Ford - Ranger :: After Turning Steering Doesn't Want To Return To Center And Stay In The Turn
Mar 30, 2013
I have a 1987 ford ranger 4x4 with automatic hubs. My automatic hubs completely destroyed themselves and are being replaced with manuals as soon as this new problem is solved. Initially the truck seemed to go in and out of 4 wheel on the hubs and jumped, snapped and ultimately destroyed the retaining clips in the hub itself so that those gears fell out when wheel was removed. I removed both sides and that stopped, but now when I turn the vehicle, this worse at lower speeds, it doesn't want to return to center and will stay in the turn without much effort to turn back to straight.
The pump seems fine on the power steering system. A mechanic friend of mine told me that my universal and upper and lower ball joints where shot on the front axle, but I feel that this might have more to do with the steering rods etc. The originals have been replaced and I am able to grease them, after doing this it seemed really loose for a bit, then by second day of driving it was back to the usual. I just am looking for some verification before replacing tie rods etc and then eventually the hubs, but winter over so there is less concern right now for that.
View 2 Replies
Advertisement
I have a 2009 screw with ~60k miles. It is used for DD and tows our small camper or my flat deck w/jeep.
The other day I noticed an issue when turning right. The wheel gets hard to turn and does not want to return to center. There is also a low speed clunk you can feel in the steering wheel/column itself.
The truck is at the dealer now and they said the rack needs to be replaced and there is something in the column they need to replace too. I have the extended warranty, so this is all but covered 100%. I just have a deductible to pay.
I have not hit anything with the truck, so I am not sure what caused these issues.
View 3 Replies
Just bought this '08 F250 CCSB 4X4 5.4 Problem is the steering seems heavy, it tends to wander at higher speeds and won't return to center after a turn. I've searched on here and found a few possibilities (axle u joints, ball joints, steering gear, etc). I have an appointment with the dealer on Friday to fix it under warranty but he is convinced it's the u joints in the steering shaft seizing. When my F150 steering shaft began to seize, it would be hard to turn then break free then be hard then break free and this is not what is happening on the SD. I haven't had a chance to check the front end myself but not sure how you would check the axle u joints if there was no play in them. How would you check to see if they were seizing up.
View 3 Replies
Today, I just picked up my 2014 prius. Basically, when I do a right/left turn on the car, when accelerating out of the turn, the steering wheel does not fully return to the center position (its approximately in the one/eleven o'clock position). Also, if I leave the wheel straight, and drive straight, the car will drive straight and not pull towards the side so I don't think its an alignment issue. I'm not sure if this is normal, or if its happening just because they car is new or just because I'm not accelerating hard enough out of the turn (I always stayed in the eco range with the HSI. )
View 5 Replies
My 2005 RX330 has 140,000 kms...and I am now witnessing frequent periods of hard steering. I even sometimes find that after I turn a corner, the steering wheel doesn't return back to straight as I move through the turn - I have to forcefully return the steering back to straight steering. There is plenty of power steering fluid, and there are no abnormal whining noises from the power steering assembly. And since the ease of power steering does still work...I suspect that a ball joint needs looked at.
View 14 Replies
I got new struts installed and seems the steering does not center after left/right turns but will stop about 5 deg to the center.
I have taken it back to the shop and they say since it is new it must be broken in and would take about a week.
Does this make sense or is there something else wrong/not installed properly?
it also makes creaking sounds on right turns too. i heard this is normal as well.
I don't want to go back and tell them they are wrong and look like an idiot but it doesn't feel right to me and i don't want to go on a long trip if it is dangerous.
View 2 Replies
I noticed this problem day as I was out and about, as I come out of a medium to hard turn (at least one wheel rotation) my wheel doesn't want to return fully to the center position. The wheel starts to slow down about half a turn in either position and I need to get it around the quarter turn position. I don't have to force it much, it feels more turning the wheel while in park.
I has winter tires put on in December and the mechanic told me they couldn't do an alignment because one of my rear coils was broken (planning on getting that fixed myself once I get a weekend where it's not at or below 0 outside) and my front ball-joints (I think that's what they said) was loose and that the front joint didn't need to be looked at immediately, but by spring should be replaced.
That front joint is what's giving me problems? Or is it something else?
View 5 Replies
Runs into a problem with steering wheel not wanting to return back to straight after a turn...spray wd40 on u joints on steering shaft ( under hood)....
View 2 Replies
Either one of my power steering hoses or the gear box is leaking on my 93 Ranger. It appeared the return hose was leaking where the rubber meets the crimp. So I decided I would go ahead and change the return and pressure hose to see if it stops the leak. It was a disaster. It's 2.3L manual transmission 4x2. I got the return hose off ok. I put the wrong size wrench on the pressure hose fitting at the pump but thought it was loosening but it was rounding the nut off. So I couldn't even change that hose. I installed the new return hose and retightened the pressure hose at the gear box.
Well it was a pain getting the flare fittings of the hoses into the steering box so I could tightened the flare nut down. I finally got them tightened, I think, but then when I started the engine fluid shot out of there like a water hose. It's coming from the fittings at the gear box that I thought were tightened. I reloosened and retightened them again and still it's shooting out everywhere. There is so little room getting a wrench on the hose fittings, it was slow going. What do you need to remove in order to get a good straight shot and installing these flare nut fittings and tightening them down right? If I remove the pump will it be easier to install the hoses on the gear box? I have to remove the pump now to change the pressure hose.
