Wheel off center on some roads at higher speed, normal?

[Alpoba]

Looking for thoughts. Do you notice your tremor doing the same with the wheel off center on straight highway roads? Is this a crown effect that is just more pronounced with a lifted truck? Or is there another steering/alignment issue that i need to look into.

 

[RedZilla]

I notice that on many NJ roads, mostly highways, my steering wheel has to be tilted to the right in order to go straight. I believe the road crown is involved, but i’m not convinced since none of my other vehicles seem to do this and i drive them on the same roads for many years never noticing this issue.

What’s strange is that i don’t think there’s anything wrong with my alignment. I tested the truck on local streets, it drives absolutely straight with the steering wheel perfectly centered. But as soon as i get on these highways, at speeds of 60-80mph, i need to tilt the wheel right otherwise if i keep it straight it wants to go into the ditch. The video shows it.

I currently am running 3.5 carli pintop level with method +18 offset wheels and 37 inch falken wilpeak at3w tires. These tires are 12.9 wide. I wonder if this too is a contributing factor. Thinking of mounting tremor stock wheels/tires to check if the same issues persists.

Looking for thoughts. Do you notice your tremor doing the same with the wheel off center on straight highway roads? Is this a crown effect that is just more pronounced with a lifted truck? Or is there another steering/alignment issue that i need to look into.

I have noticed this on occasion, but mostly I think due to side wind load. I don't think you would notice it on county roads and especially slower speeds because the roads are less uniform.

I think the tire switch test would be a great idea, and then drive the same route to compare.

 

[Alpoba]

I have noticed this on occasion, but mostly I think due to side wind load. I don't think you would notice it on county roads and especially slower speeds because the roads are less uniform.

I think the tire switch test would be a great idea, and then drive the same route to compare.

As you can see in the video, it’s not like the truck is pulling left or right, it’s going straight as long as the steering wheel is tilted to the right a bit. Almost as if it compensating right for that road crown going into the left ditch - that’s the best i can explain it to myself.

 

[RedZilla]

As you can see in the video, it’s not like the truck is pulling left or right, it’s going straight as long as the steering wheel is tilted to the right a bit. Almost as if it compensating right for that road crown going into the left ditch - that’s the best i can explain it to myself.

Interesting that you've never noticed with other vehicles in the past though. I'm willing to be the tires are just a little more affected by the crown than the tires on the other vehicles.

 

[Spoonman]

I recently had the Carli 2.5" Backcountry installed, Torsion Sway Bar and both steering Stabilizers, same exact thing. My initial thought was that after the shop did the alignment after the lift installation that the steering wheel was simply off center. Not the case. Because I too track straight most of the time. I was thinking that it was the crown in the roads and the Carli suspension may be more sensitive to it. Maybe the Nitto Ridge Grapplers had a slight right pull. Or maybe I need to adjist the pressures in the steering Stabilizer to offset the tires. I am going to call CJC and ask tomorrow.

 

[Billet]

Do you guys have adaptive steering? During the 2020 release, one of the engineers explained the adaptive steering will detect and compensate when your wheel doesn't align with the direction the trucks heading. He used driving in high wind as an example.

 

[Alpoba]

I recently had the Carli 2.5" Backcountry installed, Torsion Sway Bar and both steering Stabilizers, same exact thing. My initial thought was that after the shop did the alignment after the lift installation that the steering wheel was simply off center. Not the case. Because I too track straight most of the time. I was thinking that it was the crown in the roads and the Carli suspension may be more sensitive to it. Maybe the Nitto Ridge Grapplers had a slight right pull. Or maybe I need to adjist the pressures in the steering Stabilizer to offset the tires. I am going to call CJC and ask tomorrow.

Curious what cjc told you. I can tell you it’s not the stabilizers. I just had my both lower and upper pressured to150psi nitrogen and it did not resolve the issue above.

Though after i had pressure checked and my pintop kings adjusted to 225psi all of the sudden my pintop rides like a dream. No more stiffness to it, no more feeling every road imperfection. The suspension works fine now. For the first time in 4 months i can finally appreciate it. Thanks to the fine suspension wizard in NJ who helped me diagnose and fix issues caused by the initial install shop.

My only remaining concern is this steering issue which i can’t even tell is normal or not. But after driving for a while on these crown roads with the wheel off center i seem to tire out a bit.

 

[Alpoba]

Do you guys have adaptive steering? During the 2020 release, one of the engineers explained the adaptive steering will detect and compensate when your wheel doesn't align with the direction the trucks heading. He used driving in high wind as an example.

I dont have adaptive steering. I even went ahead and disconnected fuses #29 and #9 that control EPAS, but that wasn't my issue either. Mine is not a pull. But rather a highly tilted steering wheel on crown roads.

 

[Spoonman]

One thing I noticed is holding a constant speed on a raod has my steering wheel slightly off center to the right. If I drive straight and gently brake, the steering wheel returns to center. I am going to have the shop that did the install double check the alignment, mainly the steering wheel, and see if that resolves the issue.

 

[Spoonman]

So CJC said that the truck should be aligned without the steering stabilizers installed. Once the alignment is completed the stabilizers get installed and pressures adjusted for tire pull.

I asked if road crown would affect the steering wheel offset more with the Carli parts and was told "no."

The advice given to me was to bring the truck back to the shop and go through the above process again because its sounds like if the alignment was performed with the steering stabilizers installed it could be off.

