| OT - Need help with steering | |
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detroitiron2000
Posts : 320 Join date : 2008-11-08 Age : 61 Location : Bridgman, Michigan
| Subject: OT - Need help with steering Sat Oct 24, 2009 3:03 pm | |
| I have a Ford E350 van. Recently we have been having this really weird thing happening in the steering.
When driving around town all is fine.
When driving on the highway for an extended period of time the steering becomes difficult to steer the van off center...it feels like there is something resisting turnig the wheel. This only happens after driving for a while on a mostly straight stretch of road at highway speeds.
Any ideas??
Don | |
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fox81
Posts : 160 Join date : 2008-12-28
| Subject: Re: OT - Need help with steering Sat Oct 24, 2009 8:43 pm | |
| Hows the alignment on it? Does the steering wheel shake any at highway speeds? Maybe the power rack might have a small leak? or maybe the fluid is low?
I drove an E-250 that alignment was off on and to say the least I thought the front end was gunna come out from underneath it. If I remember right the steering was kinda funky as well. | |
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fangar150-ex
Posts : 853 Join date : 2008-11-10 Location : AZ
| Subject: Re: OT - Need help with steering Sat Oct 24, 2009 10:34 pm | |
| when was the last time it was greased? you may have a problem with the pitman arm or one of the other joints. take the heap for a cruise, when the concern is evident, head for the nest and with the help of an assistant observe the steering linkages with the assistant turning the steering wheel, note abnormal movent or noise from any of the joints, paying particular attention to the pitman arm and ball joints. be sure to observe the steering gear for any up & down motion of the main steering shaft. if you determine a fault with one or more of the joints you'll need to isolate this joint from the system to verify the faulty component. rectification usually involves replacement of components and alignment. dont be a dummy and just set the toe and let it go, do the alignment drill and save the tires. | |
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detroitiron2000
Posts : 320 Join date : 2008-11-08 Age : 61 Location : Bridgman, Michigan
| Subject: Re: OT - Need help with steering Sun Oct 25, 2009 7:24 pm | |
| Thanks for the ideas! I'll be on it tomorrow after work. I'll post up when I get it solved.
Don | |
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fangar150-ex
Posts : 853 Join date : 2008-11-10 Location : AZ
| Subject: Re: OT - Need help with steering Sun Oct 25, 2009 9:41 pm | |
| forgot to ask, does the steering operate nomally after it is off-center, or is it stiff thru-out the entire travel. if it is stiff thru-out the entire travel, the pump could be getting ready to dump, what does the fluid look like? sometimes a bad pump wont show-up until it gets good and warm. | |
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z7turbo
Posts : 243 Join date : 2008-11-16 Age : 53 Location : Toledo, Ohio
| Subject: Re: OT - Need help with steering Mon Oct 26, 2009 12:05 am | |
| - fangar150-ex wrote:
- forgot to ask, does the steering operate nomally after it is off-center, or is it stiff thru-out the entire travel. if it is stiff thru-out the entire travel, the pump could be getting ready to dump, what does the fluid look like? sometimes a bad pump wont show-up until it gets good and warm.
Just had the pump go out on my f-150.....no leaks, just difficult to steer. | |
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detroitiron2000
Posts : 320 Join date : 2008-11-08 Age : 61 Location : Bridgman, Michigan
| Subject: Re: OT - Need help with steering Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:27 pm | |
| Seems to be fine once off center. I ended up working late (got home at so no new news. Tomorrow night hopefully. I'll check the fluid color on a white paper towel. ANother food idea! Don | |
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Aug
Posts : 225 Join date : 2008-11-18 Location : Altoona, PA, USA
| Subject: Re: OT - Need help with steering Thu Oct 29, 2009 7:29 pm | |
| A long, long, time ago, my dad had a Fairmont that would only be hard to turn to the left. It was fine turning right, but when you tried to go left, it would resist you until you put a TON of force on the wheel, then it would break loose all of a sudden and have full boost. It was a stuck valve internal to the rack. I know that the van uses recirculating ball steering, but the principle is the same as far as the valving goes and whatnot.
I guess this doesn't really have anything to do with anything, I just wanted to share.
Later, Mike. | |
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detroitiron2000
Posts : 320 Join date : 2008-11-08 Age : 61 Location : Bridgman, Michigan
| Subject: Re: OT - Need help with steering Thu Oct 29, 2009 8:02 pm | |
| It's been raining since I posted so haven't played with it too much (not driving it now anyway) but I did check the fluid...seems perfect.
The valve thing sounds like a good idea since it seems to be fine around town which is lower rpm and you're turning the wheel a lot as compared to the highway where it's high rpm and you're turing the wheel such a small amount. It's supposed ot be nice this weekend so I'll attack it more then.
Don | |
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