Ok, i have an issue with my truck that has got me stumped. The truck is a 1998 F-150 4.6L auto 2wd extended cab

I was in a front end collision with another car, that messed up the front suspension on my truck. I replaced the upper and lower control arms, spindles, tie rod ends, idler arm, pitman arm, basically every front end suspension component except for the center link. After the accident my steering wheel was upside down, like the ford emblem was flipped over and the steering has changed to where turning to the right was less turns lock to lock.

After having the front end aligned, the suspension shop said that the problem was the steering gear box, so i replaced the gear box with a new factory replacement, and it still has the same issue as before. The steering wheel is still upside down with the new box, and the the steering is still shorter to lock the right. I have no ideas what else to try to get this problem fixed, and even the suspension shop does not.

Im turning to you guys hoping someone has either seen this problem, or has any ideas to try.

 

is your frame bent??

 

respline the gear box and pitman arm

 

sounds like an unnecessary band-aid approach.

I would venture to guess the only part you didnt replace may have been tweaked, OR you have a pushed frame.

 

frame is still straight, had that checked out.

i tried moving where the splines on the gear box and shaft are, but where the key ways that locate both are still do not allow for them to be the correct way

 

then something is't right, more than likely the frame or the parts you didn't replace yet

 

collision shop certified the frame is straight, and i dont see how the center link which is a solid steel rod could be bent enough to throw the steering wheel a 1/2 turn off and shorten the turns in one direction to lock the wheel

and all replacement parts are all genuine ford parts directly from ford.

 

might be the throttle body spacer is creating so much more power than your frame tweaked as it left the collision shop

 

How about the clock spring? Are the tie rod ends adjusted evenly or are they compensating?

 

I was gonna say that the clock spring has nothing to do with the less-2-lock-2-right..... but the more I think about it, you may be on to something there

Question for OP.... did the airbag deploy??

 

no the airbag did not deploy

tie rods are adjusted even, the suspension shop correctly aligned the front end.

 

Long ago I hit a tree stump with a Datsun p/u I owned. When the pitman arm was replaced the front wheels were not in a straight line. That caused the steering wheel to be out of alignment.
Maybe take the pitman arm off and put the steering wheel in the correct position.

 

If everything else is strait. The tie rod adjustment aren't compensating. Pat's post is the answer