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 Post subject: XE Ute Steering
Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 12:23 pm 
Parts Gopher
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Hey all, new here, great site.

I have an XE ute which i recently fitted 16 inch EF/EL tickford wheels to and ever since then it tram lines quite badly and i constantly have to make steering adjustments on a bumpy road just to keep it going straight, it can be quite dangerous as the steering movements can be sudden with the right bumps and i have to be quick on adjusting it so i dont end on the other side of the road facing oncoming traffic (single lane roads) as an example. This only started happening after i fitted the tickfords on it.

I have spoken to Pedders and they reckon it's most likely a wheel offset issue, but as far as i know wheel offsets are the same on all falcons up until the AU. Can anyone confirm if the wheel offset on the 16 inch tickford wheels are the same as the stock 14inch steel wheels that would be factory fitted to an XE ute?

Thanks for the help in advance.
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 Post subject: Re: XE Ute Steering
Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 12:36 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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The offset would be the same, or very close. I dont see that being the issue. There are other things to consider.
What size wheel/tyre did you have on it before?
Are the "new" tyres any good?
What tyre pressures are you running?
Does it have any play in the steering/ball joints/wheel bearings, etc?
How long since the wheel alignment was checked?
Has it been lowered since the last wheel alignment?

Maybe try another set of wheels on the front, see if that fixes it.

Good luck. 8-)

 

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 Post subject: Re: XE Ute Steering
Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 12:48 pm 
Parts Gopher
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sooty72 wrote:
The offset would be the same, or very close. I dont see that being the issue. There are other things to consider.
What size wheel/tyre did you have on it before?
Are the "new" tyres any good?
What tyre pressures are you running?
Does it have any play in the steering/ball joints/wheel bearings, etc?
How long since the wheel alignment was checked?
Has it been lowered since the last wheel alignment?

Maybe try another set of wheels on the front, see if that fixes it.

Good luck. 8-)


Hey sooty, thanks for the response. To answer your questions:

The ute came with the factory 14 inch steel wheels, not sure about the tyres but they were not nothing too wide, max 195 i think.

I put Bridgestone turanzas on the tickford wheels and slapped them on, they are 215 wide, not sure about the profile, not sure about the pressures but i normally pump them to 32 psi. Haven't checked them for a while but they dont look deflated.

There is slight play in the steering but i have had a mechanic put it up on hoist and check it out and he reckons all the bushes/ball joints are in exceptionally good nick.

I haven't had a wheel alignment done it as yet but i dont think thats' the problem as it was fine with the old steelies. Its sitting way too high at the moment so when i lower i'll get a wheel alignment done.

I know for a fact that if i put the steelies back on it'll no longer tramline, the only other option is to throw the 15 inch snowfalkes out of my ESP on it and see what it does.
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 Post subject: Re: XE Ute Steering
Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 12:54 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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My XF ute does this too, it al so has a bit of play in the steering.

It's the steering box that would be at fault if your bushes and joints are okay.

If it's a major issue for you I think you can kits to reco the box..

 

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 Post subject: Re: XE Ute Steering
Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 1:05 pm 
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lukey1990 wrote:
My XF ute does this too, it al so has a bit of play in the steering.

It's the steering box that would be at fault if your bushes and joints are okay.

If it's a major issue for you I think you can kits to reco the box..


Nope, not the box. I recently changed the box from manual to power steering and it did it with both boxes. What wheels has your ute got?
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 Post subject: Re: XE Ute Steering
Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 1:24 pm 
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i had a similar issue on my XG, would pull to one side and also diviate with the slope of the road. put new tyres on the front, problem solvid
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 Post subject: Re: XE Ute Steering
Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 1:35 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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It did have Ghia alloys when I got it, but I put on a set of magnum/jelly bean mags with new tyres.

Either way, the steering box is the problem in my ute. It's probably a good thing yours is okay though, it's likely to cost more..

