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FRONT END TROUBLE

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Old Sep 21, 2010 | 12:48 PM
  #1  
jgilrfr's Avatar
jgilrfr
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Laughing Gas
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From: Staten Island,hamilton ny
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FRONT END TROUBLE

i have been experiencing the steering wheel get stuck when I make turns,it doesnt happen al the time.When it does happen it will pull to one side,or the other.If I give a quick tug in the opposite direction it is pulling it seems to be ok for again.I jacked it up with both tires off the ground,put a bar under each tire and dont see any play in the ball joints.I grabbed each tire at 3 and 9 position and had no play.I spun the passenger tire and it seemed ok,a little bit of rubbing noise,I am guessing as the rotor passed through the pads.When I spun the driver side it did not spin as easily and there was a clicking noise like a baseball card in the spokes of a rim.I took the tir and caliper off and the inner pad was worn downalot more than the outer pad.It also was worn more in the rear of the pad than the front.When I spun the hub I still got the clicking noise but felt no play when I wiggled it.I replaced the pads and caliper last october and in november put in a redhead steering box.I am wondering if this is the bearing,u joint,both?Also would that explain the wear on the pad or could the caliper be bad or the rotor warped?What would cause the steering wheel to hang up like that?Any help is greatly appreciated.I have an early 99 F350 with 197,000 mi,no lift 265x75x16 tires also ne last october.
 
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Old Sep 21, 2010 | 01:39 PM
  #2  
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robles4242
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It may be the bearing in the column if you remove the steering wheel itself you will see it. Same thing happened to a buddy of mine. He also had a lot of slop if you shake the wheel up and down.
 
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Old Sep 21, 2010 | 01:50 PM
  #3  
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thomabb
Cargo Master
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When my U-joints started to act up, they caused the sticking steering feeling you describe. Take a good hard look at them. Intermittent binding is really difficult to diagnose. My mechanic gave them the OK twice before he caught them binding.
 
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Old Sep 21, 2010 | 04:21 PM
  #4  
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dzldenny
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From: Luxemburg WI
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My 90 would do that when I bought it. It would fight you when you tried to correct it and let go all at once causing over-correction. Front u-joints fixed it. I also put a new steering stabilizer at the same time, but it was the joints for sure. Lock the hubs manually with the tires on the ground and let the t-case in 2wd. Grab the inside shafts of the front axle and see if there is any play in the joints. Lift as well as push and pull. Mine was visible.
 
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Old Oct 16, 2010 | 02:12 AM
  #5  
jgilrfr's Avatar
jgilrfr
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Laughing Gas
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Joined: Aug 2008
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From: Staten Island,hamilton ny
Club FTE Gold Member
ends up the u joint was frozen in one direction,also started getting a grinding noise in the bearing so that gor changed also,I took someone's advice on here and got four new studs and nuts for it also,thanks for the help
 
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