View 1 Replies
I'm having problems starting my truck. The second it catches, it just dies right away. It doesn't stay running even if I keep giving it throttle. Although when I did try to start it 5-10 times the other day, one of those times, it started and stayed on for about 5 seconds then died again. What to check? I'm a complete newbie when it comes to this vehicle, but I would consider myself mechanically inclined since I've worked with newer cars and smaller engines before.
Also I don't know if this might be related, but I recently changed the oil & oil filter in the truck (after not having changed it for a long time).... and it was a castrol full synthetic high mileage oil. It ran and shifted a lot better for about a week before this starting problem happened. I checked the oil level and it's still perfect so I know it's not leaking oil or anything like that. Just wanted to throw this in there just in case.
View 4 Replies
Starting having a problem with the front suspension on my 01 excursion. When you go over a incline I am getting a big bang in the front suspension also when you turn the steering wheel to the middle it has a jerk right before its in the straight position.
I have new wheel bearings and new locking hubs coming, this problem still happens without the hubs in. Could it be a front axle or U joint but it happens with the 4x4 disengaged.
View 11 Replies
My 2002 Elantra (about 276,000km) had some kind of leak in a power steering return line. A mechanic looked at it, said I needed to order the replacement part from Hyundai. Got the part, the mechanic (not Hyundai) took 2 hours and fixed the line.
Driving away from the mechanic, I noticed the front right turn signal was blinking abnormally rapidly. Left turn signal is fine. I call the mechanic, tell him what's happening, and ask if it might be related to the power steering line fix (after all, they're both in the right front side of the vehicle). He swears up and down he touched nothing having to do with the turn signal.
Okay, maybe it's just a coincidence. I buy a new signal light and put it in. Same thing with the front right turn signal blinking too rapidly. While driving back from replacing the bulb, a car cut in front of me and I went to lay on the horn....nothing happened!! No sound. To top it off, for a while now, the dashboard lighting has been dimming slightly at certain times.
What could be causing all this? The alternator is fine, someone tested it.
View 4 Replies
My steering wheel has a squeak when turning either left or right slightly from center.. I usually notice the squeak while stationary or parking. It's louder and more noticeable when it's hot outside.
Listening carefully, it seems to be coming from inside the steering column, not from linkages or joints from under the car. Looking for a exploded diagram of the steering column components, perhaps it's just a U joint (tilt?) that needs some lubing to make it quiet.
View 2 Replies
I took my truck to work and needed a pitman arm. So took it home put a new one on and the steering wheel was crooked which didn't bother me. but after in cranking the torsion bars I noticed how Badly I needed an alignment. So took it back in for an alignment and I cant turn the steering wheel back to center because the tie rods are maxed out. I tried to take the pitman arm back off center the wheel and everything but the key ways just line up the same way. Any chance the after market pitman arm is off or any clues?
View 11 Replies
Here's a little more info on the truck I'll be working on:
-2001 Ford F-150 XLT Supercrew Cab 5.4L Triton.
-Has been used as a work truck so it has some miles on it 200,000+ and it shows. He showed me the lower control arm and the upper control arms bushings are a worn. Some coming apart and others with cracks in the (the bushings).
-So might need some more things replace but need to learn more about the truck to figure out exactly what?
Anyway, I'm probably just scratching the surface of the work needing to be done on this truck but for now I'll focus on the more important issues since without a functioning steering wheel he cant drive the beast. Might end up doing some customizing to the truck in the future such as changing the headlights to give the truck a more meaner look, along with the grill.
View 14 Replies
The steering on my truck has become a little heavy after making a turn and bringing the steering wheel back to center. The steering feels heavy like I had a front tire half way down. There's a lot of drag then once on center it's gone. Could it be the beginning of the end for my ball joints?
View 10 Replies
I have a 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse, V6, 5spd, 91k miles. Only on hot days with temps >80 degrees, after about 30 minutes of driving (city or highway), the stick shift gets "sticky" and will no longer snap back to center. Also takes a bit more effort to switch from gear to gear This leads to a little delay (and frustration) while I fish around for 3rd while upshifting (or 4th while downshifting). Once the car has had a chance to cool off a bit (1 hr or so of not driving) the shifter behaves normally and will return to center during shifts... only to get goofy again after 30 min of driving. What's causing this? Only does this when ambient temp is hot. On cooler days, no issues. Clutch not slipping at all.
View 1 Replies
Purchased a Prius C II last weekend. I noticed that when not accelerating hard the steering wheel needs to be nudged back to center after making a turn. Or, put another way, if I move the wheel 5 degrees to the left or the right from dead center, it stays that way, and the car veers off in that direction instead of straightening out on its own.
View 8 Replies
While in the locked position, the steering wheel was purposely jerked hard to disable the mechanism on a 1996 Ranger. Now the truck will not steer easily or smoothly and a popping noise is evident when turning. I'm not concerned about having the wheel lock, but would like to be able to return driveability to normal.
The same guy who caused this damage also damaged the ignition. No key is needed to turn the switch now.
I'm lost as to how the steering locking mechanism works and wondering if I need to tear apart the column or if maybe there is a locking pin accessible that needs to be removed to regain driveability.
View 2 Replies
While driving to work I did a quick U-turn to avoid a congested left turn lane and when I completed the turn and straightened out, the steering wheel was about 30 degrees off center when driving straight ahead. A few seconds later it slowly centered itself, I'm assuming this was a Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS) fault.
View 5 Replies
Ok try this. On your 2011-13 Elantra if your driving below 60 on backroads and the road slightly turns to the left or right when you get back to a straightaway does the wheel automatically center itself or will it stay turned in the direction you just slightly turned? My wheel stays turned in the direction of the turn and I have to manually move it back to go straight. I have a 2013 Elantra GLS Auto.
View 8 Replies
