Stability problem while driving?

[lv2xlr8]

I have a problem that I tried searching all over the web. Let me first say that I have a 2003 Ford Explorer EB 165,000mi I had the front end recently checked for bad balljoints etc.

The problem that I can best describe is while driving on the freeway, the truck feels like the rear is swaying back and forth. The feeling feels like if you would take your steering wheel jerk it back and forth. (the steering wheel its self doesnt move just the best way I can describe the feeling) Its happens often and is intermittant. Im hoping that someone else has had this happen and knows what can fix it? I looked at the suspension in the back and everything appears to be intact. Thanks in advance for any thoughts about this.

 

[guilateen]

Its probably the rear hubs. Your rear wheels probably have some play which will of track it and cause this. I had the same problem. Sometimes the hubs will start to fail without making any noise. This is assuming you checked all rear components, including broken rear coils, rear sway bar, tie rod etc.

 

[sp05ld2]

Rear end drift

i recently had a similar feeling while driving my 02. It almost felt as if the rear end was floating side to side. The same feeling you get when hit by wind gusting from the side. Problem was resolved by replacing toe links. The old parts were very sloppy. Hard part to find and dealer only.

 

[swetrid]

Rear toe links or wheel bearings are most common causes.

 

[lv2xlr8]

The all the wheel bearings were replaced 50k ago. I will check into the toe links. Its exactly like what you described above. Gust of wind to make the rear feel like its floating/pulling vehicle out of its lane. How much do toe links run and is it a hard thing to replace? Thanks!!!

 

[sp05ld2]

The part is around 140. If your deal does not have it try here www.silverstatefordparts.com. It is an easy swap but you are affecting your alignment.

 

[FordExplorer2002]

i have this prob as well. how would u check for faulty rear toe links? bearings are fine already checked those.

 

[blueoval9erlifer]

I had the same problem as you are describing. check them the same way you do your wheel bearings but grab the front and back of tire with is jacked up and it will wobble if you take the wheel off you'll see its loose where it attaches to the hub assembly. I bought both inner and outer toe links from oreillys because i did not want to wait for shipping but twice as much as from rock auto look under tie rod ends and then look for rear ones

Part #'s are Moog ES800560 for the inner $23.79 each
Moog es800562 for the outer 34.79 each

Not too hard to replace but will have to get realigned when done

Well worth it because it got rid of the drifting

 

[Izera]

I went to get my 02 inspected and I was told it would not pass inspection without one of the tierods that go from one side to the other being replaced. I figured that since I had to change one I would change them both. I had to cut off one of them and the other came off without any issues. I used the old ones to get the correct length so that I would hopefully not have any issues. Well.... that didn't work so well. It now sways worse than it did before. It recently snowed a little bit and everytime I hit a spot in the roadway that the snow blew over into the rear of the vehicle just wants to take off like it is going to spin sideways until it catches dry pavement and then straightens itself out. I drive slow and steady. I am thinkig that maybe I didn't get the correct torque (any idea what it is!) . It also has on each one a piece of metal in a v shape. Does that have anything to do with where the tie rod end is supposed to be put? I figured that I would replace the upper ball joints and the lower bushings while I was at it. They are ordered but haven't come in yet. Once I get these all replaced I want to get a 4 wheel alignment and hopefully that will take care of the issues.

In the mean time what do I torque the bolts to the tie rods to and to the v shaped parts need to be put in a special way? What about the upper bal and lower bushings. What is the torque spec on those?

Is there something missing that I am doing wrong?

 

[hosmer79]

Sorry to bring back an old topic but just came across this after looking for days on what could be wrong with my 02 Limited Explorer. Here's my story. I have a 02 limited with almost 160K on it. It has been very good to me in the three plus years Ive had it except for rear wheel bearings! I've replaced both rear ones twice in the last 30K miles! First time I had them replaced at a small private mechanic so just figured he got junky parts or did a bad job. so I went and had it done at a dealer the next time. Well just got some nice new tires for the New England winter and immediately after they put them on and did a 4 wheel alignment my car feels like it's wandering/walking/swaying as if it's being blown by the wind. Took it back to the tire place told them something was wrong with the tires or alignment. they rechecked it and said there was nothing wrong. I even asked them to take a good look at the suspension components and particularly the ball joints but I was told nothing looked drastically wrong. The truck tracks fairly straight while steady throttle but it starts to pull left when I left off the gas, and then if I reapply the gas goes back to straight. Going straight while braking or coasting pulls left but also has that very scary swaying sensation. Didn't seem to do it at all while in a turn since whatever was moving seemed to be loaded one way or another. Made for a very long 4 hour drive up the mountains of Vermont in a snow storm! So I'd given up hope that it was suspension related and was starting to look at steering components since the truck does have some steering play.

So I am now going to check the toe links and see what kind of play is in them. Do you guys think that a decent alignment place would notice if they were bad though seeing they'd almost definitely being adjusting these as part of their alignment? Never had this sort of wandering with my old set of tires but I just figured they were so bald maybe they didn't track on the road much or the guy doing the alignment broke the toe link?

