Your welcome. I am going back next Saturday to have a little more toe-in put in. I called the shop and the tech said that, I could go up to 1/8 of total toe in, but any more and the tires will begin to get "eaten up". So, he is going to put another 1/16 of toe-in for a total of 1/8th toe-in.

I also adjusted the 03' salvage yard steering gear box. If anyone does their own, I would recommend turning the screw in 1/8th turns and then trying it. I keep turning it in 1/4 turns and it was either too loose or too tight. I nailed it when I turned it in only 1/8th turns.

Note: If you tighten it too much, you can cause the steering gear to bind and cause a WRECK!!!!!!!!!!!! Although, it is easy to adjust the steering gear box with a 5/8 wrench and an allen head wrench, a person may be better served to let an alignment guy adjust it.

 

Update:

Went back to alignment shop. The owner wanted to charge me for adjusting the toe-in an additional 1/16th of an inch, even though, he and the tech. said that, I would not benifit at all from the adjustment and I would be very close to getting uneven tire wear. So I did not do it.

Since I have changed everything eles, I went ahead and replaced my stock 100K + mile powersteering pump and high pressure line that goes from the pump to the steering gear. I also realized that, besides having a transmission fluid cooler, I also have a powersteering fluid cooler! ...........bonus benifit of the towing package I guess.

There was only a very slight increase in "steering feel" with the pump swap........and for about 20 miles of use, I had the benifit of a loud squeal at lower rpms (even though I moved the steering wheel from left to right to bleed it and refill reservoir).

Overall, my steering is far better than when I bought it. However, I am considering getting a steering stabilizer and looking into a longer pitman arm for a "faster" steering ratio.

Although, the Toyo Proxes are great gripping, handling, smooth riding tires and I was told by the custom alignment shop that, they are the best quality street tires .......in cross-winds, they suck!!!! We had 40-55 mph wind gusts last weekend and I had to oversteer to keep it straight. I should have known better with the mushy sidewalls, but they had a 111 load capacity rating, which is higher than other non-LT tires.

A co-worker also has a 99' supercab. He needed new tires several months back. He needed LT rated tires for towing his travel trailer and boat. I found him some "Triangle" LT rated 16" tires. I drove his truck and it steers better than mine in cross winds!!!!!!!! He has not performed any of the mods I have and his is stock height, stock everything! My next set of tires will have stiffer sidewalls. .............maybe I should try to trade my low mileage Toyo Proxes for some LT rated tires???????????

 

........overlooked the obvious......again.

This morning before going to work, I checked my tire air pressure. I had 35 psi in my 275/60/17s. The Toyo Proxes STs sidewall states, 44 psi max. air pressure. So, I inflated all 4 tires to 42 psi. The drive to work was great, even in cross winds. I had even more steering response, control, less rolling, even better cornering, and the steering wheel returns to center faster.

When I got to work, I called Toyo USA and spoke to a tire tech to verify some info. He said, the max. 44 psi, on the sidewall represents, a COLD max. inflation rate. However, for my 99' F150 supercab, he recommended 39 to 40 psi. He said that 42 psi should work, however, I should watch the tire wear closely to make sure that I do not get uneven wear in the middle of the tire. He said, one of the best ways to determine uneven wear, is to look at the tire print after the tires have been wet.

 

I was feeling pretty good about my 99' f150 supercab flareside steering yesterday evening. However...

Had to take my father to have minor surgery today. Therefore, I drove his 99' F150 single cab, long bed with 27K original miles (he bought it new, but drives it very little). I installed a belltech 3-4 kit that is now a 3-3 kit. He still has the oem General 235/70/16 tires. When I went to have it aligned, the tech. did not install the caster camber kit. He said it did not need it?

His truck steering is the best truck steering I have ever experienced! His steering wheel whips back to center better than mine. His truck steering is more sensitive than mine. His truck "wants" to drive straight more than mine. Yet, all his steering components and tires are bone stock, except for the lowering kit and shocks. One thing I noticed, his steering wheel is "harder" to turn, than mine. .........so tonight, I adjusted my steering gear box for more tension and tried it. No good. My steering was harder to turn, but I also began to wander on the road again as I could not prevent over steering.

