Ok guys I have read the 8,000 posts on the wandering problem with the excursion and I just bought a HELLWIG to fix the roll problem. I went to install it over the weekend and I am missing parts! Doh!

Anyways, after driving the excursion for 2 weeks now I have a better grasp of what its doing. I thought the steering wheel was not straight, but it really is straight its that I can turn the wheel 1/8 turn in either direction before it begins to turn. I checked all the obvious things, ball joints, tie rods, etc and they all look good. This is on a 2003 with 57k on it.

What seems to be happening is I make a turning adjustment and nothing happens. I turn in even more and more and it finally bites, but then too much so I am counter steering to get it back in the lane. I can be in a straight line and turn the wheel an 1/8 turn back and forth and it will still track straight.

Does this sound like a worn or out of adjustment steering box?

 

There's an allen head screw with a nut to lock it on top of your steering box. The allen head is 3/16 and the nut is 5/8. loosen nut and turn screw 1/4 turn clockwise. Tighten nut and take for a spin. Make sure to do a full lock to lock turn to ensure the gears aren't binding at the sterrings limits. You don't want a surprise when least expected of your steering binding up on ya. If it's still a little slack, repeat until satisfied...


This should cure 80-90% of your sloppy steering. Don't expect it to be tight like a car though...

 

Canadian - So there are symptoms of a loose steering box? How do I get to this allen screw? From under the bottom of the truck or do I need to pull out the air filter, etc?

 

I know you said you checked the tie rods and ball joints and they looked good, but I will relate what I found on my 2000 Ex with 59,000 miles.

I also could get almost an 1/8 of a turn out of the wheel before I got a correction from the steering. I made about a 3/4 turn adjustment on my steering gear and had no binding at full lock, nor did I make a significant improvement in the wandering.

On my last oil change, I went through and lubed all the ball joints and tie rod ends, however, when I attached the grease gun to the LH inner tie rod end at the Pitman Arm, I had about 3/8 inch of axial play. After I greased the tie rod end, the play was taken up by all the grease and was not noticeable by hand. I also could not get much radial play by hand. Bear in mind, I had the truck on the ground, not in the air. My point is, after greasing the tie rod end, it felt like it was in pretty good shape.

Anyway, I went ahead replaced the tie rod end and it made a world of difference. After removing the old tie rod end, it was clear the thing was completely shot. I have no other mods, ie Hellwig bars, and the truck is nearly driveable with one finger. I paid $36 for a TRW tie rod end at Advance Auto Parts, and it even has a lifetime warranty.

 

So you are talking about the tie rod that connects the Pitman arm to the lower toe adjustment bar (What is that called?)

 

Here's a write up on steering adjustment...do it cautiously though...overtightening can cause premature wear out on the box...

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/5...-steering.html

The only grease zerks on my '05 are on the tie-rod ends (4).

joe.

 

The link from the Pitman Arm (the arm coming off the steering box) to the passenger side of the center link is the drag link. The center link is what ties the passenger wheel to the driver's side wheel.

The nice thing is, if you measure the length from the grease zerk on the passenger side of the drag link to the grease zerk of tie rod at the Pitman Arm, there is no need for an alignment adjustment, or steering wheel adjustment. If you are off, you will only effect the steering wheel's on-center point, not the "toe" measurement.

 

Jeremy, I adjusted mine this after (slow work day...)

I'm at +3/4 turns right now and it feels a lot better. Tell you what, though, I followed through a series of links above and removed the steering damper as one guy did, and I think that made *much* more difference. The loose steering box problem was being exacerbated by steering that really didn't want to return to center, sorta like not enough caster; I'd move the wheel a tad off-center and it would stay there. Then, to correct I'd not only have to take out the slack from the box but *also* that slightly off-center steering turn.

With the damper gone the caster centers the steering better, and with the box alittle tighter it reacts faster.

It's a SOOPER simple job, less than 5 minutes with a 5/8" boxed and the right hex key (and a stepladder). I'm keeping the tools (and the stepladder) in the truck and I may even adjust it in 1/4 turn increments every once in a while until it's good.

One thing, though: how do I know when I've gone TOO far? What am I "feeling" for? I can't really get a good idea based on what I've read so far. - GA

 

When you have gone too far I have read that it will begin to bind the gears in the box and make steering very hard.

 

I went to far in tightening my previous `05 Limited`s steering gearbox. It was all over the road after that, could`nt keep it strait. Tried loosening to get back to normal but never could get right. Took to dealer, they said I overtightened it and said it was "road wild" and replaced it under warranty. So I would take it a little at a time so you dont do what I did!

 

Updates:

As noted above, I've tightened up the box 3/4 turn and removed the steering damper. For further reference I have F-350 rear springs, airbags, and a Hellwig rear bar. I just replaced both front hubs, all bearings, all ball joints. Inspected and greased all tie rods; everything is in good shape.

