Steering wheel upside down

[kountrykeith]

Hello anyone reading. I have a 97 EB 4x4 5.4L recently bought. The steering wheel is upside down. What is the easiest way to rectify this? Can I remove linkage to accomplish or do I have to remove the wheel? I do not have a gear puller. I thank you in advance for your help.

 

[Trainmaster]

Your toe alignment is way out, which could be an adjustment or a tie rod end has been improperly installed. Or your idler arm is toast, or its frame mounting is rotted away. Your control arm bushings may be gone or you have a broken ball joint. Maybe someone ran into a curb with it and bent/broke the center link/spindle/control arm.

You have to get under this thing and completely check the front end. If it all checks out, which I doubt it will, do an alignment.

 

[kountrykeith]

I have been under it and from what I can see (been sitting for years, alot of webs and oil/dirt coating from leak) it all looks pretty sound. I am planning on doing a string and ruler alignment because the toe is definitely out of whack but wanted to address upside down wheel first. Do you think I could adjust the tie rods enough to completely invert the wheel? I have done the alignment I mentioned above on small passenger cars before. But only ever had the steering wheel cocked a 1/4. So I'm saying it would be turned to the 2 or 10 position on a clock.

 

[Trainmaster]

Do you think I could adjust the tie rods enough to completely invert the wheel?

I don't know this answer, but I suspect you can get a half turn out of the wheel with the tie rod adjustment. Lots of room on them. Gotta ask why it's so far out though. Check the frame really well for cracks and creases. It could be bent. Is it all over the road when you drive? Does it wander much? Aside from the inverted wheel, how does it steer and return to straight after cornering?

You may not get it perfect with a tape and chalk, but you'll see if you can straighten the wheel and probably won't do any harm. Count the turns and you can always go back to where it was.

You're the guy with the catalytic converters! -- er without them. You don't catch a break, do you?

 

[JExpedition07]

My dads 2016 F-250 steering wheel has been sideways since it left the dealership lot with 9 miles on it. Now at 50k still the same lol.

 

[kountrykeith]

I don't know this answer, but I suspect you can get a half turn out of the wheel with the tie rod adjustment. Lots of room on them. Gotta ask why it's so far out though. Check the frame really well for cracks and creases. It could be bent. Is it all over the road when you drive? Does it wander much? Aside from the inverted wheel, how does it steer and return to straight after cornering?

You may not get it perfect with a tape and chalk, but you'll see if you can straighten the wheel and probably won't do any harm. Count the turns and you can always go back to where it was.

You're the guy with the catalytic converters! -- er without them. You don't catch a break, do you?

Yes thats me. I bought it for a grand knowing it needed a fuel pump. Sat for 5 years. I haven't had it on the road at speed because its too loud without the cats. I live in the middle of the city. The steering was very slushy and touchy driving around the parking lot so I know she needs adjustment. I think I may have to pull the wheel and flip it if that is possible. Not sure how they are indexed. I will do some more research. Thank you for the advice and help.

 

[JamaicaJoe]

Be sure to inspect the entire steering system including from the shaft the steering wheel to the steering box. On my 01, the aluminum knuckle that attaches that shaft to the input of the steering box was completely worn through. I was days, perhaps hours from losing steering control.

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[JamaicaJoe]

My dads 2016 F-250 steering wheel has been sideways since it left the dealership lot with 9 miles on it. Now at 50k still the same lol.

At Ford, Quality is number 2.

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[Thunderbirdsport]

I think I may have to pull the wheel and flip it if that is possible.

Not 100% certain about an Expedition, but every other Ford I've had the wheel out of, they only go on one way.

I'd be checking the steering parts underneath. Sounds like someone's castaway and you're trying to rescue it, no? Those can fun, and headachy, at the same time. Usually the headaches come first and often, the fun is the last part..

Good luck

 

[Trainmaster]

The steering was very slushy and touchy driving around the parking lot so I know she needs adjustment.

It needs more than an adjustment. Check everything carefully. Something is worn, bent or broken.

 

[texasscot]

It needs more than an adjustment. Check everything carefully. Something is worn, bent or broken.

This.
I’d disconnect the tie rods, take off the boots on the steering rack, measure and center everything. Then see where the steering wheel sits. Then you could work out if it’s been taken off and put on clocked wrong or if the rack is off center.
Personally I wouldn’t drive it on a public highway until the problem is understood and known to be safe. Just my humble thoughts!

