why does my X pull to the left

[xz96]

I'v had this problem for months and i want to fix this asap...

the shop already checked alignment and tires but they couldn't find out whats wrong with it....they said it's no big deal...i'm gonna try another shop, but i want to get some ideas here..

here's what I found during driving

1.sometimes it pulls to the left while applying brakes or hitting gas pedal
2.sometimes it just pulls to the left by itself(especially on freeway)
3.it never run in a straight line for more than 3 sec on freeway
4.if i turn the steering wheel from the center to the left a little bit, it will not get back to the center by itself.
5.if i turn the steering wheel from the center to the right, it will get back to the center but most of time it will pass center and start to pull left..
6.70% time after it run over a pothole, it pulls to the left
anybody got same problem before?what might cause this?

 

[lobo411]

Impossible to really say without knowing precisely how bad the pull is. IME, Explorers just plain have a sloppy, truck suspension and they tend to wander. If it's a consistent pull, you might check the brakes for signs of uneven wear. I had a sticking caliper a few years ago--the side that was "free" had 1/4-3/8" of brake pad, and the side that was "sticky" was so worn down that the rivets dug a trench through the rotor.

And yet, despite this, it never pulled bad enough for me to notice.

 

[DjDom]

How old are the front suspension components?
Ball joints, tie rods, etc.

 

[imp]

Unequal caster angles from one side to the other, almost beyond a doubt. First toe-in must be correct, not excessive. Toe is the CAUSE of pulling to one side or the other-----assuming a flat, non-crowned roadway-----the side having the LESSER caster angle will "drive" the front of the vehicle in a direction towards the side of the GREATER caster angle.

Caster angle causes the wheel to point straight ahead. If toe-in is ZERO, non-equal caster becomes a much lesser problem, but that's a moot point. 2nd. Gen. Explorers even have a SPECIAL caster adjustment provision, on the upper right-hand side control arm, a screw adjustment to "fine-tune" caster to bring the two sides as closely to EQUAL as possible. Ford even specifies a maximum "caster-split" in the Shop Manual, this being the maximum allowable difference in caster from one side to the other. imp

 

[xz96]

Impossible to really say without knowing precisely how bad the pull is. IME, Explorers just plain have a sloppy, truck suspension and they tend to wander. If it's a consistent pull, you might check the brakes for signs of uneven wear. I had a sticking caliper a few years ago--the side that was "free" had 1/4-3/8" of brake pad, and the side that was "sticky" was so worn down that the rivets dug a trench through the rotor.

And yet, despite this, it never pulled bad enough for me to notice.

if i let the wheel go while driving in a straight line on free way(70mph), it takes about 7 second to change lanes by itself... front brake pads were checked, one has 80%left and another one has 90%left, is it consider uneven wear?

 

[xz96]

How old are the front suspension components?
Ball joints, tie rods, etc.

both upper control arm and balljoints are 1 year old, lower control arms 1month old, same goes with ball joints.. don't know about tie rods or other component..just got this truck for 1 year

 

[swshawaii]

Six major steering issues and your "shop" says no big deal? If all your parts check out OK, you definitely have alignment problems and it's time to find a competent tech. imp's caster split explanation makes the most sense, especially with your straight tracking and steering wheel return to center problems. The passenger side two piece upper control arm offers plenty of caster adjustment. As for your braking left pull, could be a sticking caliper, binding slide pins, rotors, hoses, etc.

 

[SoNic67]

Check the wheel play by yourself. Don't trust the "shop". Lift one side and do this:

 

[jdtractor]

you may need a aftermarket camber caster kit, also try rotating your tires and see if it still does it.

 

[Flash]

Like jdtractor said, move your back tyres up to the front to see if strange tyre wear is the cause.
If it still does it go to different mechanic to check the alignment.

Just because it's a truck does not mean the steering can be sloppy. Mine isn't and neither should yours be.

 

[jremington59]

By any chance have you looked at the sway bar links? Even if they're still there they could be loose or broken. Grab right ahold of them and give them a good shake. What shape are your rear shocks in. If you bounce it up and down does it keep bouncing a few times after you stop? And if the garage says "it's no big deal", find another garage.