I have a 98 4x4 xtended cab ranger with a 4.0 and automatic transmission. Recently I ditched the truck and now the steering wheel is turned to one side (I can't remember which off the top of my head) and the truck pulls to the right. I thought the ball joints were toasted on the driver side but when I jacked the front end up I discovered that the ball joints were fine however there was a tremendous amount of play when the tires are moved side to side (or in and out, whatever you wan't to call it). I believe this truck has rack and pinion steering? The play is where the tie-rods hook into the rack and pinion mechanism. I can't really see what is there because it is covered up with a boot that did not readily come off. Both the driver and passenger side are loose. The tie-rods on either side will move in and out about 1/2" or so until they hit something solid inside the steering. This is kind of confusing to type so for clarification the driver and passenger side tie-rods will move in and out independently of each other, until either one "bottoms out" at which point the steering wheel will then turn.

Does anybody know what I've broke? I have still been driving the truck out of necessity. The steering is still better than my old pickup however the tires are really starting to wear unevenly, so I need to get something done.

Thanks, Morgan.

 

Could be that the steering rack/inner tie rod(s) are shot. But you are smart to make sure that everything else is in order, too. As you probably know, the '98 4x4 Ranger uses both upper and lower front control arms with integral ball joints, so you want to confirm that they aren't bent and that the balljoints are OK, which you have seemingly done.

Do the front hubs still engage when you hit the 4WD switch? If so, then you probably didn't do any damage to the knuckle either, which is a good thing.

It wouldn't hurt to know what the Ford Manual says on this as a steering issue, so here you go:

Drift/Pull

Pull is a tugging sensation, felt by the hands on the steering wheel, that must be overcome to keep the vehicle going straight.

Drift describes what a vehicle with this condition does with hands off the steering wheel.

A vehicle-related drift/pull, on a flat road, will cause a consistent deviation from the straight-ahead path and require constant steering input in the opposite direction to counteract the effect. Drift/pull may be induced by conditions external to the vehicle (i.e., wind, road camber).

Possible causes:

- Unevenly loaded or overloaded vehicle.

- Wheel alignment.

- Loose, worn or damaged front wheel spindle tie rod.

- Loose, worn or damaged tie rod ends.

- Suspension components.

- The steering gear valve effort out of balance.

- Check the brake system for proper operation.

- Improper frame/underbody alignment.

Steering Gear Valve Test

With the vehicle in motion, place the transmission in NEUTRAL and turn the engine OFF.
- If the vehicle does not pull with the engine OFF, repair or replace the steering gear;
- If the vehicle pulls with the engine OFF, cross-switch the front wheels.
- If the vehicle pulls to the opposite side, cross-switch the front and rear wheels on the same side.
- If the vehicle pull direction does not change, check the front suspension components, wheel alignment and frame alignment.

 

Just a wild guess but maybe the rack broke in two. The steering wheel being off center indicates bent/brokeworn steering component.

 

There was something else I ment to ask about. The hubs aparently didn't disengage the last time I used 4wd, the front drivetrain turns with the tire even though the truck is in 2wd.

Rockledge, I am guessing the the inner tie rod ends are shot. I wasn't real familiar with the rack and pinion system when I first posted but I have since checked out a schematic out of an automotive textbook and it looks like they are the only option,,, aside from the chance of a broken rack.

I am fairly handy with a wrench but is this something the mechanic should handle? How difficult is it to open everything up to get a look at the rack?

thanks again, Morgan

 

If you looked over a diagram, then you know that on the '98 4x4 Ranger, the steering rack sits on the corssmember and that the tie rods run through openings in the part of the crossmember tht attaches to the frame, which makes it very difficult to inspect and work on without removing it from the truck. However, removing/replacing it looks to be doable by a weekend warriers like your or me. I can send you the procedure from the '98 Manual if you want, email me and provide an email address so I can send it along as a PDF attachment.

 

Just wanted to let everyone know I decided to take the truck to the mechanic instead of attempting the removal of the rack myself. While it is something I think I could have handled, I wasn't sure if I'd have the time to get it all put back together. It did turn out to be the inner tie rod ends, they said the rack was fine. I had both sides replaced and a front end alignment for $196.00, which I didn't think was too bad. Now everything is back to how it used to be before I ditched the truck. Thanks for all the help everybody.