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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / 4x4 Cars / May 2004Cracked Steering Damper Member - Be careful
I have a 2004 Ford Super Duty F-350 4X4 DRW/PK CRF 6.0 Diesel Purchased it in November, 2003. After driving it for a month or so I noticed the steering wheel was no longer level. Had to turn it to the left 5 degrees or so to continue going in a straight line. Didn't think that was a problem. Fast-forward to Saturday, May 8, 2004. Was traveling on the Santa Ana Freeway in Los Angeles at approximately 40 MPH - all of a sudden, had to turn the steering wheel 45 degrees to the left to continue traveling in a straight line. Immediately got off the freeway and checked the front tires. All seemed to be OK with the tires but made an appointment with the local Ford dealer to have things checked out. I have 10k miles on the truck. Yes, I take a lot of long trips. I also noticed that my truck made a clunking noise when the steering wheel was turned to the left(while going backwards or forwards at slow speed) Today(Tuesday) went to the Ford dealer and decided to get the tires rotated and examine the steering components. The mechanic found that the metal arm going from the frame to the steering damper mechanism had severed(cracked). The mechanic also found that there was rust on part of the metal bracket mechanism that had cracked. The mechanic also found that the bolt holding the steering damper mechanism to the frame of the truck was missing. Apparently it had not been properly tighten at the factory and had eventually worked itself loose. This in turn caused a small crack. AND, that small crack caused the metal to fail on the freeway last Saturday. So this is a heads up to all of you F-ound O-n R-oad D-ead owners to pay attention to the little things. This could have been a problem for me down the road if I hadn't paid immediate attention to this matter. PS. Just heard from McCoy & Mills Ford in Fullerton, CA. The parts have been ordered, they will get installed and I will get a front end alignment. Should get the truck back tomorrow(Wednesday evening). Thank you for your time. >I have a 2004 Ford Super Duty F-350 4X4 DRW/PK CRF 6.0 Diesel > [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] > >Thank you for your time. I wanted to follow up on my own post. The problem occurred because some jerk at the Ford factory forgot to install a nut and bolt in the assembly at vehicle production. The mechanic who repaired my truck said I could have had a catastrophic steering loss at any given moment. The mechanic said the steering wheel would have frozen and I would have not been able to turn. The mechanic said I was very lucky. I'm calling this one as BS. Catastrophic steering loss?? Steering wheel freezing?? HARDLY!! I ran WITHOUT a steering stabilizer for over 3 months with NO ill steering effects. Where the heck is there a bracket that goes from the FRAME to the STEERING DAMPER?? The only attachment points for the steering damper are on the axle tube, to the outer tie rod! If you remove the damper, the only thing that it's going to change is the DAMPENING of the steering!! I can understand if the steering linkage broke, but the damper wouldn't cause this type of problem! > >I have a 2004 Ford Super Duty F-350 4X4 DRW/PK CRF 6.0 Diesel > > [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > given moment. The mechanic said the steering wheel would have frozen and I > would have not been able to turn. The mechanic said I was very lucky. > Subject: Re: Cracked Steering Damper Assembly- Be careful > From: "Jason" <happygoluck@crapsunshine.com> [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > the damper, the only thing that it's going to change is the DAMPENING of the > steering!! I can understand if the steering linkage broke, but the damper If the damper comes loose and jams it will lock your steering in at least one direction.  Signature____________________ Remove "X" from email address to reply. >> Subject: Re: Cracked Steering Damper Assembly- Be careful >> From: "Jason" <happygoluck@crapsunshine.com> [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >If the damper comes loose and jams it will lock your steering in at >least one direction. Thanks Chris. Appreciate your comments. Here is wording from my service order: A Check steering wheel off center to the left H62 Center Strg wheel (Mechanics name & license number) B. Check when back up left has a clunk in front suspension Cause: Clunk left side front broken bracket mtime to r r & repl stabilizer bar bracket missing bolt brk to cross member mtime no op in slts MT3A093 mt to repl stab bar bracket missing bolt brk to cross member (Mechanics name & license number) Of course this was covered under warranty. ~jack_ Well, I really don't like to top post but because Jason did it...I will do it as well. Bullshit huh? I spoke the truth here. I was trying to comunicate a real situation that happened to me. I was also attempting to warn folks who purchase these big trucks that sh.t HAPPENS! & the factory ain't perfect. Called the service manager at McCoy & Mills Ford in Fullerton, CA. Joe Green is his name. Joe said the part that broke is called a Track Bar Bracket. Joe's mechanic, Victor, was the one who told me I could have experienced a catastrophic steering loss at any given moment. Hey, Victor is the expert here. I was repeating what Victor told me. And to you Jason, I say: If it looks, smells, flies, lays eggs, sh.ts, migratates, quacks like a duck. By gawd, I'm gonna call it a duck. ~jack_ >I'm calling this one as BS. Catastrophic steering loss?? Steering wheel >freezing?? HARDLY!! I ran WITHOUT a steering stabilizer for over 3 months [quoted text clipped - 72 lines] >I >> would have not been able to turn. The mechanic said I was very lucky. |
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