 

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 Post subject: Re: XE Ute Steering
Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 1:36 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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Other things to look at are the front control arm bushes, and the shocks (!). The offsets are indeed the same, but better/stiffer (Sidewall is shorter) tyres are more prone to tramlining
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 Post subject: Re: XE Ute Steering
Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 2:28 pm 
Parts Gopher
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dahayes wrote:
i had a similar issue on my XG, would pull to one side and also diviate with the slope of the road. put new tyres on the front, problem solvid


I do have near new turanzas at the front. At least they were when i bought them 3 months ago, i've just checked the outer and inner edges and there is no noticable wear. I'll prob need to get a wheel alignment done and see how it goes.
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 Post subject: Re: XE Ute Steering
Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 2:35 pm 
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Nigel wrote:
Other things to look at are the front control arm bushes, and the shocks (!). The offsets are indeed the same, but better/stiffer (Sidewall is shorter) tyres are more prone to tramlining


Well apparently all bushes are ok, but the shockers might be shagged. I have lowered pedders shockers, speings and lowering blocks which i'll put on when the cash is available and if the shockers are the problem, then that should cure, i was wondering if there was anything simple i can change in the mean time. I think you might have hit the nails on the head with the sidewall comment. The new tyres are no low profile tyres but they are still lower than the old tyres, maybe that has something to do with it? but then the tramlining must be problem for everyone that upgrades wheels/tyres??? doesnt sound logical...
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 Post subject: Re: XE Ute Steering
Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 5:11 pm 
Parts Gopher
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Location: Melbourne
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ashcook wrote:
My XF ute does this too. I've got 17's on mine and have had two different sets of them with two different sets of tyres and it still does it.
I've got a brand new power steering box and have had a wheel alignment done. The shocks were not new but were very good. It has low king springs but I have a 351 over them which is much heavier than the original 6.
I think the ball joints and bushes could do with a upgrade but by no means do I think they are stuffed.

Like you said though, at times it can be outright scary to drive. You need to concentrate on what the steering is doing at all times. Its a real pain in the a***!


Hmm, sounds like a bit of a mission for me to solve this mystery for all our sakes then. I just spoke to my mechanic and he reckons the slightest uneven tyre wear affect the way X falcons steer, he reckons tyre profiles make a big difference also, i told him i got 215/60/16 which is not exactly a low profile tyre, so thats not the problem, he also reckons if i swap front left and right and it doesnt fix it, then its the wheel alignment.

I'll swap sides and see how it goes. Either way i'll get to the bottom of it cos it's starting to give me the s***ts. I'll report back the findings so everyone with the same problem can sort theirs out once a solution is found.
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 Post subject: Re: XE Ute Steering
Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 5:32 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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Actualy, tramlining is a problem for most people - when you go wider it gets significantly worse.

More visible on the older cars simply due to the steering geometry improvements since.

I was just thinking - you have a ute. Worth making sure the rear springs/shocks are ok as well - if that can move at all (forward/backward) then you get interesting times. Ive seen it once before.

The shocks - I always thought Nah - but on my XD (20 years ago) - the difference was chalk and cheese.

Nigel
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 Post subject: Re: XE Ute Steering
Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 5:52 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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I've Got it! I don't know why I didnt think of this before!
Move away from Melbourne!
If there are no Tram lines around, you wont have the problem.
f**k, I'm a genius. :D :D :D

 

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Yes, I own a Ute. No, I won't help you move!

EL Wagon Build Thread http://www.fordmods.com/the-garage-f53/sooty72-s-ef-futura-wagon-long-term-project-t90025.html
XH Ute Thread http://www.fordmods.com/post1138970.html#p1138970

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 Post subject: Re: XE Ute Steering
Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 7:47 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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LOL - From a QLDer.....

doh
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 Post subject: Re: XE Ute Steering
Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 8:46 pm 
Parts Gopher
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Location: Melbourne
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Lol, yeh its all the trams fault.

Is tram lining just another term for bump steer, cos i keep seeing on other forums XD-XF utes suffering from bump steer. If that's the case then it may be more common and harder to fix than i thought.

Don't think it has to with the fact it is an old geometry and fat tyres, my XE ESP has 225's at the front and steers completely true, and the thing has never had a wheel alignment as long as i have had it (since 2001).
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