Steering problem (wheel jerks back and forth)
New User
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Lots of great info here folks. I have one for you, my Ex is a 2004 4X4 Limited V10 with 37,000 miles (yep don't drive it much but love it all the same). when we d drive it no matter what speed it wanders to the point you must have a firm grip on the wheel. Most of you outline issue on Excursions with high mileage (box adjustments, pump replacements etc.) I too am a Class 8 Truck Mechanic and the geometry on these trucks are different then Excursions. In the effort of reducing the "throw parts at it" syndrome I wanted your feed back on this. I am going to oil (no zerk fitting) the ball joints and try that, then the u-joints (again no zerks) hopefully next weekend.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 11,798
Likes: 14
From: Mt. Shasta California
Neither had I but, I have never seen a "U" joint cap seized solid, I worked class eights, the little stuff is a learning experience for me I always did, a lot of small stuff not a lot of Ford 1 tons.
The reason we were looking for a bent axle was that would give you a jerking motion, the shafts were perfect.
The reason we were looking for a bent axle was that would give you a jerking motion, the shafts were perfect.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 11,798
Likes: 14
From: Mt. Shasta California
I have a 2001 Excursion That has been getting steering problems for the last few months. I have had the front end looked at twice and the only found problem is stiff ball joints on both sides. The steering issue is that while driving straight down the road you can feel it start to pull to the right and then either give way jerking back to the right or I will physically over correct it myself to bring it back to center. It has gotten to the point that it feels like its on a timer of going every minute or so then release. Once after turning left I had to hold the wheel turned 1/8 of a turn to the right to keep it straight until I got to a spot on the road and gave it a jerk which corrected the issue.
Now my wife is telling me that it still pulls to the right and now when she turns it back to the left she is hearing a clicking noise coming from the steering. I have talked to another mechanic and he told me about the seal in the gearbox going bad but ther eis no good way to check it while on the truck. After 15 pages I see the problem is most likely the steering box, but did anyone actually replace the box and fix the issue?
Now my wife is telling me that it still pulls to the right and now when she turns it back to the left she is hearing a clicking noise coming from the steering. I have talked to another mechanic and he told me about the seal in the gearbox going bad but ther eis no good way to check it while on the truck. After 15 pages I see the problem is most likely the steering box, but did anyone actually replace the box and fix the issue?
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Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 11,798
Likes: 14
From: Mt. Shasta California
I have a 2001 Excursion That has been getting steering problems for the last few months. I have had the front end looked at twice and the only found problem is stiff ball joints on both sides. The steering issue is that while driving straight down the road you can feel it start to pull to the right and then either give way jerking back to the right or I will physically over correct it myself to bring it back to center. It has gotten to the point that it feels like its on a timer of going every minute or so then release. Once after turning left I had to hold the wheel turned 1/8 of a turn to the right to keep it straight until I got to a spot on the road and gave it a jerk which corrected the issue.
Now my wife is telling me that it still pulls to the right and now when she turns it back to the left she is hearing a clicking noise coming from the steering. I have talked to another mechanic and he told me about the seal in the gearbox going bad but ther eis no good way to check it while on the truck. After 15 pages I see the problem is most likely the steering box, but did anyone actually replace the box and fix the issue?
Now my wife is telling me that it still pulls to the right and now when she turns it back to the left she is hearing a clicking noise coming from the steering. I have talked to another mechanic and he told me about the seal in the gearbox going bad but ther eis no good way to check it while on the truck. After 15 pages I see the problem is most likely the steering box, but did anyone actually replace the box and fix the issue?
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 225
Likes: 4
From: ILL relocated to Ozarks
I have a 2001 Excursion That has been getting steering problems for the last few months. I have had the front end looked at twice and the only found problem is stiff ball joints on both sides. The steering issue is that while driving straight down the road you can feel it start to pull to the right and then either give way jerking back to the right or I will physically over correct it myself to bring it back to center. It has gotten to the point that it feels like its on a timer of going every minute or so then release. Once after turning left I had to hold the wheel turned 1/8 of a turn to the right to keep it straight until I got to a spot on the road and gave it a jerk which corrected the issue.
Now my wife is telling me that it still pulls to the right and now when she turns it back to the left she is hearing a clicking noise coming from the steering. I have talked to another mechanic and he told me about the seal in the gearbox going bad but ther eis no good way to check it while on the truck. After 15 pages I see the problem is most likely the steering box, but did anyone actually replace the box and fix the issue?
Now my wife is telling me that it still pulls to the right and now when she turns it back to the left she is hearing a clicking noise coming from the steering. I have talked to another mechanic and he told me about the seal in the gearbox going bad but ther eis no good way to check it while on the truck. After 15 pages I see the problem is most likely the steering box, but did anyone actually replace the box and fix the issue?
