Steering stabilizer needed?

godblessmud · Oct 8, 2008

Ever since the truck was new there has been a slow deterioration of steering response, add in 18 years of age, heavy hauling duties, and more recently, lifts, big tires and heavy offroading all adds up to me driving down the road able to turn the wheel from the 9 o'clock to 2 o'clock position with ZERO steering response...
Fortunately because of the weight of the truck bump steer is not a big issue, but cross winds are, and with that much dead zone to cover to make even minute steering adjustments i cant get the kind of response times to sudden gusts and whatnot to keep the truck safely moving where i want it...

Ive been looking at aftermarket steering stabilizers such as this one from Skyslacker http://www.autoanything.com/suspension-systems/61A2606A0A0A2071450.aspx

But before i buy one im wondering what other remedies i can do to help cure this issue? PSF is fine and PS pump is (noisy) but operational.

Skandocious · Oct 8, 2008

A steering stabilizer is not meant to reduce slop in the steering, and you'll be hard pressed to make it accomplish that task.

Steering stabilizer is used to reduce road noise or slight speed wobble felt in the steering wheel. These kinds of problems become more evident with larger tires, etc. A steering stabilizer is just a shock that bolts at one end to your drag link, and the other to the chassis of the truck. So you can imagine that it's just acting like the shock absorbers you've got on your wheels, except for your steering. It will not clean up the slop; the slop is in your gearbox, as well as maybe old/loose tie rod ends and POSSIBLY ball joints, though bad ball joints typically yield different symptoms.

Yeah your steering in that dead zone may FEEL tighter, but thats only because your articulating the shock piston. You're not actually affecting the steering at the knuckles any more than you would without the s.s.

Just so you don't think I'm pulling this stuff outta my butt 'biteme'

, here's something I found when I googled it:

http://www.rockymountainsusp.com/W_stabilizers.htm said:
Steering stabilizers are essentially a shock absorber for your steering system. They are highly recommended for all vehicles with over-sized tires, a winch or snow plow to increase control and handling. Stabilizers dampen out wheel shimmy and help prevent the steering wheel from being jerked out of your hands in rough terrain or when a road hazard is struck by the front wheels. A steering stabilizer is a proven safety device in the event of a blow out. Steering stabilizers are engineered to restrain "bump steer" and front end vibration, giving added life to tires, ball joints and other steering components. A lot of vehicles now come from the factory with a steering stabilizer.

After market stabilizers are far superior in performance being specifically designed to handle off-road conditions with lifted vehicles.

Brian_B · Oct 9, 2008

I would say you need to get your whole front end checked out. Sounds like a lot of wear in a lot of areas.

The steering stabilizer might make it feel better, but it is like a band-aid on an leg amputation. Doesn't really do anything.

If there is that much slop in the front end...it could be deadly.

jr32560 · Oct 9, 2008

I totally Agree with both posts!!!

john112deere · Oct 9, 2008

Sounds to me like your steering box could be getting loose/worn, but what you really need to do is lay under the truck while somebody turns the wheel back and forth through the "dead" zone and see where the play is. Something is worn out, though, and you'll get better results by repairing it than adding anything to the system.

Black150 · Oct 9, 2008

Give everything a good push & pull, see what's loose. As said before, a stabilizer is just a band-aid. Fix what's wrong with it first.

radialarm · Oct 9, 2008

There is a lash adjustment on the gear box. You loosen the locknut and use a bayonet(Flat point for you rednecks) screwdriver to turn the adjuster screw. Don't over do it, just enough to get the slop out. It's also a good idea to check everything else like the guys have already posted.

Skandocious · Oct 9, 2008

radialarm said:
There is a lash adjustment on the gear box. You loosen the locknut and use a bayonet(Flat point for you rednecks) screwdriver to turn the adjuster screw. Don't over do it, just enough to get the slop out. It's also a good idea to check everything else like the guys have already posted.

I've heard it's not a good idea to do this... It will only tighten the steering for a little while before loosening back up and being WORSE than before. I haven't done it myself, but I've read that from several pretty smart dudes over on the other site.