The only thing I can think of is the tires. Maybe his NARROWER General 235/70/16s allow him to take full advantage of the higher caster as opposed to my WIDER former tires, the Kumhos 265/60/17s and my current Toyo Proxes STs in the oem 17" size of 275/60/17s?????

Maybe narrower tires allow for the full effects of high caster settings? Has anyone driven a f150 with the oem 235/70/16s AND with the oem 275/60/17 and felt a difference in the steering????????????????????????????????

I am at a loss right now. Maybe with my wider than oem 16" tires, a steering stabilizer would help? Does the stabilizer shock enable a more positive return to center? Does the steering stabilizer provide equal tension on the steering wheel, therefore facilitating straight line driving and a "centered feel"?????????????

I would appreciate any comments.

 

Tires can make a huge difference in steering effort and 'feel'. IMO, you should make a 10 mile test loop of roads in your area. Drive your truck then your dads, as is. Then swap your tires/wheels to your dad's truck, and put his tires/wheels on his and try driving them back to back. Repeat test loop. Take notes.

It's a PITA, but you've put a lot of time and $ into this already. So it's time to start controlling the experiments. Back to back testing with one change at a time should help you identify the feel and handling you wnt.

Sorry, can't answer any of your questions about steering dampers on your truck. Dampers are very common on motorcycles and I know they make a HUGE difference in feel on a bike.

 

Iron Horse..If your frame is bent 1/4", that is like 3-4mm.On full framed vehicles, the tolerance is 5mm.But if you were in a accident and the frame was bent anywhere near where the suspension mounts to the frame..there is 0 tollerance.If your frame is off 1/4" in the suspension mounting area, that is your problem.

 

Thanks for your comments. The last alignment shop I went to is the best in the state (supposely). They are an alignment, custom suspension/frame straightening shop. Several trucks that they have customized have appeared in the major truck mags.

During the last alignment, I just happen to ask if the frame was straight. The tech. said it was off 1/4 of an inch. I asked if I should have it straightened. He said that the frame guy would not even mess with it. The tech said that it was within tolerances and that most frames that come from the factory are not 100%. He also said that the alignment compensates for this and other issues as well. I did not ask where the frame was off 1/4 of an inch.

The shop said that, if I did not like the way it steers now, I should trade the truck off. However, I will figure out somehow, what is wrong and fix it.

Maybe, I should take it to another frame shop and have the frame straightened to 100%

 

Was your truck in a accident?If so, how hard and what was the damage?If it it 1/4" off in the suspension mounting area,you could "adjust" it out in the alignment.BUT...You would have changed the geometry of the suspension.Your camber and caster will be set straight, but the angles of the suspension components are not what they should be.

For example..say the right side of your truck sits higher in the front then the left side.So you install spring clamps to the right spring to bring it down the the ride height of the left side.Sure it sits level, but when you hit bumps in the road, you will have bump steer and the truck will pull to the left becasue of the difference in spring rates.Bottom line is you CANNOT alter something to make it appear right.I am a Body/Frame/Painter Tech, and have been doing it for 6 years now.I am speaking from experience here. Need to find out where it is 1/4" off at.I would suggest taking it to a body shop with a Genisis(or equivilent) frame measuring system.It is all electonic and will print out a sheet with all your trucks measuring points and show where it is off at.If your truck was indeed in a accident and the alignment guy said it is off,I would take it back and tell them of the problems you are having.Hope this helps you any.Any more questions ,feel free to email or post

 

Thanks! Although, a carfax check did not show any accidents, I also found out that, supposely an accident valued UNDER $5,000 does not have to be reported? Therefore, before I bought it, I drove it to a paint and body shop I am familar with for inspection.

The body guy showed me where bondo work had been completed on the drivers side front fender toward the front middle portion of the fender. He inspected the truck and said he could not "see" or "feel" any damage other than the fender and saw some repainting of the fender and the driver side door. He could also tell by some small drilled holes on the inside of the driver side door that, some "dent repair" had been done. He also pointed out that this was probaly the reason why my driver side door jamb sticker was missing. However, he concluded that, the damage was very minor and had been repaired well. I had planned on having the entire truck repainted after I had finished moddifying the exterior and the deal was so good that, this did not bother me. .........now it does! haha!

