Bad Steering Stabilizer?
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 71
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From: Northern Ontario, Canada
Bad Steering Stabilizer?
Today coming home from work I made a left hand turn and when I straightened out the wheel it would not let me drive straight. It kept jerking to the left or right. I pulled over and checked everything, even jacked up the front end and checked all the tie rod ends and wheel bearings, ball joints, etc for play and everything was tight. I tried to drive it again and it was fine.
Is it possibly the steering stabilizer? I just could not hold the wheel straight for anything. It only wanted to be 1/8 turn to the right or left. Anywhere else in the range from lock to lock was fine also. I don't see any signs either or rubbing or contact on any of the linkage in the front end either.
I'm stumped and I'm going on holidays next Friday and will be towing a 24' travel trailer across Ontario (about 4500km round trip) with my two young boys and really want to sort this out before then.
Oh ya, and the truck has 50,000 miles on it now.
Is it possibly the steering stabilizer? I just could not hold the wheel straight for anything. It only wanted to be 1/8 turn to the right or left. Anywhere else in the range from lock to lock was fine also. I don't see any signs either or rubbing or contact on any of the linkage in the front end either.
I'm stumped and I'm going on holidays next Friday and will be towing a 24' travel trailer across Ontario (about 4500km round trip) with my two young boys and really want to sort this out before then.
Oh ya, and the truck has 50,000 miles on it now.
Tuned
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 361
Likes: 0
From: Eagle River, Alaska
Right off it sounds like a power steering issue. The stabilizer could cause a bind, or hard to turn threw area but a force to left or right from center doesn't sound plausible. The shock could freeze ( as in become solid ) from plugged or rusted internal orifices. I had a couple in a set of blistine shocks do this (just went solid ). When the stabilizer goes it normally will show lots of leakage as well. Take loose the drag link eyelet bolt and manually compress and extend the unit . One bolt / nut (15mm and 18mm on mine).It should have smooth movement in both directions. Don't compress past clean area on shaft though. To re assemble, my bock calls for 64lb but good and tight is a save bet, the nut is a self locking type. Good luck
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,275
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From: Long Island, NY
The stock stabilizer is so cheap and little I doubt that this is what caused it. I would lean more towards the track bar, or something else coming loose. Or the sway bar links and bushings... who knows though.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 42,561
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From: Long Island USA
Jack the front wheels off the ground, turn the wheel to where you have the problem, and start the engine.
If it immediately takes off and moves the steering wheel, (or the wheel keeps moving on it's own when you move it) it's the spool valve in the steering box leaking internally.
A new steering box is in your future, sounds like.
But let's do more diagnosis before we tell you to spend hundreds of dollars and it doesn't fix it
If it immediately takes off and moves the steering wheel, (or the wheel keeps moving on it's own when you move it) it's the spool valve in the steering box leaking internally.
A new steering box is in your future, sounds like.
But let's do more diagnosis before we tell you to spend hundreds of dollars and it doesn't fix it
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 126
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From: East Lansing, MI
i have this exact same problem happening in my truck so i hope we get it figured out. the previous owner replaced the steering box in my truck if i remember correctly so maybe he used a reman. cheap one as this was my first guess. a mechanic on a ride-a-long guessed axle end u-joints but i dont believe this since i dont get any binding spinning them by hand.
mine has been getting worse. i guessed the steering stabilizer at first as it was easy to take off and fix. it still did it on a test drive. truck is 2005 f-250 with harley trim and 112,000 miles. i have stock size tires with a leveling kit and f-350 blocks.
mine has been getting worse. i guessed the steering stabilizer at first as it was easy to take off and fix. it still did it on a test drive. truck is 2005 f-250 with harley trim and 112,000 miles. i have stock size tires with a leveling kit and f-350 blocks.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 42,561
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From: Long Island USA
One way to really make sure would be to pull the power steering lines from the box, connect them together, and take it for a drive (of course, no power steering, and the box will pee all over the place unless you drain it well first).
But if you get a wheel jerk just turning the wheel from lock to lock without even moving, that's a sure sign something's wrong with the spool valve in the box.
But if you get a wheel jerk just turning the wheel from lock to lock without even moving, that's a sure sign something's wrong with the spool valve in the box.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 126
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From: East Lansing, MI
on mine, it likes to do it on gradual turns. like a left hand turn from a stop light across a wide road at higher speeds - not idle speed. do you think i should put the new steering stabilizer on or leave it off until i figure it out? im not driving it very much as the risk of it staying locked or taking me into oncoming traffic is kind of scary.
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 361
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From: Eagle River, Alaska
On cold (10 deg. or lower) mornings my 04 makes a growl for awhile (20 or so seconds) thats stoppable with slight turning preasure applied to the steering wheel. It to seams to maybe, have the beginnings of this issue krewat mentions. The New stabilizer could be put on, but if the steering box has to come off and your not driving her now for safety concerns you might wait till reassembly. Although if you have to drive it to a dealer or shop for the work, it may dampen the condition.
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FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Long Island USA
Original poster hasn't been back since 2010, and the second guy since 2016 - but you never know - if their email addresses are the same, they'll get a post notification and perhaps come back to explain 
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,298
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From: NJ
Ujoint in one of your front axles is binding up or stiff. It'll do this intermittently at random times even with hubs unlocked. Pull the spindle so you can evaluate ujoint condition and it'll be apparent, ujoints are cheap enough but they can be a bear to change in front shafts if they've been in there a few decades.
Steering stabilizer you can disconnect one end and manually cycle it. It shouldn't bind, but fir the most part shocks only bind up from striking an object or otherwise being crushed or bent.
Steering stabilizer you can disconnect one end and manually cycle it. It shouldn't bind, but fir the most part shocks only bind up from striking an object or otherwise being crushed or bent.
New User
Joined: Mar 2019
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Mine is doing the same thing did you have any luck on finding out what it is
[QUOTE=PSD4ME;6359205]Today coming home from work I made a left hand turn and when I straightened out the wheel it would not let me drive straight. It kept jerking to the left or right. I pulled over and checked everything, even jacked up the front end and checked all the tie rod ends and wheel bearings, ball joints, etc for play and everything was tight. I tried to drive it again and it was fine.
Is it possibly the steering stabilizer? I just could not hold the wheel straight for anything. It only wanted to be 1/8 turn to the right or left. Anywhere else in the range from lock to lock was fine also. I don't see any signs either or rubbing or contact on any of the linkage in the front end either.
I'm stumped and I'm going on holidays next Friday and will be towing a 24' travel trailer across Ontario (about 4500km round trip) with my two young boys and really want to sort this out before then.
Oh ya, and the truck has 50,000 miles on it now.:confh
Is it possibly the steering stabilizer? I just could not hold the wheel straight for anything. It only wanted to be 1/8 turn to the right or left. Anywhere else in the range from lock to lock was fine also. I don't see any signs either or rubbing or contact on any of the linkage in the front end either.
I'm stumped and I'm going on holidays next Friday and will be towing a 24' travel trailer across Ontario (about 4500km round trip) with my two young boys and really want to sort this out before then.
Oh ya, and the truck has 50,000 miles on it now.:confh
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 5,946
Likes: 62
From: in the woods of MA
This is a definitely possibilty =>
Had exactly the same issue on my 2006 350
Ujoint in one of your front axles is binding up or stiff. It'll do this intermittently at random times even with hubs unlocked. Pull the spindle so you can evaluate ujoint condition and it'll be apparent, ujoints are cheap enough but they can be a bear to change in front shafts if they've been in there a few decades.
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