Ford Super Duty (1999-2016) :: Steering Wheel Knuckle Wear / Tie Rod End Rocking Back And Forth
Jan 21, 2014
I have a 2000 Ford F-250 that I have just replaced the tie rod ends on both wheels. The hole where the tie rod attaches to the right steering knuckle getting wallowed out? When I turn the wheel I can see the tie rod end rocking back and forth.
Now if I keep tightening it down it would pull it down past the cotter pin hole exposing way more threads than any to the other tie rod ends. I've searched everywhere and can't find anything that refers to this problem.
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My 2004 f250 ball and u joint replacement job is at a bit of a stand still. Tore it down, brought the knuckle and axle shafts to an ex mechanic I know, because he has a 20 ton Harbor freight shop press. He mostly used a hammer, bashed out the old ball joints (I already had removed the u joints). U joint turned out fine.
I did notice the upper ball joint protruded a very slight bit on one side in the knuckle, meaning you could feel with your finger on the underside of the joint and on the one side it is not exactly flush with the interior of the knuckle. I would say it protrudes no more than a thirty second or so.
I brought it home, installed the boots on the moog joints, (the bottom was unusually difficult to put on), greased the joints and hung the knuckle on the axle tube, by a few turns on the lower joints nut. I then inserted the camber sleeve on the top stud, torqued the bottom to 49 fp then the top to 67 and finally the bottom to 150. End result, very stiff movement on the knuckle. No tie rod attached, and it takes to hands to move it from the "stopped" position,(turned all the way). I am sure it is stiffer than when I did the other side.
I tried loosening the nuts completely, same stiffness. I redid the torque sequence, no change. Tried hammering the ears around where the joints seat no improvement. The fellow who installed into the knuckle came and took a look. He agreed the knuckle was stiffer than you would hope, but, he suggested Putting it all together, as he believed they would loosen up before too long. I am not sure whether to try that, or remove the knuckle now, and redo with new joints. Pros and cons to either approach.
My question is : Does a knuckle become more sketchy by the time it is dealing with the pressing of a third set of ball joints? If I finish the install now, will a stiff knuckle action lead to other mechanical wear within a thousand miles or so, while I wait to see if they loosen up?
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So now, what I'm noticing is a bit of a clunk in the steering. It's minor, very minor... but like any problem they usually start that way. The sound is very faint, you can't hear it under the truck, only slightly in the cab but you can feel it in the steering wheel, not so much when driving but when sitting still in a parking spot it's pretty obvious if you rotate the wheel back and forth. You can also feel it in the floor. Sometimes I'll notice this if I hit a bump while I'm driving.
Here's what I know, if you grab the tie rod, either end, you get a slight bit of rotation. Not just one end moving, but the whole thing has a small amount of forward back rotation (I'm not sure if this is normal) I had my girlfriend turn the steering wheel while I checked different components and there didn't seem to be any left right play on the tie rods. The boots look good on the tie rods ends, pic included, looks of similar quality of drivers side.
Then the kicker, here's where I noticed the gobs of grease on the top end drag link, pic also included. This was the last link I looked at, and I guess least expected.
So I guess I'm thinking this drag link is bad, but this is my first stop on the advice train. I wiped off the boot that was covered in grease on the drag link and it looked like its in fine enough condition but I also seriously doubt the shop that added the leveling kit just decided to slob grease all over the outside of this drag link boot. I have my truck oil undercoated before every winter but, that was some bit ago, and this looked more like grease to me.
Truck background: 2012 F250 6.7, I'm at 42,000 miles, 34in tires for most of that, and more recently added a 2 inch leveling kit (40,000 miles) and replaced the suspension all around and added a dual stabilizer. I had some noise coming from the drivers side wheel-well a while back and found that one of the end links on the sway bars was simply loose. Tightened up and all good to go. At 30,000 I got some death wobble. Replaced tires, the stock stabilizer had also gone bad, and had an alignment. Everything good since, but I'm thinking some of these problems now might be remnant of the bad tires.
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I have a 1999 f350 7.3. I'm having a problem where the steering wheel shakes back and forth and the whole truck wobbles. It happens at all speeds, but shakes faster at faster speeds, slower at slower speeds. At first the wheel was just jerking randomly but then I made a right turn, heard a pop, and then it was shaking like crazy. I jacked up the truck and checked the ball joints, checked for and play in the tie rods, and turned the wheel left and right. Everything seems ok so I can't figure out what is causing to wheel to go back and forth.
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I replaced the steering gear box in my 06 F250 CCLB 6.8 over the weekend with a reman Cardone. The old gear box had what I can best describe as a chatter/binding if you rocked the wheel back and forth, that's gone now. I sucked out as much fluid as I could, then filled the reservoir several times while the fluid ran out, what came out was very cloudy and gritty, guessing the old box was chewing itself up.
Can't seem to find a straight answer - what fluid SHOULD this have in it?
Sounds like I should have used Mercon, looks like I grabbed Type F instead. Could that cause the steering effort to be extremely light? I mean like ridiculously light, tip of your pinkie barely touching and turning the wheel light?
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Replacing the knuckle/axle seal due to my hub not holding a vacuum. I finally got the seal off the axle after several minutes of beating, but it finally came off. During the beating the metal shield that was in back of the seal took a beating as well and can not be reused. Is it really needed?
In this thread the pictures show that the shield was not installed after the seal was replaced. The shield does serve a purpose to keep crap out of the seal though.
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I am in the process of rebuilding my front end and have found that the nipples that screw into the top of the knuckles for the ESOF system are rusted and need replacing. I'd like to keep the system as close to original as possible, but have had no luck in finding a replacement. What the appropriate Ford part number is or where I could pick up a suitable replacement. This would be for a 2001 F-250 4X4 with the V10.