 

[bnegaard]

Before you do anything, including drive it, get some one to turn the wheel side to side while you are under there looking at everything. Make sure nothing is flopping, loose etc. One easy and not too expensive way to check it out is to take it in for an alignment. They will usually tell you everything that's wrong or, if your lucky, align it.

As far as working on it yourself: An easy way to start is to turn the wheel all the way to one side and count the turns to fully go back the opposite way. Cut back 1/2 and your steering wheel is centered. Assuming no other problems (as mentioned above) you could only need to adjust the steering adjuster coming from the steering box. THAT would be really lucky but maybe someone replaced the parts and didn't know what they were doing.

I have a 1997 EB 1997 4x4-The first thing I did was a full front end rebuild including ball joints, tie rods etc (Rockauto and a long day in the dirveway). Then I took it to Firestone and paid for a lifetime alignment. That'll get you 50k miles or more without messing around.

 

[kountrykeith]

Update: first thank you to all who chimed in. This is what I have found so far. Everything I can see is pretty solid. No broken parts or worn bushings. The wheel turns the same amount of times side to side with the center being wheel upside down. I tried the string alignment on the toe. No problems on drivers side. On the passenger the coupler was frozen even after 2 hours with PB blaster. To the point that I broke a 10 inch crescent wrench I had a cheat pipe on the end of. Had to put a pipe wrench on it to move it. That tire was out by over half inch. So after turning the coupler 20 quarter turns it is still out by over 1/8 on inch. I will take it for alignment. I do have a question. I keep hearing people talking about steering rack. What I seem to have is a shaft that is attached to the pittman/idler arm that comes out of the bottom of the steering box. I dont see a rack. Am I ignorant?

 

[Trainmaster]

You're right. No rack. A shaft out of the steering box with the Pitman arm on it. Take a look at the coupling on the steering column between the wheel and the steering box. Easy to miss that and they disintegrate sometimes.

Just for the record, I know the Pitman arm is keyed to the shaft on the box and can only go on one way. I'm almost certain the steering wheel is keyed too.

 

[Thunderbirdsport]

Yes, I looked at some images of Expy steering wheels, they are of course like any other Ford wheel, only go on one way, as I'd figured they would.

OP, you're on the right track. Get it in the ballpark, replace whatever broken and worn stuff you see, and then get 'er aligned.

The string method works pretty well if you have a flat level floor. I did it one time on a Fox Tbird, I even used a long level fastened to a piece of 2x4 to get the camber pretty well set. The alignment guy said I had it pretty close that it would've been driveable and not had any adverse tire wear...more luck than skill. On alignments, I'll trust the machine over myself every time.

 

[texasscot]

Update: first thank you to all who chimed in. This is what I have found so far. Everything I can see is pretty solid. No broken parts or worn bushings. The wheel turns the same amount of times side to side with the center being wheel upside down. I tried the string alignment on the toe. No problems on drivers side. On the passenger the coupler was frozen even after 2 hours with PB blaster. To the point that I broke a 10 inch crescent wrench I had a cheat pipe on the end of. Had to put a pipe wrench on it to move it. That tire was out by over half inch. So after turning the coupler 20 quarter turns it is still out by over 1/8 on inch. I will take it for alignment. I do have a question. I keep hearing people talking about steering rack. What I seem to have is a shaft that is attached to the pittman/idler arm that comes out of the bottom of the steering box. I dont see a rack. Am I ignorant?

View attachment 39922

View attachment 39923

Nope, you’re not ignorant I am. I assumed same setup as my 2nd gen. Many apologies. Glad you got to the bottom of it and good pics. Lots of good advice here from many. Good luck.

 

[JamaicaJoe]

One thing to consider is that the steering wheel contains the airbag, horn switch, and possibly cruise control switches. They all connect to a circuit, called the clockspring in many makes, that must coil and uncoil as you turn the steering wheel. Be sure it is not damaged in the process of aligning the wheel.

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[Michael Shepherd]

Maybe I missed it in an earlier reply but if the steering components are all in working order and I know the airbag is a concern, but what prevents the OP from simply removing the steering wheel from the steering and rotating it 180 degrees and reinstalling?

 

[Thunderbirdsport]

Because the wheel only fits on the shaft one way...it's not so much keyed as there's a flat spot and a corresponding spot in the wheel. Only goes on one way.


His tie rods are out of adjustment, is all. He's trying to get it in shape enough to get to an alignment rack.

 

[JamaicaJoe]

The steering shaft could be attached to the steering box input shaft incorrectly at the knuckle . It is a knurled compression clamp. I would urge the OP to inspect it because it is subject to wear out because it is aluminum on hardened steel.

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