In driving on the highway to work today, I'm still noticing wandering. However, it's an annoying amount. The steering is tight; I've got no play before the steering wheel starts the truck to moving in a direction. I'm noticing that the problem is not related to steering linkage play but to a tendency of the truck to not center the ROAD WHEELS and drive the truck straight ahead. Best way to describe it is if I move the steering wheel, say, a 1/2" inch to one side, the truck reacts. If release the steering wheel it centers but the truck continues to turn slightly. Happens the same both directions. If I turn the wheel a bit more than 1/2" then release the steering wheel always centers but the road wheels do not, returning instead to the same small deviation as if I'd moved the wheel 1/2" or so.

The problem, therefore, is not in the steering mechanisms but in the alignment of the truck; the road wheels are not returning back to straight and true, and the truck will continue to slightly turn the direction it was going. As I'm cruising down the highway, I'm constantly off-center from driving straight and true, constantly battling with the truck back and forth to keep the truck in its lane. This problem creates a real issue in that I can't divert my attention at all from the road; just a moment's distraction and I'm over the line into the next lane. Irritating, at the very best; dangerous at worst.

My buddy Jeremy brought the following link to my attention, where someone had surmised the same thing and had their truck re-aligned to their specs:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...ghlight=caster

Jeremy's '05 F-350 didn't have this problem, my '99 E-350 didn't have this problem, and it's rare that someone with anything other than an Excursion complains. I suspect there's a difference in alignment specs on these trucks; maybe the X got less caster so that Soccer Moms didn't complain about steering effort? Dunno, but I'm still looking for specs, and I'm going to get my X re-aligned to its brethren truck's specs, see if that fixes it (I suspect it will...)

GA

 

Greg (and Jeremy),

I had forgotten about that link!

Anyway...I only tweaked my camber to the high side of the Ex specs and I am VERY HAPPY with the Ex since I tweaked her.

I didn't move mine a whole bunch. The aftermarket parts the shop put on allow for tweaking in the future if desired and they weren't that expensive.

My towing experiences this past year with a 9000# 35' hitch to bumper TT in 5000 miles of towing have been an absolute pleasure. Mostly one hand on the wheel and very minimal steering inputs.

One thing I did figure out this year on the Ex was just HOW SENSITIVE she is to tire pressure...early on in the year I had WAY TOO MUCH pressure in my tires and that made for a squirley (sp?) feeling. I lowered mine to 60 front and 70 rear on my stock 265/75R 16E's and MAN WHAT A DIFFERENCE.

So don't discount tire pressures as part of the critical suspension 'tuning' an Ex MUST have...as the tires are a KEY part of the suspension too...if you are running more than my 60/70 combo and don't have more than my ~1200#'s of tongue...you don't need that much tire pressure for the load and it likely can be your 'wander' issue to.

Another thing I added to my Ex that I feel has returned DIVIDENDS is the RoadMaster Rear Suspension (RAS). The RAS coupled with the Hellwig have made my Ex an absolute DREAM to tow with...

So I've done a few small 'tweaks' to my Ex and she now is a pleasure to drive both loaded and unloaded.

Thanks for the re-link to my old thread...I have been looking for that one! LOL

joe.

 

Thanks, Joe; I appreciate the feedback. I'll definitely check pressures. Right now I'm driving around with no load, but I do tow a 10k 28' enclosed trailer and would need to bump them up for that.

I found some alignment specs, and I'm looking for other sources:
http://www.caesionline.com/wheelalign/specs/ford4.html

Excursion 4WD (nominal values)
Caster 3.5
Camber 0.25
Toe 0

Hard to read the F specs, but it appears they use different specs left and right! Specs for the 2000 F-250 4WD, averaged between the sides (nominal values):

Caster 5.3
Camber -0.20
Toe 0.30 total

That's a pretty significant difference! Why the big difference between the truck and X? Those F specs most certainly would result is better tracking... - GA

 

Could anyone advise me just how much effort you should have to use to steer a truck with larger tires. I have a 04 ex 6.0 dsl with Dick Cepek 315/??/16 on it. It also have a aftermarket Fabtech double stabilizer shock up front. Also a rear hellwig sway bar was added in back. This truck is rather difficult to steer and get's real bad when the rpms are low. I do agree that the truck tends to wander like you guy's are saying as well. Now thats my ex. When I compare it to my wife's ex which is the exact same truck only 285/75/16 BFG A/T I can steer with little effort. I'm wondering if there is a pump issue here or I should junk the stabilizer shocks? Help !

 

The extra contact patch you have with those tires isn't helping either.... the double shimmy shock would only make it worse. Not saying your pump isn't going bad but that alot to ask of it.

Is there an aftermarket heavy duty pump out there for this?