anyone having problems with explorer front ends?

[PUR PONY]

My truck is having problems staying on the road- lol....
It always wants to pull to the left or right and never stay straight???? something is messed up in the front end and I cant figure out what? any ideas? anyone having or had problems!!!!???

thanks guys

 

[section525]

Mine does the same thing sometimes. I'll be driving down a straight, flat road, and then it will sorta veer to the left, then float back to the right. All while I'm holding the wheels still. Almost as if its a windy day.

 

[PLRBEAR]

You'd be amazed at how much SUVs are affected by wind. Things that i never felt driving my car, make my SUV react like it has a huge sail on top. If it's happening on a still day, then there might be something to think about.

 

[Joe93]

You might want to have the allignment checked and also check your tire pressure.

 

[PUR PONY]

section525: that is exactly what mine does. Its has just started do this within the last 5,000 miles.

I have just had a front end alignment not that long ago and its NOT a windy day/ My tire pressure is also fine. Just checked it. I am 4 hours from home in PA so i just hope it makes it home- lol.... or at least 165 miles so AAA can tow it the rest-hehe... oh well

anyone else have a clue what could be wrong??? thanks..... and if I dont get back asap im in AZ for a week- thanks guys

 

[PLRBEAR]

If it floats and it's not on a windy day, then have you thought about changing your shocks? About time if they're factory ones since '96

 

[PUR PONY]

Have 1 yr old edlebrocks on there-

 

[PLRBEAR]

sWaY bar links?

 

[John H.]

My 2000 Mountaineer has been experiencing the same symptoms. After 3 visits to the dealer here's what has been done. New shocks in the rear, front end alignment, all tires balanced. Yesterday (third time in), I had the front end alignment checked again along with the rear wheel alignment checked (even though it is a fixed axle). Some tweaking was done and seemed to improve it. They, also, re-torqued the front sway bar links, motor mounts, rear transmission mount, and the lower control arms. After all of this my truck is greatly improved and has just a little of what I was experiencing before. The last thing I have to do is install front shocks which will be one of the next few weekends when I have a free moment.

John H.
2000 Mountaineer
36K and now out of warranty

 

[Hunter11]

This is the same thing that mine is doing. I have the skyjacker 2in. lift and and have had it alligned about 3 times but I finally figured out if the ball joints are worn, it can't be alligned correctly. That is the reason I am tring to figure out how to change my own ball joints. This the only thing I can figure that it is, at least on mine.
My drives like crap sometimes.

 

[95ExplorerLtd]

Maybe it had something to do with your torsion bars. With your addaleaf install and removal and messing with torsion bars and other things liket hat, maybe something got out of whack. Might look into that..

 

[DarkMan]

There is another, much simpler explaination for road wandering.

If you have tires that are wider or more tacky than stock (which is just about anything other than Firecraps), your tires can "track" the road. They seem to pick up on invisible ruts or something. I know that big, fat mud tires are notorious for this. I don't know if your Pirelli's are bigger than stock, but it's something to think about.

 

[PUR PONY]

Well guys... I have had it aligned, new shocks, and tires balacnced and it still does it?? I also have new sway bar links due to one breaking. My pirelli's are very wide but I have had them for 2-3 yrs now and they are JUST starting to do this. I was womdering if maybe my rack is messed up or something????

 

[FMNavajo]

It was a while ago but I did what Hunter11 is talking about and the shake went away. I raised my truck up and moved the tire in and out from top to bottom and side to side, this told me the balljoints were worn out and the tie rod ends were going. I changed my balljoints, tie rod ends, beerings and put manual hubs on while I was at it and the front end is now very tight and responsive with no vibration.

FM
92 Navajo 4WD 2D
4.0L V-6 Flowmaster/K&N
3" suspension lift
31X10.5 BFG AT
4.56 Gears
Warn Hubs