on the ground. Watch the steering shaft and the pitman arm to see if they move in unison. If the shaft moves and the arm doesn't, loosen the lock nut on top of the steering box, turn the adjusting screw about 1/8 turn, tighten the lock nut, and check again. You want to be careful not to over tighten. It can cause binding and gear damage. If it takes more than a half turn the gear box may be bad.

Since it is still under warranty, if you find anything loose take if back to the dealer and let them deal with it. Once you start changing things, like the adjustment on the steering box, they will blame to problem on what you did and deny any repairs.

Oct 10, 2005 | 02:02 PM

Beachbumcook

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Your doing the right thing by going to the dealer and asking... your asking here... but as advised in a post above... get a second opinion from another Ford dealer or alignment shop that works on trucks!!

This way you will know and be better prepared to "do battle". Over-inflating of these tires really causes my truck to "wander". My Excursion with stock tires and suspension says 50lbs in the front, but I run 57 - 60lbs. More than that and my tires do not wear properly and I have a lot more "wandering" as I drive at high speed.

Good luck and let us know what you find out.

Jeff

Oct 10, 2005 | 07:30 PM

plumnuts

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one more thing... the local Ford dealer said there is no adjustment on the 03 SD diesel... is this true or false??... I have looked (the area is tough to see because of the battery and box) and it appears there is a steering box but can't see if there is an adjustment screw...