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Should there be any play on the backside offront hubs (knuckle)? When I grab the knuckle where the sticker is theres alittle bit of wiggle/play especially on left side, little less on right. The truck is 2009 and has only 11,000 miles on it.
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I just replaced the ball joints on my 99 F250 SD 4x4. Driver side was a bit stiff to turn the knuckle. Passenger side is very hard to turn. The upper stud wanted to turn in the sleeve after torquing to spec. I had to lean on it to lock it into place. I have to check today to see if parts store is open to get a new set. The brand name is "Drive Works". I have installed ball joints in this vehicle previously, and in another Ford truck with the same style. I have the proper tools to do the job. I have to determine if both joints are tight or just the upper. I won't buy the same brand again.
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I have owned an 03 Excursion that I have had since last November that has started to feel like the steering is badly broken for a few hundred feet some times and then goes back to normal. It will do it some times after taking a corner and then suddenly there is a 1/4 turn play in the front and its wondering in the lane as I correct it back and forth and then it stops and goes back to normal. I've checked it and it all seems good and tight. The truck is stock height and has stock size wheels....
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the mechanism that locks the steering wheel is stuck. not the ignition key cylinder (already removed that). how do I release that mechanism to free the steering wheel.
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Seems that after a sharp right turn, for instance turning right at a stop sign I'll get a loud pop that I can feel in the floor pan under my feet.
After the pop the steering wheel and whole front of the truck will shift left and right like someone is grabbing the wheel, sometimes violently. If I drive slowly it will cure itself and sometimes not do it again for several days. I've check ball joints and hubs and they are in great shape. I pulled the hubs and greased the needle bearings about 6 months ago. I checked all steering components and the linkage that attached to the steering arm had some play so I replaced it. Then I found that some idiot took the steel sleeve out of the bushing in one end of the steering stabilizer. I bought a new stabilizer and cured a pop I'd had since I got the truck, but the other issues were not solved.
Alignment has been checked too.
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My truck has developed a wobble in the steering wheel. I don't mean when you are driving down the road, but the steering wheel wobbles around. It wobbles in any position that the Till shaft is set to. How to repair.
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just bought this f250 seems to walk on the road alot, had it looked at has new balljoints, he says everything seems tight except there is lots of play at the gearbox, is it recommended to have it rebuilt or buy a reman, was told that even the reman seems to be the same way
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The steering wheel is locked on my 99 F-350. I messed around with the stupid thing for quite a while this evening and it won't budge! I need it to haul hay tomorrow....
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06 F250 6.0 CCSB 4x4 163K Truck was in a pass side wreck about three weeks ago. Aside from bumper, head light, etc I had to replace the track bar and then I had the alignment done. Mech said the steering was loose and was either the steering box or column.
PROBLEM: Truck drove and parked fine last night, I went to leave the driveway this morning and I had to turn the wheel full right while backing up. The wheel locked up and wouldn't turn back to the left to straighten out. Hood wouldn't pop either to check anything
I crawled under the truck, the belt was in place and I didn't see any power steering fluid leaking. Thinking it was a PS problem and the hood not opening, I basically floored it and yanked on the wheel and it broke loose. Also, for what ever reason the hood opened after that
Now the steering is heavy and the wheel doesn't center on it's own. It will stay turned when I let go of the wheel. Scared that it would happen I didn't try turning it full lock on the way to work. but it happened again exiting the parking lot, again full right lock and the wheel stuck.
I managed to yank the wheel to the left again and I heard a distinct pop from what I'm sure was the pass side wheel area.
The PS fluid is dark and I'll figure out how to change it. I've read issues from the U-joints, ball joints, Steering box, steering stabilizer, and failing PS pump could all lead to this. Being the truck had a pass side fender bender, and I'm pretty sure the pop sound came from the pass side how do I check all of these items.
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So I just got my 2014, upgraded from a 2007, and one change that is bugging me is the steering wheel controls for the radio. In the old truck clicking the scan up/down buttons scanned to the next radio station, in the new truck it scans through the preset radio stations. I really don't like that. Can it be changed or am I stuck with it?
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I have a 2005 F250 6.0.. I'm the third owner, only 146,000 miles on it. Had most of the front end replaced. Ball joints, tie rod ends, track bar bushing, front end alignment done...
Still likes to walk as I call it side to side while driving down the road. Factory size tires, factory rims. A little excessive movement in steering wheel while driving, side to side and not transferring to pitmen arm. So I think the gear box shot. Got to looking closer and the power steering box has a re-manufactured sticker on it, so thought about rebuilding it. I do not know where previous owner got gear box at.
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Ordered a 2015 f350 CCLB FX4 XLT 6.2 about 2 weeks ago.Tried to see if the control buttons on the steering wheel were lighted couldnt tell in the daylight.
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This is probably a strange request but I did just get a 2011 F250 XL. The SYNC and audio controls on the steering wheel was an available option, but my truck does not have it. I didn't ask for it to be required in the vehicle search, just one of those "if it has it, awesome" things. I am looking to add the buttons to control the radio and MAYBE SYNC for the bluetooth feature if this is possible.
I know to add SYNC I need a radio that's ready for it, which mine is, and a microphone somewhere and all of that so that's not to be done until a later date. My old F150 had the radio controls on the wheel and I miss that. Can I add the radio controls on the wheel? And maybe SYNC without needing to add a Parrot device for bluetooth? Or am I SOL on both?
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Yesterday while traveling about 30mph and starting into a slight left turn the steering wheel locked, when the brake pedal was applied it was rock hard and would not engage braking resulting in a single vehicle crash, no injuries. 8300 miles...
How would I make Ford aware of this incident and get them involved? Is it likely that such events may have been logged somehow in the computer? The truck is at our collision repair shop waiting for an insurance adjuster to inspect.
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