[dadof5arrows]

Well, I've done a couple of searches, so let me post this up for your comments:

A few times in the last 3-4 months, we'll get a good shake in the steering wheel, an oscillation triggered by hitting a rough piece of road at highway speeds (it also did it once from a stop with the trailer hooked up). Won't stop shaking until you slow down. Pretty violent at higher speeds.

Details:
2001 E-350 PSD Quigley, 68k miles, tire pressure good, tire wear 60-70% but even.

I spoke with Joyce at Quigley, she said check the track bar bushings & steering stabilizer. Also had a mechanic friend look at it briefly, he said the torsion bar bushings were worn, but he suspected the power steering box.

Any advice on changing bushings and/or power steering box problems, please post up. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif

 

[DarthSurplus]

My steering wheel oscillations were fixed by having somebody truly balance my front wheels, not just bring them to within Ford's broad specification tolerance, and by having the dealership install a steering damper free of charge under a service bulletin.

 

[dadof5arrows]

I know wheel balance is a chronic problem with our vans, perhaps I'll try a rebalance. Quigley installed a steering stabilizer, I think I'm going to replace it as a step of the process. Then, onto new bushings I guess--I just hope its not the power steering box! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[msnunes]

Sounds like "death wobble." I had it bad after I changed out the stock shocks and steering stabilizer (Rancho). One the things I was told to change was the track bar (it's bushings were worn), which I ordered from Quigley. Helped a bit, but I still get it mildly once in a while. BUT, I never had a wobble at all before changing the other parts!

Anyway, I think there are a lot of variables, tolerances, and thesholds involved to create just the right circumstances to make this happen. Wheel balancing might make a little difference, but a new track bar might make more.

It happened to me just the other day at about 40 mph on a freeway onramp... Kinda surprised me since I thought I licked it...

 

[hapaschold]

my '01 had a really bad vibration, was may 01 production run, turned out to be problem with "linkage" in brake booster or brake system somewhere in that area. in my case, lightly touching the brakes only made the sitution worse. problem occured very early , around 6 000 miles or so. very scary at high speeds. i ll look to see if i can find service ticket for the work performed

 

[msnunes]

That reminds me more of my actual braking problems that I had early on, where it would pull to one side or another because one caliper was always dragging. Of course, this warped my rotors, and caused bad vibration whenever I applied the brakes at high speeds. Changed a lot of parts out under warranty, including one caliper, but I think it had more to do with the "booster" like you mentioned, or other brake linkage that would not allow the brakes to release completely, and intermittant times, of course. Mine is about the same age 01, but I know of an 02 that had the same thing...

 

[hapaschold]

found records, . they tried rotors, pads first but problem was still there then brake booster was replaced and problem went away.

one note thou, i ve lost track of what year van, had so many, /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif

it actually was my '99 that had the violent front vibration...

 

[niknas]

"check the track bar bushings". Track bar bushings first; cheap, and easy fix. Then go for the steering stabilizer. Any good shop can change the bushings out. A good place would be a 4x4 shop, the bushings go out on trucks also, only not as fast as the Quigleys. I had the problem ("death wobble") at around 40,000 miles. I am at 76,000 miles now and the new bushing are still holding.

Nik /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[msnunes]

[ QUOTE ]
"check the track bar bushings". Track bar bushings first; cheap, and easy fix. Then go for the steering stabilizer. Any good shop can change the bushings out. A good place would be a 4x4 shop, the bushings go out on trucks also, only not as fast as the Quigleys. I had the problem ("death wobble") at around 40,000 miles. I am at 76,000 miles now and the new bushing are still holding.

Nik /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[/ QUOTE ]


FYI -- IF you buy poly bushings instead of rubber, you have to get a whole new track bar, at least I did. But it should last longer than rubber...

 

[dadof5arrows]

Hey, thanks for all of the posts--I love this forum!

I don't think its brake related. I got an almost new stabilzer from a E450 motor home off ebay for $0.01 (+19.95 shipping, of course), so I'll try that when I get it.

Joyce at Quigley recommended poly bushings from Energy Suspension, didn't say anything about replacing the track bar.

Thanks again for the posts! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[msnunes]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey, thanks for all of the posts--I love this forum!

I don't think its brake related. I got an almost new stabilzer from a E450 motor home off ebay for $0.01 (+19.95 shipping, of course), so I'll try that when I get it.

Joyce at Quigley recommended poly bushings from Energy Suspension, didn't say anything about replacing the track bar.

Thanks again for the posts! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I think there was some question at the time about whether the poly bushings could be press-fit in my existing bar (that came with rubber bushings) without trouble, or if it needed special fitting (possibly into a different type of bar) when it was built. Since I didn't want to risk the downtime or delays, I ordered a whole new bar...

 

[niknas]

I had the poly bushings installed. Nothing special needed for the install, cost about $65.00 for labor. Hope this helps.

Nik /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[dadof5arrows]

msnunes/nik-

Thanks for the posts--they do help!

 

[dadof5arrows]

Nik,

May I ask for your source for the poly bushings (retailer/price?)

Thanks! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[dadof5arrows]

Just wanted to update you guys--

Had the wheels rotated & balanced--didn't help.

Replaced the steering stabilizer--no change.

Replaced track bar bushings--FIXED! Drives very well, nice & tight. The bushings from Energy Suspension were only $10, took a couple of hours to change out. Quigley gave me the part number, which of course doesn't match to a Ford van, but they work!

 

[DarthSurplus]

This thread belongs in Larry's little secrets.

 

[msnunes]

[ QUOTE ]
Just wanted to update you guys--

Had the wheels rotated & balanced--didn't help.

Replaced the steering stabilizer--no change.

Replaced track bar bushings--FIXED! Drives very well, nice & tight. The bushings from Energy Suspension were only $10, took a couple of hours to change out. Quigley gave me the part number, which of course doesn't match to a Ford van, but they work!

[/ QUOTE ]

BTW -- Were those rubber or poly bushings you got? I assume you had rubber bushings to start with... Just wondering what, if any issues, you may have had installing them, if converting from one type to the other.

Even with my new bar and poly bushings, I can still sense death-wobble starting up sometimes, and actually have gotten it mildly a couple of times recently (once at only 40 mph getting on a freeway). The only thing that really changed recently was increasing my tire pressure a bit after a rotate. Yes, they "should" be properly balanced NOW -- though I did have to go back once to have them re-balanced.

If this persists over time, I'm considering changing my steering stabilizer back to the stock one (using Rancho now) just see if it makes a difference. I have been told by my 4x4 shop that it has NOTHING to do with it, but I have heard someone here say that it did make a difference. To me, it's just another variable to adjust...

 

[dadof5arrows]

The OEMs were rubber. After driving the old bushings out, the poly bushings were 2 piece with a metal sleeve thru the middle of both, so pretty easy to put into the trackbar-even came with a tube of lube.

The new ones are poly bushings, which are a little stiffer & the track bar required a little "persuading" with a prybar to get the holes to line up, but other than that, pretty easy install.

Before the bushing replacement, I began to notice the death wobble onset earlier as I became more sensitive to it. I hope its gone for good now, but I think I'm going to replace more OEM rubber bushings in the front end with poly, just to try to tighten things up. Gotta be doing something to the van, & at least they're a fairly cheap mod /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[dadof5arrows]

Re: Intermittent Steering Shake-ARGHHH!

I spoke too soon--I've had 2 episodes of the steering wobble, and if its not my imagination, its shaking more violently. I'm going to start looking for a front end shop to look at it. Dad-gum-it! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif