Steering / Adaptive Steering question

bbrett

Tremoraholic
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Location
Thousand Oaks, CA
Current Ride
2020 Ford F250 Lariat Tremor
So I picked my truck up yesterday and I love it, but I do have a question regarding adaptive steering. Anyone have any feedback on it, it seems the steering is alot more sensitive than any other truck I've driven. It takes very little movement on the steering wheel and it seems the truck seems to move around alot. It almost seems like I'm all over the road and a cop could interpret as drunk driving lol. I'm sure it takes time to get use to, but is this normal for adaptive steering or even the regular steering on these trucks? My rams steering was a little stiffer which I was use to and kinda liked.
 
So I picked my truck up yesterday and I love it, but I do have a question regarding adaptive steering. Anyone have any feedback on it, it seems the steering is alot more sensitive than any other truck I've driven. It takes very little movement on the steering wheel and it seems the truck seems to move around alot. It almost seems like I'm all over the road and a cop could interpret as drunk driving lol. I'm sure it takes time to get use to, but is this normal for adaptive steering or even the regular steering on these trucks? My rams steering was a little stiffer which I was use to and kinda liked.
I don’t have the same experience with my truck, it’s similar to how my f-150 was prior to my Tremor. It may just take some getting used to.
 
Well thats not reassuring for me. lol. Im trying to decide if i should get it or not.
 
It should become less sensitive while driving at higher speeds. I’ve had no problems with it. Only thing I did notice was on mountain grades I have to get into wheel a bit more, but used to it now. Backing trailer with it is amazing.
 
So far my biggest gripe is I am not impressed with the handling of this truck. It just seems to be very Squirrley and all over the place on the freeway. Towed my boat earlier and even worse. My ram was not Squirrley at all. I expected a lot better of an experience driving this truck and towing.
 
So far my biggest gripe is I am not impressed with the handling of this truck. It just seems to be very Squirrley and all over the place on the freeway. Towed my boat earlier and even worse. My ram was not Squirrley at all. I expected a lot better of an experience driving this truck and towing.
I think between duratracs and straight axle, it’s not planted. I just ordered the Icon 2.5” centerline stabilizer to see if that helps and can’t wait to get new tires. My ridge grapplers were solid and lasted 56k miles and still had life left on old truck.
 
So far my biggest gripe is I am not impressed with the handling of this truck. It just seems to be very Squirrley and all over the place on the freeway. Towed my boat earlier and even worse. My ram was not Squirrley at all. I expected a lot better of an experience driving this truck and towing.
try lowing the psi in the tires it does bounce on the bumps on the highway
 
Many folks have experienced "wandering" steering with new tires on their new trucks, regardless of Adaptive Steering as an option. The Owner's Manual under Driving Hints - Breaking-in states, "You need to break in new tires for ~300mi. During this time, your vehicle may exhibit some unusual driving characteristics." I've had my 2020 Tremor F250 for about +4000mi and it seems pretty rock solid, towing and not-towing, and I have adaptive steering.
 
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I believe it is more the Goodyears than anything else. My truck is a lot better now with 2000 miles on it than when I first bought it. However, these trucks seem real sensitive to the crown of the road. I just did a 700 mile trip. On all the flat highways tracked perfectly fine, as soon as you put a decent crown or ruts in the road from trucks, the truck seems to need constant steering attention. This still could be exaggerated by the tires, however.
 
I think its a combination of the Duratracs and the added lift with no rear stabilizer bar. It does handle better as the tires broke in. I am planning to go with new wheels and tires probably 12.50 x 35s in the near future but they won't be duratracs

I am a huge fan of the adaptive steering. It took me a very short time to get used to it.
 
Good to know, thanks for everyone’s input. I’ll give it some time. I literally picked it up at 4:00pm yesterday and towed my boat 150 miles this morning lol
 
It was quite squirrely in the beginning. Even now, at least when compared to say a focus ST, it somewhat squirrely. May just be the tires...
 
It is likely the tires. I had real disappointment when new, then it settled down around 4k miles with 60psi front and 65psi rear and I kind of liked it. Then I replaced a ruined front tire with a new one (just one) and had all the same twitchy/wandering issues come back.

I think the tires need to wear a bit to fit, and then it all stabilizes.

Ed
 
This is concerning me since I will be doing a lot of highway driving to work and back on the garden state parkway when I get my truck.

