Twitching steering in sweeping turns

Icarus

Icarus

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I noticed when I got my VIII, that once in a while in long swept turns (like a long on/off ramp for the highway) that the steering 'twitches' and you can feel it in the steering wheel as a light twitching/pulsating pulling.
I flushed out the fluid with synthetic last year and it's not done it since. The guy that did the gears in my car took it for a drive the other day and noticed that it was doing it again. He showed me it doing this, but this is the only time it's done it again.
Any suggestions?
Thanks :)
 
was anything done with the tires and wheels between the two times that this happened?
 
hubs, Ball joints, bushings it could be anything you will have to get under the car and inspect all of the rubber boots, and bushings before anyone can help since we cannot test drive the car through the internet nor can we fax ourselves to your aid <~~~Cool Idea
 
There is no noise. Suspension is tight, I rechecked it Sunday and yesterday while I was doing the oil pan again.
I was just hoping someone had run into the same problem and solved it. There's not much to the system really (rack and the pump) but was hoping to narrow it down. The car has about 64k miles miles on it and I figured these would last longer than this...
 
Weird, have you seperated all of the ball joints and inspect for damage? That studdering is more then likely ball joint issues I doubt its the rack.
 
I had the upper arm detached from the ball joint, and they are good and smooth, no play. I checked the lower arms for play with a prybar and turned the spindle etc but never took it off... Maybe I'll seperate the lowers today while it still up on stands and take a closer look at them, thanks :)
 
Also Check the outter tierods, that will more then likely be the culprit, does it feel like the steering is binding? or bumpsteer?
 
It feels like the steering wheel is twitching/pulsing in your hand side to side slightly (maybe 1/4" either way) as you go onto on/off ramps, mainly it's been slightly downhill on ramps. It doesn't do it on curves on city streets though, and only once in a while on the ramps, I don't know if I should even worry about it.
I double checked everything today and all seems tight, so I think it something internal to the pump or rack causing it.
I need to bring the car in an alignment, but I don't think it's to far out as it sits. I was thinking of fixing this before it went in for the alignment so I don't have to do it twice if I end up replacing the rack...
 
Mine does this as well. No idea why. Its not as bad as yours. It feels like the wheel is getting more and less tension (steering) and its pretty annoying.
 
Mine did that before noticing my speed assisted cable on the pump was unplugged, if you are going straight and its pulsing its the hub, I was understanding it was occuring when turning.
 
I had this problem on my '93., I lowered the car and didn't get it aligned right away, the tires toed out, and gained small flat spots. When I'd turn, the outside tire would hide the wear, and the inside tire's flat spots would show themselves better, making it more noticeable than when driving straight.

It's probably not your problem, but of course, you'd just have to change them out with the rears to check the problem.
 
It's going in for an alignment, as well I'll check and clean the connector to the sensor. I'll also swap the tires front to rear and see if it makes a difference till then, but it did it occasionally too with the stockers and they were put on in many different positions. I'm going to give it a once over yet again to make sure I didn't miss anything...
When it's in for the alignment, I'll ask about to see if they have any suggestions too...
Short of replacing the rack or pump, thats about all I can do, eh? :)
 
Just an update to see if I can get any more advice from ya'll :)
I was going to take the car in for the alignment last Friday, but the car did the twitching thing again last week a couple times. Again only on the off-ramps.
One of the guys at work and I looked it over on the weekend, and the fluid that I flushed so nice and clean at the end of '07 is now getting pretty black :( He thinks this is a sign of the rack going internally and thinks I should be looking for a new rack. He doesn't think it wold be a pump problem.
Do you guys think I should replace it or try flushing it again?
 
I checked the evo switch, it seemed good.
Cheez, so it looks like I should be thinking about doing the rack?
Thanks guys :)
 
Arg, I can't make up my mind :( If I do this, I rather go with an actual Ford rack, but the aftermarket stuff is like 1/3 the price!
Decisions, decisions...
:Bang
 
Had the same twitching on my 93, the rack finally went out. Replaced it with an AZ rack (make sure you get the 93-96 version, the ratio is quicker), put it in, now the front steering is sooooooo tight again and the twitching stopped.
 
Who made the AZ rack (not that theirs an AZ up here ;) )?

Any recommendations for an aftermarket rack that will last (not Cardone though, I will never use their stuff again!)?
 
I know I'll regret it, but I could use the money towards a downpayment or paying off my bills etc... I'm at a point where my health isn't what it used to be and I'm losing the desire and energy to keep tinkering with it. :(

As for the rack, I'm flushing it again and seeing if it will still do it. One of the guys at work used to be a Ford tech of many years had it for the weekend and it didn't do it to him at all and thinks I'm crazy, heh. :)
 
I can't believe no one has mentioned the rag joint between the rack, and steering column. My 94 was all over the place in sweeping turns. I replaced that, and the problem went away.


Mike
 
Actually now that you mention it, I'm surprised no one has either ;)
I have checked it though, I've had it apart a few times doing the oil pan and sway bars, and it seems in good shape and tight.

I'm just on my way out the door to go to the dealer to get the alignment done, and will have them double check eveything as well.
 
The front end guy at the dealer spent all afternoon with the car (not by choice on his part!) All seems well, and the alignment is pretty well dead on what I wanted, though the tech will never want to see another Lincoln again in his life! He did a great job though :) The car feels better and now I will be comfortable taking it on the highway without killing the tires.

One of the techs there got to put a brand new engine in a Mark back years ago in a new car that was having issues. The car was so important to Ford then they didn't fix the problem, but replaced the whole engine with the guys from head office where ever watching, and shipped the other one back to be examined!

I couldn't believe the number of people that came in to look at the car. I was surprised my old Lincoln would get this much attention! I even had a guy stop beside me at a red light and ask if I was selling it and that he had a couple himself, though I don't think he got my number as he hasn't called yet.
:)
 
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