FordExcursions.com Forums
Scott Read
 |
|
• Raleigh, NC, USA |
|
• Registered on 1/25/2003 |
|
• 22 posts |
|
|
|
 Posted:6/24/2004 09:14 |
|
|
Has anyone replaced the stock front sway bar on the PSD?
I am still having trouble with my truck, I have replaced ball joints twice, all new tie rod ends center linkage, starring gear box (that one hurt $) and we still can't get this thing to drive right.
My truck has no more return to center steering, allot of sway (I already have the HelWig rear bar installed Ranchero 9000’s installed)
The font end has been aligned twice from two different shops.
I am hoping that maybe replacing the front sway will help reduce some of the front roll. Still at a loss why this truck steers so poorly. This all started when I had one bad ball joint and chose to replace them all.
|
|
E. Long
 
 |
• Subscriber since 1/1/2001 |
|
• Atlanta, GA, USA |
|
• Registered on 1/23/2001 |
|
• 2,229 posts |
• 1 Vehicle
|
|
|
Posted:6/24/2004 10:59 |
|
|
| Quote: |
Has anyone replaced the stock front sway bar on the PSD?
I am still having trouble with my truck, I have replaced ball joints twice, all new tie rod ends center linkage, starring gear box (that one hurt $) and we still can't get this thing to drive right.
My truck has no more return to center steering, allot of sway (I already have the HelWig rear bar installed Ranchero 9000’s installed)
The font end has been aligned twice from two different shops.
I am hoping that maybe replacing the front sway will help reduce some of the front roll. Still at a loss why this truck steers so poorly. This all started when I had one bad ball joint and chose to replace them all.
|
Not sure that replacing the stock front sway bar will fix the tracking of the vehicle. What condition are your tires in? I had tracking problems a while back that I traced back to when I had my tires rotated. One of my tires was significantly older (higher mileage) and had some cracking on the sidewalls. The X was all over the road. I moved that tire to the rear and the problem was solved. Sounds stupid, but I was pulling my hair out and brought it to two different dealers before I linked the steering issues to when I had the tires rotated.
When you say front roll...is this on smooth roads, bumpy roads, or...?
-Eric
'67 Galaxie 500 - 390 FE, .030" over, FE to AOD adapter, disc brake conversion. The Daily Driver.
'00 Excursion - 7.3L PSD, LANDYOT Gen-II Radius Rods, Factory Tech Valve Body, 200K+ miles and going |
|
Scott Read
|
|
• Raleigh, NC, USA |
|
• Registered on 1/25/2003 |
|
• 22 posts |
|
|
|
|
Posted:6/24/2004 12:12 |
|
|
thanks for the reply.
I have four new LTX 10 ply's on the truck- not much more than 4 months old. In fact just after iput them and disposed of the Firestones I got my letter from ford torecall/replace the old ones.
I tell you I am pulling my hair out on this it seams everything we have done to this is making it worse, let alone the expenses now. I just want to be able to drive it.
I think the biggest problem is the truck will not return to center when you let gof the steering wheel. Thetruck can just keep on turning. I thought is that I have not resolved the balljoint problem. I think that when the weight of the truck is on the new ball joints that they are still way too tight. However I base this on very little experince.
|
|
E. Long
|
• Subscriber since 1/1/2001 |
|
• Atlanta, GA, USA |
|
• Registered on 1/23/2001 |
|
• 2,229 posts |
• 1 Vehicle
|
|
|
Posted:6/24/2004 13:45 |
|
|
| Quote: | I think the biggest problem is the truck will not return to center when you let gof the steering wheel. Thetruck can just keep on turning. I thought is that I have not resolved the balljoint problem. I think that when the weight of the truck is on the new ball joints that they are still way too tight. However I base this on very little experince.
|
What size are the new tires you have?
-Eric
'67 Galaxie 500 - 390 FE, .030" over, FE to AOD adapter, disc brake conversion. The Daily Driver.
