Couldn't agree more.

You could disconnect the drag link completely and if the vehicle has enough caster is will track straight. (do not try this) if not the physics lead to an unstable solution that we call wander.

maybe ernesteugene can post the math equations for us.

nothing to do with steering wheel slop, although having both problems really makes it hard to keep it between the navigation beacons

Similar concept with casters on the front of a shopping cart. the wheel axis is behind the center of rotation. when you pull the cart back wards the geometry goes unstable and they flip around.

In summary here are the parts that may affect wander
-alignment = yes (possibly due to the items below)
-shot wheel bearing = yes
-busted ball joint = yes
-tires = yes
-worn out tie rod = yes (affects toe)

-sloppy steering box = no
-missing or shot steering stabilizer = no
-DP tuner = no (but get one anyway)

-nut behind the wheel drunk, on cel phone or both=

 

I installed a Dual Stabilizer kit on my 00' 250 4x4. It helped a good deal with Bump-steer and maybe a little w/ wander...I still wander a bit too and did alot of front-end work...It's weird because I have a 98 dodge diesel too and the front ends look pretty darn close in nature and it don't wander at all really (but it rides like shiiit ) . I have D rated tires...thinking about it, the Dodge has "E"s and I am starting to think this may be part of the problem in my Ford...I need new sneakers anyway, maybeI will try a set of Michelin E-Rated and see what happens...someone brought up the tires and I vote that as a Good Point too

 

I just did a steering box in our parts truck at work. 99 f-250 7.3L 4x4 with 250K on it. The box was indeed shot but everything else on the front end is good, shocks,tires,springs, balljoints ,tierods. It did wander all over the place once i changed that it improved alot. Its straight down the road now.

 

I dont agree on the tires, I did both D's and E's on a few trucks. My both my trucks right now have D's on them, the last trucks had E's, then D's, then E's again. I never noticed a diffrence between tires other than my wallet was thinner. I hear guys talk about sidewall flex all the time, I guess maybe if you run a cheaper thin wall tire or a larger one you might have some flex, but never noticed any difference. I still say there is a geometry problem here.

 

Jeff, you are right about the geo problem. But if the sidewall is flexing too much, your geo goes right out the window. Compression on the front will throw it forward and compression on the rear will bring it backwards. I am trying to find the spec sheet after fighting with the front of my truck for about three months. After the shop did it the way I wanted instead of saying this is what the books says, my problems went away, and the front tires wear flat across the tread. Yes, this is on a Ford 4X4. I added more backwards tilt and a little more toe due to the 70 series tire. Also, I put 400 pounds in the bed above the rear axle, 1/2 tank of fuel and 125 pounds in the drivers seat. I also made sure that all four corners were at the right height. With the bed empty and the fuel tank about dry, it will get a little loose, but I would rather have it loose than too damn tight and have to put up with Stevie, Bertha and Death.

Dang, I wish I could find that sheet so I could tell yall the before and after specs.

 

One thread was talking about caster wedges. What are they and has any of you tried them?

Budman

 

When you say compression on the front will throw IT forward what is IT referring to?

I pull my trailer for 12 years with a 97 Suburban 4x4 with Michelin E rtaed tires. I now pull wit a 04 Excursion 4x4 with E rated tires. I never knew the trailer was back there with the Sub. The Excursion was a death trap when I started. I have since installed Helwig sway bars front and rear and reduced the wandering and excessive sway problems about 80%. I am looking for the correction that will give me the other 20%.

I accept the fact that the caster is part of the problem and would like to hear more of your caster adjustment.

Thanks

 

IT refers to the angle of the axle or the forward/rearward and inward/outward tilt. The more forward your axle pivot is, the more sloppy handling and steering will be. The angle needs to be set exactly at how you drive the vehicle. If you drive with no cargo, no fuel and just yourself. you have the basic setup and the factory lsited spec will work. If you pull a trailer, load the bed down all the time and travel with a full passenger load, then that is how the vehicle should be when an alignment is done.

I know you have seen bad lift kits installed where the wheels are canted in at the top and it burns off the inside of the tires. The lifts wre installed without using camber/caster shims and I am not talking about the cams used to do this setting on the top of the axle. The main part of an alignment is getting this angle set first, then you later fine tune it with the cam sleeves. Most alignment shops will not do this even though they will charge the 2 1/2 hours or more for a truck alignment. If these measurements are not taken first, it will never be right. You do the front, then set the pinion angle on the back (for thrust), then go back to the front and tweak it more. Then a minor toe-in set, then do the cam tweak on the top, finishing up with a toe-in set. If it is not done in this order, you are not getting a proper alignment and your shop alignment shop just took you for a ride and by the way, most of them do. They see you coming, get that jar of vasoline out and just enjoy the hell out of themselves.

Budman, caster wedges is what you us to initially set the front angles and the rear pinion angle. The same as the shims I mentioned above.

 

But.. I adjusted the backlash on my steering box yesterday.

First attempt I adjusted the center screw a 1/2 turn then locked it down. drove it and it seemed better.

2nd attempt... adjusted the center screw another 1/2 turn ... locked it down. took it for a 2nd test drive and it seemed even better..

The steering wheel is still auto returning to the center position but it feels considerably stiffer. In my opinion, it does not appear to be binding.

I guess I will drive it for a week or so and see if I still agree that it is better... I will update w/conclusions.

 

Any chance you could share some info on how you did this?

I have noticed that my truck has between 3 and 4 inches of play in the steering wheel. By that I mean I can move the wheel either way about 2 inches before the vehicle's wheels actually move enough to change direction of the vehicle.

 

Tools needed: 5/8’s box wrench and an allen wrench (1/4 or 5/16’s)
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There is a 5/8’s lock nut and center set screw on top of your steering gear box. Take the 5/8 wrench and loosen the outer lock nut about a1/4 turn. Then with your allen wrech, turn the center set screw ½ turn clockwise and lockdown with the 5/8 lock nut. Take for a test drive and see if its any better. Continue to repeat this process until you are comfortable with the steering.
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CAUTION: Do not over tighten your center set screw. Over tightening will cause your steering gears to bind and you do not want this. This is bad bad stuff.
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After looking at this .. I am sort of leaning toward the mind set that Ford has put a less than adequate steering box on the Super Duty trucks, and has been doing so forever. I don’t think there is a problem with the power steering pump either. Just my 2cents.
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Good Luck and make sure you steering wheel auto reciprocates. If it doesn’t, you have prolly’ over tightened.
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Rock on……

 

It is a good idea to flush the power steering pump and hydro-boost system(diesel only on the hydro-boost) and fill up with synthetic tranny fluid.

 

Always make sure to hold the allen screw steady as you tighten the lock nut. I didn't hold the allen screw when I adjusted mine and the lock nut was turning the adjustment screw and it over tightened.Then I could hardly turn the wheel.

Budman

 

This is what I have done to try and get rid of the wandering. With no success.
Moog ball joints
Front end alignment
Energy suspensions sway bar and end link bushings
Energy suspensions track bar bushings
New KYB steering stabilizer
New tires (yokahoma geolander AT-S 265/75/16)E rated
Flushed the power steering fluid
Adjusted the steering gear box.
Second front end alignment
Still have to make constant inputs on the steering wheel to keep it going straight. When I tow a travel trailer it is worse. It is a white knuckle experience. What do you guys think I should try next?
The new tires made it worse until I had a few thousand miles on them. I put 80 PSI in them.
I really like this truck and don't want to get rid of it.
Help!!

Thanks,
Budman

 

anybody try a 4 wheel alignment ?