PLEASE! Help With Steering.
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PLEASE! Help With Steering.
I have a 2003 F250, every now and then the steering goes erratic. It will pull left, then pull right, and it is hard to control. Fluid is good and there is nothing I can see that is loose? Ball joints were recently repalced as were lower control arms. Any help is much appreciated, it is real scarry when this happens at 50+MPH.
Tuned
Joined: Aug 2006
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Do you have a 2 or a 4 wheel drive? Does the wheel ocillate left and right or does it just jerk in either direction at any given time? If it ocillates, do a search for death wobble on this site. That will help a lot. If it just jerks, I would check the wheel hub/bearing assy real closely (4wd model only, I think?). More experience should jump in here soon.
Best of luck, Aaron
Where are my manners?? Welcome to FTE!!!
Best of luck, Aaron
Where are my manners?? Welcome to FTE!!!
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The term "death wobble" only applies to the coil-spring front end for the 2005's and up.
Again, does the steering wheel oscillate back and forth, or does it just suddenly decide to veer right or left?
Does it do this when you step on the brakes? Or just driving along in a straight line?
Again, does the steering wheel oscillate back and forth, or does it just suddenly decide to veer right or left?
Does it do this when you step on the brakes? Or just driving along in a straight line?
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Iy just pulls in one direction then the next. This is a 4wd. It is at local ofrd dealr now and he claims it is the steering assist and the power steering seals are bad. There is a small leak in the outlet hose on the PS pump.
Elder User
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mine just started doing the same thing,
when turning the steering wheel will not correct sometimes, and when taking corners and curves in the road, i will turn the wheel a little the all of the sudden it pulls to the hard to that side.
Would that mean its the power steering pump?
Also since i bought my truck it has had a bad shake on the freeway at 75+
I just replaced the sway bar bushings and links
p.s. sorry for the thread high jack.
when turning the steering wheel will not correct sometimes, and when taking corners and curves in the road, i will turn the wheel a little the all of the sudden it pulls to the hard to that side.
Would that mean its the power steering pump?
Also since i bought my truck it has had a bad shake on the freeway at 75+
I just replaced the sway bar bushings and links
p.s. sorry for the thread high jack.
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Get a rebuilt or new steering box.
Replacing the internal seals in the spool valve involves tools that look like inside-out piston ring compressors - the seals are plastic rings that fit into grooves in the spool valve. You need to expand them, slip them onto the spool valve, and place into the grooves.
I did it once to a mid-80's e-series steering box, but only to replace the springs - not the seals. It was so loose it was horrendous. But the seals weren't leaking.
If the box decides to just take off in a direction of it's own, the spool valve is allowing fluid to flow in a certain direction (leaking past the internal seals).
And this is all assuming the bore where the spool valve goes (and the valve itself) is not worn out and all scored or grooved.
Make sure it's the box first, though
Replacing the internal seals in the spool valve involves tools that look like inside-out piston ring compressors - the seals are plastic rings that fit into grooves in the spool valve. You need to expand them, slip them onto the spool valve, and place into the grooves.
I did it once to a mid-80's e-series steering box, but only to replace the springs - not the seals. It was so loose it was horrendous. But the seals weren't leaking.
If the box decides to just take off in a direction of it's own, the spool valve is allowing fluid to flow in a certain direction (leaking past the internal seals).
And this is all assuming the bore where the spool valve goes (and the valve itself) is not worn out and all scored or grooved.
Make sure it's the box first, though
FTE Leadership Emeritus
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From: Long Island USA
Actually, looking at a service manual just now, it doesn't look that bad to do - maybe check with Ford to see what parts they actually have - but I don't think they supply parts - just complete rebuilt boxes.
The valve is called a "rotary valve" - I called it a spool valve for some reason all these years
Here's a link I found, for a Saginaw box, the Superduty one is similar, but ...
Saginaw Steering Box Rebuild - Four Wheeler Magazine
The valve is called a "rotary valve" - I called it a spool valve for some reason all these years
Here's a link I found, for a Saginaw box, the Superduty one is similar, but ...
Saginaw Steering Box Rebuild - Four Wheeler Magazine
FTE Leadership Emeritus
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OK, even better, here's a PDF from the 2003 service manual from motorcraftservice.com
https://www.motorcraftservice.com/pu...9/S3OB2012.PDF
The complete manual is at:
https://www.motorcraftservice.com/pu...20/S3OMAIN.HTM
2003 F-Super Duty 250-550/Excursion Workshop Manual
https://www.motorcraftservice.com/pu...9/S3OB2012.PDF
The complete manual is at:
https://www.motorcraftservice.com/pu...20/S3OMAIN.HTM
2003 F-Super Duty 250-550/Excursion Workshop Manual
FTE Leadership Emeritus
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I'm lovin' those motorcraftservice.com links someone posted a while back.
I suspect it won't last forever, they are still "subscription" services and I suspect it's just a backdoor way to get around the login authentication.
I suspect it won't last forever, they are still "subscription" services and I suspect it's just a backdoor way to get around the login authentication.
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