Has now been good as new for the last 20K miles.
I do still have a steering box problem in that it is loose, the original BOX had to be replace at 25K mi under warrenty and now the replacement has also loosened up at 90K mi. Maybe the RED Hats are a better choice then the OEM part??
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Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 11,798
Likes: 14
From: Mt. Shasta California
I am leaning more to the u-joint side even though the joint doesn't turn when you are in 2WD. I think it actually did turn because there was friction in the hub which turned the stub shaft etc. (I serviced the hub). Funny thing is that it was fine for 2 weeks after I changed the PS pump so I can't rule it out. I was told it could be a valve inside my PS box. I still have the same PS box and it works fine and is very tight after 160k miles.
New User
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
I talked to another mechanic yesterday. He told me a stiff or seized u-joint on the axle ends would cause my problem. He told me to rotate them with the axles unlocked and they should turn freely by hand. Mine do not. He also said to lock the hubs and drive it. When I did it drove straight fine but if I turned there was obvious binding in the u-joint. The way he explained it to me was that even thought the hubs are unlocked the axle will still turn with the amount of friction in the wheels and when it turns to the u-joint side that is seized it can give me the jerking motion I described to him. He said another check is to mark the axle location when I am having the problem the turn it to the opposite joints and mark again. When the problem re-occurs re-check to see if the originally marked joints are back to the original location. This makes sense because while tampering one day I turned the axle ends by hand and the problem seemed to go away for a few miles of driving.
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Thread Starter
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Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 11,798
Likes: 14
From: Mt. Shasta California
I talked to another mechanic yesterday. He told me a stiff or seized u-joint on the axle ends would cause my problem. He told me to rotate them with the axles unlocked and they should turn freely by hand. Mine do not. He also said to lock the hubs and drive it. When I did it drove straight fine but if I turned there was obvious binding in the u-joint. The way he explained it to me was that even thought the hubs are unlocked the axle will still turn with the amount of friction in the wheels and when it turns to the u-joint side that is seized it can give me the jerking motion I described to him. He said another check is to mark the axle location when I am having the problem the turn it to the opposite joints and mark again. When the problem re-occurs re-check to see if the originally marked joints are back to the original location. This makes sense because while tampering one day I turned the axle ends by hand and the problem seemed to go away for a few miles of driving.
Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
I had one the "U" joint was seized it wobbled the steering he had Warren hubs and it destroyed the one on that side we had it apart a couple of times before we finally pulled the axle, I was initially thinking the axle shafts were bent, one new "U" joint a seal and a new hub and he was good to go.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 11,798
Likes: 14
From: Mt. Shasta California
I had one the "U" joint was seized it wobbled the steering he had Warren hubs and it destroyed the one on that side we had it apart a couple of times before we finally pulled the axle, I was initially thinking the axle shafts were bent, one new "U" joint a seal and a new hub and he was good to go.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 322
Likes: 2
steer wheel gremlins
I Have had this happen three times now. The first time it happened I blamed it on the Wheel bearing(already new one was bad) I changed both front bearings, thought this fix problem at least for awhile. Then it happened a second time I thought r front caliper( noticed it was cracked when I changed hubs) so I replaced caliper, that seemed to fix, so I thought. Today it happened again, this time I was on the highway doing 70mph in the middle lane when it starting jerking violently .I limped into an empty parking lot where I looked under truck to see if something broke, but could not find anything.So I drove from one side of parking lot to the other at less then 5mph, no hand on steering wheel you could see the steering wheel turn by itself left,right,left,right From 4 a clock to 8 a clock to 4 a clock to 8 a clock. Im wandering if u joints have solved this problem for others, I really dont want to start throwing parts at this.I have parked this truck until problem is solved. It scared the poop out of me on the Highway
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 225
Likes: 4
From: ILL relocated to Ozarks
turn the steerring to the left and to the right and try turning the u-joint by hand with the hubs unlocked at each position and for each front u-joint. You should find that one of them has seized up again. When I had the same problem I also had a bad wheeel bearing on the side of the seized joint. U-joint tool (dont forget the rust Blaster) was able to pop the joint out of the yoke without the need to cut it out.
I Would recommend using Spicer joints ONLY with the grease fittings rather then all those other cheap brands! Periodicly give the joints a shot of grease also. Make sure you replace all the seals while your at it.
I Would recommend using Spicer joints ONLY with the grease fittings rather then all those other cheap brands! Periodicly give the joints a shot of grease also. Make sure you replace all the seals while your at it.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 322
Likes: 2
u joints
You are right theonlypheonix I checked today and yes I do have a seized u-joint, and it is on the same side as that the bad wheel bearing was. I am headed to get u-joints now.I probably wont change till this weekend its to damn hot outside 106 it supposed to cool down too only 100 this weekend. thanks for pointing me in the right direction.