I will check for a shop with the frame measuring machine you mentioned . I think the alignment shop I went to, has one. Although, they think the frame and alignment is fine. I will post what I find out. Thanks again!

 

If they painted the door jamb,something had to either hit the fender hard and push it back into the door and cause the door to hit the jamb, or it could be a simple scratch or soething that was fixed.One way to check, open your hood and check the bolt heads that hold the fender on.See if there is any evidence of someone taking the bolts out.Usually will be paint missing from every corner of the bolt.Also check the bolts that hold the door to the hinges and post,Check the bolts that hold the hood to the hinges as well.I mean, my truck seem to have a "tad" of play in the steering, but the way you are talking,it very well could of been in a frame bending collision before you bought it.And coming from a nody shop, there are 100 ways to get around a carfax report when the vehicle is smashed.

 

I checked fender bolts and door hinge bolts. I can not see any signs that they were removed. I have equal gaps between the doors and cab and fenders and hood. However, in the front, on the drivers side, near where the door hinges mount to the cab, I see an X in yellow marker

I could not contact any frame shops today, about frame measuring/straightening costs. I adjusted the steering gear box again. It helped some.

Then, I went over to my fathers home. DirtBike Dave was reading my mind, therefore, either I'm not crazy or we both are! ha! I swapped my wheels and tires for His wheels and tires. He has the General Grabber 235/70/16s and I have the Toyo Proxes ST 275/60/17s. I drove my truck with his wheels and tires and his truck with my wheels and tires. I drove both trucks on the same route.

The narrow tires on my truck DID make a difference. My steering wheel returned to center faster and stronger and it tracked straight line driving better. ALMOST as good as his.

His truck drove just as good as before, with my wheels and tires

With his just setting in park with the engine running, you can turn his steering wheel from side to side and tell that it is tighter and "stronger" than my steering. I also noticed that his lower control arm bushings have a gap between the control arm and the bracket! Yet, his steering is still tighter than mine.

I also noticed that his truck has postive camber, while mine has negative camber. His truck has so much postive camber that, his front tires are wearing a little too much on the outside tread.

My father thinks it is the weight difference in the two trucks. His is a single cab long bed and mine is a supercab (with two mini doors) flareside with the towing package. He thinks it is the extra weight on my tires that is causing the less than perfect steering feel. I really can not articulate it well, but it "feels like" he has a highperformance steering gear box or his steering pump is pumping more fluid or his steering linkages have equal extra tension always pulling the steering wheel to center??????????

At this point, I could trade my new Toyos for some 70 series tires and or change the front wheel bearings and or get a steering stabilizer and or find out if the 1/4 out of tolerance portion of my frame is near the front suspension and have it straightened or unbolt my center link from the tie rods and pitman arm and reconnect them, since I did go past the spec torque amounts to align the bolt hole with the nut notch to insert the pin?????????

Any guidance is greatly appreciated. I've come this far, so I'm not giving up.

 

No kidding..Your almost there.Dont give up.Checking the frame is a long shot..but if it is bent..That would be your problem.Where can we get steering stabilizers for our truck?I run 20" wheels with 275/45/20 tires and they are wide.I need somethign to help with road crown.

 

www.summitracing.com sells a rancho steering stabilizer. You have to get the stabilizer and the bracket. It is the same stabilizer used for 4x4s.

98 Screamer experienced a loose steering feeling after installing some 275/60/17s and installed one. He said it really helped. The reason I like the ideal of the stabilizer is that, it is a specially valved shock that returns to center after turning the steering wheel left or right.


here is a thread with info and a pic of the install

http://www.f150online.com/forums/sho...ing+stabilizer

 

iron horse,

What wheels do you have?

JMC

 

Hey JMC! Long time no write.

I have the oem f150 "buzzsaw" 17 x 7.5 rims. Someone had them triple chrome plated and never installed them. I bought them off Ebay very cheap.