sticky steering

[grizz]

Ok, I'm about ready for a F**d . I have a 97 with 98,500 miles on it. Recently the steering started to become increasingly stiff. It wont even return to center, I turn the wheel and there it stays. Adjusted the steering box, greased everything, disconnected the steering dampener, no change.



I finally brought it to two different dealers, and neither are sure what the problem is. They want to replace the steering box, thats fine but at this point there guessing with my money. Before I lay down $900 for a box and labor, does anyone have any suggestions as to what else it could be. I have had enough of this.



I went to a Ford dealer today to look at Powerstrokes. If they don't come up with an answer soon, I will be going back!

 

[fest3er]

Originally posted by grizz

Ok, I'm about ready for a F**d . I have a 97 with 98,500 miles on it. Recently the steering started to become increasingly stiff. It wont even return to center, I turn the wheel and there it stays.



...



I went to a Ford dealer today to look at Powerstrokes. If they don't come up with an answer soon, I will be going back!

No! Not that! Not a Ford!







Possibilities:

1. Ball joints are dry, preventing easy motion.
   
2. Caster setting is neutral. Proper caster has the wheels 'following' the turning asix, helping the steering return to center. Sort-of like caster wheels on a chair or other piece of furniture. This isn't likely, especially if the wheel has become harder to turn. An alignment check will prove or disprove this.
   
3. Dry tie rods might cause stiff steering, but dry tie rods would likely be worn out and very loose.
   
4. Steering gear is worn out or is set too tight. I'd adjusted the gear on my old F150 too tight once. It was hard to turn and didn't return to center.
   
5. You ran real low on fluid, and there is air entrapped in the gear.
   

I would put my money on the steering gear. Now, you can spend your money (and lots of it - new gears are not cheap) at the dealer, or you can have a re-manufactured unit installed at perhaps half the cost. I recently had a Power Sttering Specialist (Westerville, OH) unit installed at less than half what the dealer would have charged for a new one. I'm not 100% satisfied with the unit, as the output bearing already has some play in it, but it's far better than the original was. And there are no guarantees that a new unit would have been any better.



Also, have you done anything with the fluid? After I had the rebuilt one installed, it took several hundred miles to loosen up and work right. This was due to air being trapped in the gear. First it was stiff for a couple hundred miles. Then it had nasty play for a couple hundred more. Finally, the air worked out of it, and it's been nice since.



So, if your P/S fluid isn't or hasn't been OK, that *could* be the problem. Otherwise, you may have to bit the bullet and put a new or rebuilt gear in.



Fest3er