Black150 · Oct 9, 2008

There's a lot more involved than simply turning that lash adjustment. It will just lead to more problems.

Brian_B · Oct 9, 2008

I met a guy last night who had a 79 3/4 ton ford 4X4. He told me it used to be a "truck pulling" truck. It had a body lift and suspension lift, plus 40" tires. Oh..it has a 429 in it (so he says-I cant tell the difference). When he bought it he could barely hold it in the road. He removed the body lift and dropped down to 35" tires. Then even tried 32" tires.

All that helped, but not enough. He kept looking and found a couple of cracks in the frame. Fixed those...still had issues going down the road. What he finally found was that one of the front spring mounts was cracked all the way through. The whole front end would move when you hit a bump.

Once that was repaired...he says it drives out nice now. He runs the 32" tires (road type tread) on the highway and swaps to the super swamper 35s when he goes and plays in the mud.

radialarm · Oct 9, 2008

If you need to adjust it to get the slop out that does mean the gear is worn, but it is an accepted practice. Otherwise there would not be an adjuster on it. Like I said don't get carried away and wrench it down as far as you can. Raise both wheels off the ground loosen the locknut and adjust a little at a time while turning the wheel back and fourth until you get it adjusted. Back off a little then lock it down. I have done this before with no problems. It's not like I'm talking out my rear. My Chilton Manual Gives a more detailed method but my way works too.

Mr. Stroker · Oct 9, 2008

AAAAAA the notorious crappy ford steering boxes.

I had 35's on my 79, and i had to put ooooooooo bout 5 steering boxes on it. Seamed like every time i went mudding in a field i would have more and more play (big tires trying to turn out of a rut) that will tear them up fast.

I bought a reman pump from autozone that had a lifetime warrenty (Not cheap) and after the 4th one i decided to look online for a High performance or something i can use to stop this, i found a very nice Hipo box and it stiffened it right up, and dual steering stabilizer shocks instead of the single one that i was using and leaked (Brand new)..

They were heavy to lift up and down and hold into place while you put the three bolts back in, dropping the drop pitman arm and putting it back into place, and keeping the steering wheel straight while putting the rag joint in became a huge PITA.

Im not sure what the company was, i tried looking for them again so i can buy another one to put in my 95 because i have a feeling my box is getting worse due to some play.

On a side note. Yes i would get as many steering stabilizer shocks you can on it. Two does the trick!

Mr. Stroker · Oct 9, 2008

Also dont adjust them. You may end up blowing seals like my old 86 F150

95F350XL · Oct 9, 2008

You can adj the box, we do it all the time at work when people are too cheap to put a new one in. We have had no probs, just go easy, when you over tighten thats when they fail and blow out seals.

Mr. Stroker · Oct 9, 2008

True, My seal was leaking when i first tired it, so i shoulda known. Second time it blew i musta not did something right. After that it was fine. I wanted to try tightening the one on my 95 and after a can of PB i could not get the screw to turn with a screwdriver. Any other tips on how to get those to spin?

95F350XL · Oct 9, 2008

Light heat, dont cook the seals. Just like heatin the bleaders on a caliper.

godblessmud · Oct 12, 2008

Well uhh i feel real stupid right now... I had just been assuming the box was shot without actually getting on the cold wet ground and looking under there.. well it was dry yesterday so i did and uhh the pitman arm nut was completely loosened except for 1.5 threads....

i hand tightened it to get to my shop and then come to find it is a ridiculus size that doesnt exist in either metric or standard so i have to use a GD pipe wrench to tighten it (im still at a loss how i did it when i did the lift)
Anyways my steering feels amazing and that wrench is staying in my truck...cause if i hadnt have looked that pitman arm would have dropped on the way home!

Skandocious · Oct 12, 2008

Haha good work Einstein :rofl:

godblessmud · Oct 12, 2008

It was one of those things where it dawned on my what it probably was but i still didnt check because at that point i knew i was gunna feel REAL dumb haha

radialarm · Oct 12, 2008

It's a good thing you caught it before you had an intimate
encounter with a tree or an 18 wheeler coming from
the other direction, and mess up that purdy truck, or yourself.

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Steering stabilizer needed?

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