 

[Alpoba]

So CJC said that the truck should be aligned without the steering stabilizers installed. Once the alignment is completed the stabilizers get installed and pressures adjusted for tire pull.

I asked if road crown would affect the steering wheel offset more with the Carli parts and was told "no."

The advice given to me was to bring the truck back to the shop and go through the above process again because its sounds like if the alignment was performed with the steering stabilizers installed it could be off.

That is honestly the first time i’m hearing such a thing about alignment needed to be performed prior to installing both steering stabilizers. Who in CJC told you that? Not everyone there knows their stuff. Cole and Cody i’d trust.

But if i were to take CJC advice it would cost me at least another laser alignment and assuming i could take off and then add back the stabilizers myself.

And if i think about it, it doesnt seem to make a lot of sense. What do steering stabilizers have to do with the wheel being off center when in the left lane on a crowned road. Perhaps i don’t understand something. I will advise on this with someone i trust.

 

[Daimyo68]

What happens when you drive in the right (slow) lane, at those same speeds?

 

[Alpoba]

What happens when you drive in the right (slow) lane, at those same speeds?

Perfectly straight. Wheel is straight and it steers straight. That is the odd part. Only left lane tilt does this to the steering wheel.

 

[CalTremor2020]

I notice that on many NJ roads, mostly highways, my steering wheel has to be tilted to the right in order to go straight. I believe the road crown is involved, but i’m not convinced since none of my other vehicles seem to do this and i drive them on the same roads for many years never noticing this issue.

What’s strange is that i don’t think there’s anything wrong with my alignment. I tested the truck on local streets, it drives absolutely straight with the steering wheel perfectly centered. But as soon as i get on these highways, at speeds of 60-80mph, i need to tilt the wheel right otherwise if i keep it straight it wants to go into the ditch. The video shows it.

I currently am running 3.5 carli pintop level with method +18 offset wheels and 37 inch falken wilpeak at3w tires. These tires are 12.9 wide. I wonder if this too is a contributing factor. Thinking of mounting tremor stock wheels/tires to check if the same issues persists.

Looking for thoughts. Do you notice your tremor doing the same with the wheel off center on straight highway roads? Is this a crown effect that is just more pronounced with a lifted truck? Or is there another steering/alignment issue that i need to look into.

I think what you are seeing is cross-caster/cross-camber. Road vehicles are designed to hold straight when driving on the right side of the road crown. They discuss it about halfway down this article.

https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=4

 

[Alpoba]

I think what you are seeing is cross-caster/cross-camber. Road vehicles are designed to hold straight when driving on the right side of the road crown. They discuss it about halfway down this article.

https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=4

Yes. You’re right and i’m aware of cross caster. My camber is near zero from alignment. Except that i tested a buddy’s SD Tremor on the same road in the left lane and the steering wheel is straight as an arrow and it is going straight. Ironically, his tremor in the right lane needed the steering wheel to keep left, but it was still a lot less pronounced than mine is almost 4-5 degrees right. His was maybe at 1-2 degrees.

 

[Chunkee]

I am having similar problem. Had an alignment and told them about the 1 o’clock steering wheel position. Now it is at 11 o’clock. Good grief.

 

[FLTremor22]

I drove my truck for a few hundred miles yesterday and noticed that my wheel is always slightly tilted to the left. If I let go of the wheel it seems to track fine but the wheel(Ford logo in center) is a few degrees to the left. If I purposely hold the wheel where it appears straight the truck then drifts to the right some. If I just hold the wheel and make the needed minor corrections it consistently titled to the left. I am almost wondering if the wheel just isn’t installed straight or if I do have an alignment issue, I feel no pull on braking and seems to run straight if I let the wheel go.

 

[Billet]

I drove my truck for a few hundred miles yesterday and noticed that my wheel is always slightly tilted to the left. If I let go of the wheel it seems to track fine but the wheel(Ford logo in center) is a few degrees to the left. If I purposely hold the wheel where it appears straight the truck then drifts to the right some. If I just hold the wheel and make the needed minor corrections it consistently titled to the left. I am almost wondering if the wheel just isn’t installed straight or if I do have an alignment issue, I feel no pull on braking and seems to run straight if I let the wheel go.

If there's no pull then you simply need to straighten the wheel by adjusting the drag link which is very simple to do. If you've never adjusted one before, there are plenty of videos on YouTube that shows you how. Will take less than 5 min.

 

[Alpoba]

If there's no pull then you simply need to straighten the wheel by adjusting the drag link which is very simple to do. If you've never adjusted one before, there are plenty of videos on YouTube that shows you how. Will take less than 5 min.

100%. I did it about a dozen times myself now to get to where i am near perfect on centered surface. The adjusting part is easy.

The problem outlined by me above is a lot more difficult to find a root cause for. I think Carli springs (taller and softer) and sway bar and radius arms or a combination of them together plus a lift is making the truck a tad bit more sensitive to road crown, and the wheel tilt is resulting from it. Over time i almost stopped paying attention to it. There isn’t some serious problem to deal with, just something to get used to with a lifted truck.

 

[DDD]

No aftermarket gizmos, stock Tremor. Mine tracks straight down the road regardless of crown unless the toad had been etched out by studded tire users. Then I need to pay a bit more attention. But my 18 JL Rubicon was lifted yon 37’s with almost all aftermarket suspension and steering and mostly you couldn’t take your eyes off the road because it would wander quite a bit. Just sayin. Maybe it had to do with altering the geometry?