Any thoughts I'd appreciate it. Sorry for the long winded background but I'm a details kind of guy so I like to give a good back story to the symptoms and recent events that seemed to lead up to the problem.

 

[hosmer79]

Just to update my situation....

Replaced the rear toe link/trailing arm/tie rod last week due to my symptoms from above. Rear end swaying while driving, turned left when let off gas, went straight or right when applied gas.

I jacked up the car and found that both sides were bad. Both had excessive play to the hub and it seemed like just the outer ends were shot but I replaced the inners as well since I was going to be under there and they were fairly cheap. Job wasn't bad at all. Like usual the pinch bolts can be a bit of a pain to get out and the stud of the toe link as well. One side came out real easy and the other not so much but ball joint separator and hammer eventually got it out. Did my best to measure old assembly to new ones to try and keep the alignment close but one side was way out of alignment and the guy at Firestone trying to align it thought I had used a wrong part because how far off it was. He was able to get it aligned though after he adjusted it. I was worried I used the later model 2002 ones but later realized the difference is the stud size not the length. Truck drives great now and I'm not fighting it to stay in my lane.

 

[hockeyfwd334]

I just have been fighting this issue too... Replacing bearings multiple times..new control rod en bushing.. Broken toe links and they are all new..... Still the back wheels have been all over the place.. Today it's a whopping 40 out so I have been trying to figure this out... Turns out the pin for the toe link is worn out.... I have an early 02... And it takes 15mm not 17mm.. No matter how tight I went with the pinch bolt it wobbled.. What I'm about to say is not the right fix but it did tighten it up .. I cut 2 shims and slid them in at 90 and 180.. Then muscled the toe link in and tighten the pinch bolt... Tire on.. No wobble.. Will see how it drives and will check the alignment after.. Real fix is to buy a new hub.. So take it for what it's worth..

 

[bobbaloo38]

I recently took my 02 xls in to get two new rear tires, and I immediately noticed that the back seems to want to lag behind in wheel tracking making the car drift. When I pull my cargo trailer driving 55 becomes a white knuckle experience. I replaced the rear wheel bearings to no effect. Took it in to mechanic and they replace front ball joints, tie rod ends, and one rear toe link. no change. mechanic 2 replaced rear bushings and other toe link still no change. tomorrow I'm heading to mechanic number 3, I have 200k miles and hate dumping all this cash into such a high mileage vehicle. just wondering if anyone has any suggestions. thanx

 

[hockeyfwd334]

My 02 is an early model with the smaller pins. I broke them all the time. Started right after I hauled a big loaded trailer.. I raided our local lkq on 50% off day and got rear toe links and wheel hubs off of an 03. Bigger pins and the holes where the pins go into aren't wallowed out.. Total difference! I was using an aluminum shim in the pin hole but it would only last so long.. But it was better. If you are jus tracking odd then it may be that it's just the alignment.. If the back end is all snakey then it may be just the holes wallowed out..
I have heard of people reaming/drilling the hole out for the 17mm pin to go in but I haven't found a lot of data on it.

 

[hockeyfwd334]

To see if the pins are wollowed jack the car up and grab the wheel.. If wiggles just in the horizontal plane.. (Front to back) it is probably the pin hole. If it wiggles in the vertical plane bushings.. If it goes full circle in all directions.. Wheel bearing..

 

[hockeyfwd334]

You can do a quick alignment check with 2 jack stands and a long string..

1. Put the ex on level pavement or ground after pulling it forward with the steering wheel straight

2. Put the jack stands in front of the sploder

3. Wrap the string from one stand... Around the back tires and to the other jack stand at center hub height..

4. Keep the string tight and adjust the stands in or out until the string just touches the front wall of the front tire...

I have my ex set up so that I have no "toe in" on my front tires. So the string if tight just barely touches the front of the back tire and back of the front tire...

If I have gaps or the stings are being pushed I adjust it to the line.

Not perfect, but with all the work I've done on bearings and toe links and tie rods it saves me money and time.

I align mine this way and have excellent success..

 

[swshawaii]

"String" method is a good idea but the rear track width is 3/10" (7 mm) wider.

Front 60.9" (1547mm)
Rear 61.2" (1554mm)

Owners Manual (Page 309)
http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/catalog/owner_guides/02expog6e.pdf

 

[Bobmbx]

"String" method is a good idea but the rear track width is 3/10" (7 mm) wider.

Front 60.9" (1547mm)
Rear 61.2" (1554mm)

Owners Manual (Page 309)
http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/catalog/owner_guides/02expog6e.pdf

I've used the string method as a rough alignment to get me to a shop.

 

[hockeyfwd334]

Good to know. Thanks!

 

[bobbaloo38]

I wanted to write a follow up on my problem in case it might help others. I did the wheel check and the toe links and wheel bearings check ok. Ii crawled under an noticed a broken spring. After replacing both struts the car still wandered but noticeably from the front. I check the steering shaft and it seemed sloppy. I ordered a new one 300 and when i pulled the old one i was surprised how tighr the u joint was. I thought i miss diagnoised the problem but decided to pur the new one in anyway. It turned out the lower shaft knuckle was sloppy.