Truck: 1999 F150 4.6 supercab flareside.

I have lowered it (DJM 2/2 but had the lowering effect of a 2/3), added largest diameter front and rear swaybars, flush mounted hard bedcover, and a 1/2 shorter than stock tire with 2 inch wider contact patch and larger diameter rim, therefore much shorter sidewall that is "harder" due to V speed rating (51 psi too). I can not go any lower due to desire to "clear" parking pylons with lightning front bumper (1/2 to 1 inch clearance right now).

I have incredible handling and more steering control. However, today while driving home from work I encountered very strong cross winds (a storm is almost hear as I type this)......and the crosswinds still moved the truck around even though I have more steering control! Not near as much as before, but it still occurred.

Is there anything eles I can do to stiffen the ride more besides going lower or loading the bed? Is it the cheapo toxic shocks that came with the DJM kit? Is there a much stiffer riding drop shock? Would a steering stabilizer help? Also, is there anything I can do to have more steering control while driving in cross winds? Thanks.

 

Well, you have done just about everything I would have suggested, not much you can do besides chop the top or bag it. With bags you could lower it as low as is possible while driving down the highway, and lift it up on surface streets. I can't think of anything else, except maybe a rear spoiler. But I don't see how much that could do for a crosswind, though. Mine gets pushed around quite bit too, not a whole lot you can do but ride it out.,,,,98

 

98 Screamer,

Thanks. As obsessed as you are about your truck (I viewed your gallery-nice engine and exhaust detail!), and for you to conclude that, lets me know that there must be nothing eles I can do. Thanks again.

 

i would try a steering stabilizer if i were you. I dont have one on my truck but i have read other posts with guys having the same problem, and some replied saying that a steering stabilizer would help. I do have the same problem when i hit strong crosswinds , but i do have a lift and 35 in. tires, which doesnt help at all.

 

I actually forgot about steering stabilizers! I was looking at them today, and JC Whitney has a single tube unit made by Heckthorne(sp?) for $45.95. Not too bad a price, IMO. Most I've looked at were about $90 and up They may have been the two shock setup though. I will be ordering one in the near future, right after my rear sway bar. My steering wheel loves to kick around on bad pavement, the fault of the 275/60's no doubt.,,,98

 

Pan-hard bar???????

might help,

 

Thanks guys for the responses.

I have thought about a steering stabilizer bar and a pan hard bar. I think there is one company that makes the pan hard bar? I can't remember whom. I was kind of hoping someone that had a stabilizer bar with stock or shorter height tires would comment. I was hoping that high cross winds has similar affects to the larger tires on rough terrain, therefore, the stabilizer bar might help in cross winds with stock height or shorter tires.

I also looked into a urathane bushing kit for the front end. Supposely, one has not been made for our trucks yet. I also found that changing my front wheel bears will not increase my steering sensitivity as well. I also had a co-woker that drives a very stock f150 the same year and model as mine. He said that my steering was a little more sensitive than his and that my suspsension felt very tight. Infact, he felt that my tires "tracked" the road too much.

Several suspension guys have told me the only thing that is going to help me at this point is a faster constant ratio steering gear box. As you all know, our F150s (including the Lightnings) all have 14 to 1 constant ratio steering gears.

I have owned vehicles that had the 12 to 1 constant ratio steering. It is very fast and sensitive. I even found out and called the "official" rebuilder of steering gear boxes for NasTruck F150s. This has been over 4 months ago, but I remember him telling me to check on the brand of steering gear box I had. As he suspected the late model F150 have different steering gear boxes than the ones used in Nastruck. He said Nastruck F150s use the 12 to 1 constant ratio steering gear and he could sell me one for under $400, but if the brands are different they will not interchange. So that was a no go.

The new Dodge "VIper" ram truck is going to use the same brand gear as our F150s only it is going to have the 12 to 1 constant ratio steering gear. However, I have not been able to access that steering gear.