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Help me diagnose my steering problem

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Old Jun 26, 2010 | 03:05 PM
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Help me diagnose my steering problem

'04 E350 with the 5.4

Had a good local shop replace ball joints and tie rod ends due to play in them. Afterwards, the steering has become what is best described as totally funky. It has lost its tendency to self-center and will actually hold up to ~15deg of steering input on its own without returning to center. Makes for a very nervous drive down the freeway at 75 mph.

At first I thought the caster was off. They threw it on the alignment rack a second time to verify, and it was within spec. I don't know what else to do. What could cause this?
 
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Old Jun 26, 2010 | 03:53 PM
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Sounds like they tried to tighten the steering box ajustment screw and over did it.
If thats what it is then a steering box from Red Head is your best bet.
 
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Old Jun 26, 2010 | 07:34 PM
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I've read good things about the Red Heads, but I'm afraid to ask a price. Anybody know? A Motorcraft one can be had for $250, so I'm using that as my basis.
 
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Old Jun 27, 2010 | 04:17 PM
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It was only a little more than the motor craft.
Think it was $290 or so shipped and with the core shipped back.

The diffrence is big. I will never put a stock rebuild in a truck again now that I have used one of these.
 
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Old Jun 27, 2010 | 05:45 PM
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An 04 needing a steering box, WTH was it used for, my 99 has 135,000 and the factory ball joints on one side and steering box, a pothole took out the other side, was 2 pavement layers deep hit at 75 MPH. Really sounds like camber or toe since it came after repairs.
 
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Old Jun 28, 2010 | 05:11 AM
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We drive alot--its got 150k on the clock.
 
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