On and off for about a month I have been having steering trouble with my 06' F250 Super Duty Crew Cab 4 X 4 Short Box Diesel. It started when I was making a left hand turn at about 10 mph, I didn't turn the wheel all the way, and after completing the turn it was hard to return to center. I returned the wheel to center and everything was fine. A week later the same thing, then a couple days later the same thing. This went on for about two weeks, but only when turning left. After two weeks I made a left turn and had trouble getting it back to center, and then the wheel was locking just left of center and corrected it and then it went just right of center and it kept doing that. I pulled over and turned the wheel to lockout left and right a few times and then it was fine, for a few seconds and made a right turn and it did the same thing, the wheel was whipping back and forth (driving @ about 25 mph). I continued for about 100 yards parked it for about 30 minutes, checked all of the front suspensions parts (tie rod ends, ball joints, etc.), solid as a rock. I got back in it and drove down the road making lefts and rights and nothing, I thought it might be the steering dampener. I bought one, dealer only part, which I didn't change for a few days and nothing happened. I changed the steering dampener and for a couple days nothing and then it happend again, wheel oscilation/whipping back and forth. I pulled over and did the same thing in a parking lot, turn the wheel back and forth and turned in circles left and right and it was gone. I just put on new tires today and now the wheel isn't as responsive, a little delay when you turn it. When turning the wheel slightly to the left its like there is a high spot, like trying to turn the wheel up a curb from a stop. Can anyone please give me some advice? I checked for a Recall or TSB and nothing. I really don't want to have to take it to the dealership if I don't have to! <!-- / message --><!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE: ad_showthread_firstpost_sig --><!-- END TEMPLATE: ad_showthread_firstpost_sig -->

 

Are you still under warranty?

 

I'm not under warranty, the extended warranty was outrageous. I have 67,000 miles on my truck.

 

I am having the exact same problem on my 06 F250 CC Diesel. I have had it in the shop twice and they can't figure it out. Let me know if you find something out and I will do the same.

 

It is almost certainly power steering related, not in the steering linkages or suspension. The first thing to try would be a complete power steering fluid change.

 

After the dealer had it for 3 days it was actually the passenger UV joint, and it cost about $1100.00. If you engage your four wheel drive it will do it almost everytime you make the left turn, at least that was what the service adviser told me. The parts were only like four hundred and something, five hundred and something in labor and of course got to have an alignment done when its all finished. Oh yeah they had to replace both ball joints too, not a good idea to remove them to replace the UV joint and not replace them why its all apart. Its hard to believe that the UV joint only lasted 70,000, I tried to put grease in the drivers side one but nothing would go in (I hope its full). By the way the UV joints are the parts from the factory that have grease fittings, that I could find. The service adviser did inform me that they aren't serviceable, which I took to mean they can't be greased but I think he was trying to tell me that you have to replace them (can't be repaired with new caps and needle bearings). I did change the power steering fluid in the reservoir before I took it to the dealer, by the way it holds a little over a quart of fluid, and it seem to help but that wasn't it either. I hope this helps, please let me know if it does.

 

Thanks for the update. It's good to know these things.

 

I would have been glad to know about it without having to spend $1100.00. Any ideas on changing fuel filter on the frame rail? The last time I tried to do it the fuel wouldn't stop coming out, so I went to the dealer $220.00 and they wanted an extra $50.00 to drain off the water. I told the service adviser I just did it before I came up there and that was the reason I came in! So he didn't charge the whole thing which would have been $250.00. Do you know of any reason why the fuel wouldn't stop coming out? I let the fuel drain out of the drain for about 15 minutes, the first time I changed it I only had it drain for about a minute. I took off the cover and changed it and put it all back together and it was fine.

 

I have not had that problem, but it gets mentioned here now and then, so I know it happens. Some guys say to wait to change your filters until you are down to less than 1/2 tank of fuel. It's less likely to siphon that way. Also, make sure you open the water trap drain first, and let it stop running from there before you pull the filter cap off. Makes less mess doing it that way too.

Here is a guide in PDF:
http://archiesfordstore.com/How_to_C...el_Filters.pdf

Also, try the 6.0 diesel forum here at FTE. There is a ton of info.

 

Shady; So is your steering fine now?

 

Reading this brought back memories from years ago. My 88 250 did this. I was making a somewhat hard right turn going maybe a little too quick on to my street. I had one hand on the wheel and the other on a Coke. The wheel didn't return and I ended up on my neighbors front lawn who lived on the corner. It did the problem once before this happen but ignored it after it didn't repeat itself. It was the UV joint. Besides the cost of fixing it, a little landscaping and a couple of lawn ornaments was added in.

 

Thanks bpounds, I actually just sent that link to a friend of mine that just bought the same year/make/model truck I have. I don't remember how much fuel I had in the tank the last time I changed it, but I think I'll wait till I have less than a half of a tank. I'm not sure why that would make a difference, maybe it would depend on where the sending unit is located in the tank. Even if the tank was empty the lines would still have fuel in them, but after my steering (UV joint) problem anything is possible!

In response to EXv10, yes it was good as new. If I hadn't needed it for a trip I would have waited and done the work myself, except for the alignment of course.

I wish that VTX1800rider had responded to my first post then I would have had looked at the UV joint instead of looking at the steering, but as with life you live and you learn.

 

I would have mentioned the UJoints but they are not supposed to turn at all unless you are in 4WD so you might want to look into that. If your wheel hubs are bad the added friction can spin the joints in 2WD.

 

I was thinking that too, Brent. But then I realized that, even though the U-joints are not turning, they still have to bend during a turn. If they are bad enough I guess they don't want to bend easily.

 

I don't think that they are spinning when in 2WD, I think that the UV joint happened to be turned in just the right way to bind when I was making my turn. The hubs on my truck only have two settings: Auto and Lock. My '01 F350 had only two settings also: Lock and Unlocked (there was an option for three settings, adding Auto. You got me wondering if they are spinning, I only keep them set to Auto, while I driving down the road (I'll have to check it out).