'00 Excursion - 7.3L PSD, LANDYOT Gen-II Radius Rods, Factory Tech Valve Body, 200K+ miles and going |
|
Scott Read
|
|
• Raleigh, NC, USA |
|
• Registered on 1/25/2003 |
|
• 22 posts |
|
|
|
|
Posted:6/24/2004 14:56 |
|
|
I put the same tires on it, 265 16's I think.
|
|
LANDYOT
 |
 |
• Subscriber since 11/23/2003 |
|
• Newport News, VA, USA |
|
• Registered on 7/15/2003 |
|
• 1,110 posts |
|
|
|
|
Posted:6/24/2004 20:42 |
|
|
The front-end caster setting has a lot to do with "return to center" steering response. My guess is that some alignment shops will not pay any attention to the caster when the vehicle in question has a solid front axle. They often figure that the axle's tilt angle is secured because it's bolted to the leaf springs. You may want to double-check with their records just to see what they wrote down for a caster setting ... just to see if they even recorded it. If they didn't, then politely ask them to complete the job you paid for.
The next question would be how the caster got out of adjustment in the first place. If you bought the truck used, do you know if a previous owner had a lift kit installed, and later removed it (returning the OEM parts to their stock location) prior to trading/selling it? Could be that the reinstallation of the OEM parts got bungled ... like the tilt angle of the axle, which determines your caster, was reassembled with the controlling part(s) put back in catty-wompass (backwards).
One last question. Does this problem occur only in one direction? If so, then the hydraulics of the power steering system may be in a culprit. You may have a leak that's allowing pressure to continue turning the front wheesl when the pressure should be diminished when there's no hand-pressure on the steering wheel.
PS to Eric - I bet you thought I was going to suggest a set of radius-rods, didn't you? (ha-ha)  |
|
Scott Read
|
|
• Raleigh, NC, USA |
|
• Registered on 1/25/2003 |
|
• 22 posts |
|
|
|
|
Posted:6/30/2004 13:44 |
|
|
Well tis story is not ever going to end,
its ten days later and at the dealer now after a visit to yet another front end shop. the truck still drives awful.
I am now putting in the second of two new gear boxes ( thanks Ford) in the truck. My gut fealing is the ball joints lock up with the weight of the truck on them and not the gear box. But what do I know I am just the one with the check book.
WHen the truck is on the lift everything is free and moves just fine. Onceit is on the ground the steering gets really stiff.
Their is no "return to center" with the steering wheel, the truck will just keep turning. I think the gear boxes are getting messed up by all the changing of adjustments to get the "play " out .
Everything in the front end is new, except the steering colum itself. THis is no joke, brake caipers rotors, brake hoses ball joints ( from Carquest 2 sets not my choice on this I wanted OEM) ceter likage tie rodends, gear box (3) the list goes on.
This all started with one bad ball joint and has gone from bad to worse.
Honestly I thinking of trading for a 6.0 now god help me!
|
|
Dave Sullivan
 |
|
• Kitchener, XX, Canada |
|
• Registered on 2/27/2003 |
|
• 199 posts |
|
|
|
|
Posted:7/7/2004 09:55 |
|
|
Hey Scott.
Time to suck back and rewind. Landylot mentioned some interesting posibilities and I'm wondering if you have checked up on the Caster setting yet..
This is perhaps a silly question but were the ball joints the right ones for the job to begin with?
And what the hey, Another silly question. Is the power stearing pump working correctly? And is the fluid level up to par?
Dave S.
|
|
Scott Read
|
|
• Raleigh, NC, USA |
|
• Registered on 1/25/2003 |
|
• 22 posts |
|
|
|
|
Posted:7/7/2004 12:13 |
|
|
Well we have come to the end of the story..... it WAS the after market Ball joints from a local ( National) auto parts store. SInce I had everyting in the front end replace with OEM parts at tghe dealer the truck is perfect.
I have to say thatour Ford dealer here did everything they could t ohelp me out with all the cost.
We put in three steering gears, charged for one ( which I think we messesd up by too much adjustment and too little knowledge) 5 front end allignemnts, frm three different shops, Ford got it right, not the other allignment shops.
and replace all the ball joints threetimes, the last with OEM (no grease fittings) .
So what should have beeen a 500 dollar job has cost me over $1600 for parts and labor. Not to mention that I did not have the truck for 10 days and missed a vacation.
The dealer gave me a rental for nothing cut the labor cost down, sold all the parts at his cost, and had as many as four people on this thing at once, just so we could still go on vacation. I guess 11 vehicles in 13 years has some weight to it.
I am really sorry that I did not start with them first.
|
|
|
|
