F-250 steering problems

chadg

chadg

VIP Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2006
Messages
429
Age
49
Location
redford, mi
What up guys. I have a 2002 f250 that started to give me slight steering problems. I will try to describe it the best that I can.

What it wants to do is steer on its own. It will want to merge over to both sides of the road left and right. Its NOT like a sharp turn. Every once in a while if I turn at the light by the house it will not want to recoil back to go straight. However to get it to go back to go straight is easy. These problems only seem to happen like every 3rd time I drive it.

On that note power steering fluid is full. The power steering pump is not whinning at all. And the alignment is perfect driving down the freeway and roads.

I think it may be two things. 1 is the tie rod ends. OR 2 it could be the steering shock sticking. The shock looks like a sreen door shock that is connected to the steering arms. What do you guys think it is, or have any of you came across a problem tlike this with a ford?

Thanks Chadg
 

Had a similar problem, never looked into it in depth but apparently there is a valve in the steering box that gets a little dirty and sticks. I changed the fluid out and problem solved, the detergents in the fresh fluid took care of it, they take ATF.
 
You have the old fashioned steering box in there, not rack and pinion. So I would try to change the fluid out and see if that fixes it. I think I have that same issue on my Jeep, but it doesn't bother me that much.
 
x2 for what was said above. if the fluid change does not fix it, get a reman box and put it on.
 
Thanks guys i appreciate it. I will run some atf in it first to see if that will clean it up.

Thanks again
 
chadg said:
MIKE LMAO thanks for pullin me out
LOL' How is your back?
Click to expand...

Sorry that was kind of an inside joke wasnt it - LOL.

I am making improvements but it is a VERY slow recovery, Thanks for asking Chad!!! I hope I can ride this year but I think I may go to Munising even if I cant just to hang with you guys ;)!
 
Just try jumping off a snow drift, or crashing through a ditch, Chad.. Somehing will eventially take care of your problem. There's always matches, too..
 
Nate007 said:
Just try jumping off a snow drift, or crashing through a ditch, Chad.. Somehing will eventially take care of your problem. There's always matches, too..
Click to expand...

If that isn't fully successful, you do what I did last night....

I tried stomping a big chunk of snow in the parking lot with my minorly lifted grand Cherokee last night when I got my hair cut. When I backed out after having my front left tire on top of the "snow " chunk I realized it was not snow, but rather ice, and upon backing out, I ripped most of the push pins holding my front bumper cover on. needless to say, I now need to buy push pins, and take a few minutes to make it look right. :o|
 
horkn said:
If that isn't fully successful, you do what I did last night....

I tried stomping a big chunk of snow in the parking lot with my minorly lifted grand Cherokee last night when I got my hair cut. When I backed out after having my front left tire on top of the "snow " chunk I realized it was not snow, but rather ice, and upon backing out, I ripped most of the push pins holding my front bumper cover on. needless to say, I now need to buy push pins, and take a few minutes to make it look right. :o|
Click to expand...


LOL! I did something similar with an Escape a few years ago, only the hanger bearing for the rear driveshaft caught the ice coming off(I drove over it) and bent the floor where it's mounted. Had to stop and buy a hammer to pound it back. The clunk clunk was not gong to make it the 20 min drive home like it was. Been fine since. ;)!
 
crewchief47 said:
LOL! I did something similar with an Escape a few years ago, only the hanger bearing for the rear driveshaft caught the ice coming off(I drove over it) and bent the floor where it's mounted. Had to stop and buy a hammer to pound it back. The clunk clunk was not gong to make it the 20 min drive home like it was. Been fine since. ;)!
Click to expand...


It looks like for me it is a simple 10 dollars worth of push pins to fix it. it sounds like your issue was more $$, or was it simply a hammer fix? ;)

Now had I thrown on a set of 31" tires instead of the 27" ones after I lifted it 2", I would have cleared it. It barely caught the lower lip of my front bumper and it made a nasty noise as I pulled away. Oh well, gotta pay to play.....
 
horkn said:
it sounds like your issue was more $$, or was it simply a hammer fix? ;)
Click to expand...


I got a way with just the hammer. The bearing is mounted right to the sheetmetal of the floor. Didn't take much to hammer it back thankfully. I was just messing around in a parking lot, decided to go over 'that pile of snow' to get to a spot. :o| ;)! Hindsight is 20/20
 
How many miles are on the truck? Might be ball joints as they bind sometimes when they go bad. Mine just rattled though, and the f-n' spindle o-rings and seals for the automatic hubs are high dollar. My dad has an '01 250 and is fighting a hard steering issue where the truck gets hard to steer in an instant, new ball joints did not fix. might be in the steering box as others state??
 
might be the valve in the box sticking or the pump letting go. an old mechanic's trick is to add a capful of stp to the power steering reservoir. this lubes/unsticks the valve in the box. it is worth the $10.00 to try as a rebuilt box is a lot more than that.
 
I talked to my dad and he said his problem went away when he had the high pressure hose replaced between the pump and steering box.
He stated that the mechanic made a statement that hose came apart internally.
 
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