Hello everyone and thanks for having me! I just got a steal of a deal on a 97 Expedition. It was a company truck in Tennessee well maintained and runs great! The only thing i have noticed is there is a lot of play in the steering and i was hoping to get some feedback on what it may be. It was used for land surveying so i'm certain it went into the woods in 4WD a lot. Any thoughts?

Thanks!
Aaron

 

I'd take it to a good front end shop and get it inspected.

 

How many miles? Just about everything is a "wear item" on the front end.


I agree. Need to get a quality inspection done before you just shotgun a bunch of parts at the truck

 

Jack up the front wheel. Then lift up on the wheel with a pry bar or 2x4 and this will tell you if there is play in ball joint. Then push and pull the top of the wheel to see if there is play in the upper ball joint. Then push and pull the front of the wheel and observe the tie rod ends, pitman arm and idler arm for play. Then do the same for the other front wheel.

 

Thanks Roadie, I'll try when i get home this evening!

 

Its got 350k but you would never know by the way it runs

 

Thank you, i need to find a good one in my town.

 

Thank you, just finding one that you can trust can be a big deal

 

I have found that the independent shops are generally more trustworthy than the major chain tire stores. My son in law took his 98 F150 to Goodyear for safety inspection, they tried to sell him 3 ball joints. He then took it to an independent who said they were fine, all it needed was new tires (which we already knew) and an alignment.

Wherever you go, just get it inspected with an estimate. You don't have to let them do the work, just be prepared to pay them for their time for the inspection. Do what you can yourself, then take it back to have them finish the job and align it.

 

Thanks GLC!

 

350K?!! Wow! Ford replaced all of ball joints and the idler arm on my old 01 Supercrew right at 60K.

 

I'm assuming that how well they treated the truck and how good it still runs and looks that they did get all the standard services done under the warranty. Thanks Wandell!

 

Darn thing sounds great, shifts smooth. I couldn't pass it up for 600.00 my wife on the other hand is wander where we are going to park all these vehicles lol