Can anyone reassure me that their Tremor isn't squirrely at 75 or 80 mph? Or are they all like this? I don't expect it to ride like a FX4 but I don't want to be constantly fighting a wander at 75mph. I didn't get adaptive steering.
 
Big John, living in NJ, I have not been on the parkway, however roads like Rt. 295, AC Expressway, etc. in South Jersey the truck tracks perfectly fine now. I also run the same tire pressure as Rock Taxi, 60 psi in the front, 65 psi out back. Seems to be the best for the truck.
 
This is concerning me since I will be doing a lot of highway driving to work and back on the garden state parkway when I get my truck.

Can anyone reassure me that their Tremor isn't squirrely at 75 or 80 mph? Or are they all like this? I don't expect it to ride like a FX4 but I don't want to be constantly fighting a wander at 75mph. I didn't get adaptive steering.

If you're concerned about what I said take it with a grain of salt. I'm not used to driving a truck let alone a SuperDuty. I'm used to driving cars, small hatchbacks and with good suspensions and sticky tires. Driving cars like that to me is second nature and I can do so with less attention and still do better than people paying full attention. Now the super duty for me was a challenge and at times still is. It requires full attention for me and does at times seem to wander. When I drove the thing for the first month I had both hands on the wheel at all times and scarcely looked away from the road for fear of hitting anything... I've taken the truck to 95, got there in impressive time and with gusto, and wasn't afraid as far as "squirreliness." That said the truck sometimes does seem to like to wander, so maybe more attention is needed either due to the design and/or tires.

It isn't as concerning, I don't think, as it sounds. Just requires more attention the way it comes, at least for some of us.
 
If you're concerned about what I said take it with a grain of salt. I'm not used to driving a truck let alone a SuperDuty. I'm used to driving cars, small hatchbacks and with good suspensions and sticky tires. Driving cars like that to me is second nature and I can do so with less attention and still do better than people paying full attention. Now the super duty for me was a challenge and at times still is. It requires full attention for me and does at times seem to wander. When I drove the thing for the first month I had both hands on the wheel at all times and scarcely looked away from the road for fear of hitting anything... I've taken the truck to 95, got there in impressive time and with gusto, and wasn't afraid as far as "squirreliness." That said the truck sometimes does seem to like to wander, so maybe more attention is needed either due to the design and/or tires.

It isn't as concerning, I don't think, as it sounds. Just requires more attention the way it comes, at least for some of us.

I get what you're saying. I leased a Jeep Wrangler Sahara JL for the wife, which in terms of jeeps go, it's well mannered. It still felt weird pulling it off the lot and driving it for the first few times. I just wanted to reassure myself the Tremor is not unusually bad mannered. Sounds like a typical 4x4 with big tires and a lift....not expecting it to drive like my old Audi A6 (y)
 
This is concerning me since I will be doing a lot of highway driving to work and back on the garden state parkway when I get my truck.

Can anyone reassure me that their Tremor isn't squirrely at 75 or 80 mph? Or are they all like this? I don't expect it to ride like a FX4 but I don't want to be constantly fighting a wander at 75mph. I didn't get adaptive steering.
I don’t have the adaptive steering and don’t think mine is squirrely at 80. I do notice a tiny bit of bump steer in certain situations but not to the level of being squirrely. Takes a pretty hard bump to really notice it. I am really impressed with the ride on this truck (350) compared to the 05 2500 Suburban I have as well. Handling on the IFS in the super windy mountain roads is the only thing the Burb does a little better in my opinion.
 
I dropped mine to 60 and 55 and I’m coming from a sports sedan and it feels great. Yeah it has body rolls from no rear bar but for off-road use I don’t want a sway bar anyways. If I did I would not have bought a Tremor. Truck handles very well for what it is and get some miles on the tires and drop the pressure and it’s much better. I did feel the uneasiness with the tires were brand new so miles hep a lot.
 
I dropped mine to 60 and 55 and I’m coming from a sports sedan and it feels great. Yeah it has body rolls from no rear bar but for off-road use I don’t want a sway bar anyways. If I did I would not have bought a Tremor. Truck handles very well for what it is and get some miles on the tires and drop the pressure and it’s much better. I did feel the uneasiness with the tires were brand new so miles hep a lot.

Cool. Thanks for sharing your opinion.
 
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