I have a 2000 Expedition Eddie Bauer with trailer tow package and rear load leveler.

I have experienced alignment and wheel balance problemssince delivery a little over two weeks ago. The wheels were out of balance when I drove it home from the dealer and so was the alignment. The car tended to drift to the right on a level road and lacked "road sense." What I mean by "road sense," is the car requires lots of attention and seems to want to wander from side to side and doesn't maintain a course.

The car has only 300 miles on it and it has been aligned and wheels rebalanced by the dealer but the steeering wheel still shakes as does the driver door outside mirror. It still drifts to the right on a level road. I am suspicious that the tires may be out-of-round. They could be in balance but if out of round (or the wheel(s) bent, it will still vibrate. Also the ride is stiffer than I like even though the tires have the recommended air pressure according to the decao on the door jamb.

 

>"I am suspicious that the tires may be out-of-round. They could be in balance but if out of round (or the wheel(s) bent, it will still vibrate."
Several years ago a friend of mine had an apparent balance and/or vibration problem. It took about 10,000 mile to find that one of the wheels (not tires) was not round or the lug holes were off center. Not sure which, but the bounce and vibration was about as you describe. You can balance an out of round but it is still out of round. Good luck in your quest to solve the problem.

 

With the way they balance tires/wheels, it is almost impossible for the operator to use any device, including the old Mark 8 eyeball, to see the wheel as it is turning and check runout. They mike brake drums and rotors to check runout-or out-of-roundness but I don't think they do that for tires and wheels when they are balanced.
The place the tire and wheel on a spindle and close a hood over it and punch a button and when it stops, they hammer some weights where the arrow points. Another aspect, I wonder how often, if ever, the wheel balance machine is actually calibrated? And after the first balance and adding ofweights, do they re-spin the wheel to check to see if it is really balanced?

 

I have had the alignment problem with two expy's. Both my 97 and 98 were pulling right from more than just road crown. The second one was fixed not only by alignment, but by the front torsion bar height adjustment. So far its nuts on and fells great.
I had this done at a frame shop after I had new tires put on.

 

I gotta tel you I am a salesperson at a Ford dealership-and just bought a 97 Expy Eddie Bauer. I love the looks and styling-but I am about freaked out at the way it handles-the slightest steering wheel move-and it is all over the place! Personally, I find that a bit scary in such a big vehicle. I keep waiting for someone to call me in as a drunk driver-the way I feel like I am swerving! Has anyone else had this problem...and does anyone know why it handles like this? Is there any way to correct it? I hate to even post this since I sell these rigs-but, I was way surprised at the handling-after I bought it of course! LOL...Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated- aside from the "jiggly steering" I am totally in love with the Expy.

 

I am scheduled to take my '98 Eddie Bauer Expedition in for an alignment. I thought it needed one because it sways/pulls to the right. Are you telling me an alignment won't fix this? What do I need to do? What are the "90 owner postings and what Ford did to fix it" that you mention in your message.

 

He's telling you about the different methods people used to get their money back and that the dealer is going off of factory specs and that is why you come out of the shop out of alignment.

 

My 98 was driving me nuts, wandering all over the road, bad tire wear. I put new Cooper tires on and added Rancho RS9000 shocks and had it aligned again. This made a world of difference in ride and feel. I had this done 10k ago and I am pleased.

 

Try Rancho RS9000 shocks and adjust to the ride you like...I drive with mine on 4.

 

I have the same problems with my expedition. I have rotated tires eery 5,000miles and have excessive front tire wear on outside.

 

Don't take your truck to Ford to have it realingned. They have factory specifications that the alignment can be within certain perameters, and the same with the ride height. My wife has a 2000 explorer limited, the the left side is 1" higher than the right side. It is very noticable, and we took it back to Ford. They said that both sides were within factory specs, and that they could do nothing about it. This caused the ride to be rougher and the alingnment to be off. We took it to a Truck Frame and Alignment specialist, ad he cured all our problems. They do the alignment until the trcuk drives straight, not within the specification that Ford allows. I think you should try taking it somewhere else that does not go by Ford specs. The other tire places do it the same as Ford does, so that would be a waste of money. I had my Expi, with a 4" susp. lift and 3" body lift and 35" tires done by this Frame alignment place, and it was on the money. Ford tries 3 times and never got it close. They blamed it on the tires and everything else. I tested it after I got it back from the frame alignment place. I took the truck up to 80 mph on the interstate on a strightaway, took my hands off the wheel, and hit the brakes. STRAIGHT AS AN ARROW!!!! Ford could never come close to that.

 

I have a 97 4X4, and the alignment is always off. No matter what it is i try to do. Balance, rotate, and even aligning the front end does really nothing. The vehicle still pulls to the rigth. even though the shop shows me the parameters. I hear that the expy's need a camber kit which could cost in excess of $400. But the frame shop sounds like a better idea to me. Since ford can't really help.

 

>Anybody out there have an Exped
>w/alignment problems. I'd appreciate an
>e-mail with ANY info.Thanx

Changed to a BellTech suspension. 100% better handling. Also had to purchase a camber adjustment plate for around $50.

 

>cupping can be caused by tire inflation. You may have to experiment some,but IME it's usually under inflation. Also once they have become cupped very much it usually doesn't come out until the tires are about worn out.You can tell if it's getting worse though. Crash

 

I too have a 97 expy.I don't drive it too often-it is the wife's vehicle.When I do drive it it takes me about an hour of driving to get used to the steering.The slightest movement of the steering wheel and I am in the other lane.Someone said adding a steering stabilizer would take care of the problem.I don't know whether that will take care of the problem or not ,but I am going to give it a try.It can't make it any worse than it already is.I probably need to put some new shocks on too.