2023 Raptor 37PP-steering wheel thumping/tapping feeling.

[JDMCTR00]

Update: 5-9-24

Here is a video of my friends 2021 raptor no thump/binding (55K miles). The shaft has a different finish and the rubber boot on the bottom is a different color. The head of service asked me to write an email to him describing my issue and include all my videos. He sent my email to Ford's engineer and the engineer told them to order the same lower shaft as my friends raptor (after watching my videos).

(Part# ML3Z-3B676-A for a 2021 Raptor). Part should be here next week.

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[Matjk80]

For the last few years I’ve been lurking on the sidelines and I have to say these forums are amazing. But today I decided to join and hopefully help someone with a similar issue as mine. I think I may have a fix for the clunk/rattle discussed in this thread. Going slow over bumps I could feel/hear a clunk sometimes rattle from the steering column. I got in it today and could replicate the noise with hard steering back and forth at a standstill. So I wedged my self into the driver foot well today and found the shaft/ joint assembly had play when pulling on it. I tightened 1 10mm bolt circled below and the rattle is gone.

 

[JDMCTR00]

For the last few years I’ve been lurking on the sidelines and I have to say these forums are amazing. But today I decided to join and hopefully help someone with a similar issue as mine. I think I may have a fix for the clunk/rattle discussed in this thread. Going slow over bumps I could feel/hear a clunk sometimes rattle from the steering column. I got in it today and could replicate the noise with hard steering back and forth at a standstill. So I wedged my self into the driver foot well today and found the shaft/ joint assembly had play when pulling on it. I tightened 1 10mm bolt circled below and the rattle is gone.

Thank you for the information you provided. I checked mine and it's tight but this might help someone in the future.

 

[brendough7]

Hopefully you get this sorted. I’ll be asking about this issue a second time next oil change on my 2022 ranger. If it’s not the steering shaft then I think you’re right, maybe steering rack bushing or guide spring.

 

[JDMCTR00]

I went by my local dealer today and popped open the hood on a 2024 F150 Raptor to check the lower steering shaft (2024 PN# RL3Z-3B676-A).

I see that Ford added a rubber boot around the shaft for heat. Looks like the same shaft with an added boot around it. Why the change??? Seems obvious!!!

It’s wrapped from the top red arrow all the way down to the bottom red arrow in my second picture. The same area where I heated up (heat gun) when I took the lower shaft off to test (bench test).

I had been thinking of trying this heat wrap for a while (now I will).

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09CPM3XJT/?tag=fordraptorforum-20

 

[Special K]

I went by my local dealer today and popped open the hood on a 2024 F150 Raptor to check the lower steering shaft (2024 PN# RL3Z-3B676-A).

I see that Ford added a rubber boot around the shaft for heat. Looks like the same shaft with an added boot around it. Why the change??? Seems obvious!!!

It’s wrapped from the top red arrow all the way down to the bottom red arrow in my second picture. The same area where I heated up (heat gun) when I took the lower shaft off to test (bench test).

I had been thinking of trying this heat wrap for a while (now I will).

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09CPM3XJT/?tag=fordraptorforum-20

Have you found a resolution to this problem? I am experiencing the same issue with by 2021 Lariat. It seems others have replaced steering shafts and other mechanical components with no success. The only case where I have seen this issue resolved was when the steering gear was replaced.

 

[JDMCTR00]

Have you found a resolution to this problem? I am experiencing the same issue with by 2021 Lariat. It seems others have replaced steering shafts and other mechanical components with no success. The only case where I have seen this issue resolved was when the steering gear was replaced.

I have wrapped it with that link I posted. It helped but not 100%(maybe 98%). In this case I'm 99.99% sure its the lower shaft due to the fact that I tested it with heat when I removed the shaft.

 

[JDMCTR00]

Issue fixed... Changed it out with the newer lower shaft from a 2024+ Raptor. RL3Z-3B676-A

 

[Special K]

Issue fixed... Changed it out with the newer lower shaft from a 2024+ Raptor. RL3Z-3B676-A

That is great news. Is the replacement part still functioning as intended? It appears that the 2023 and older raptor and Lariat have the same original part number for the lower steering shaft (ML3Z-3B676-A). Was the RL3Z-3B676-A a direct replacement, or were modifications required? Also, was this something you installed yourself, or did you have the dealer install it?

This seems to be the exact area causing the "clunking" in my truck too, and I am hoping that I can replace it with the RL3Z-3B676-A shaft and have it resolved too.

Thanks!

 

[JDMCTR00]

The new shaft works perfectly and is a direct replacement. You can install it yourself. Get two new bolts from Ford also. For some reason Ford has the incorrect bolt listed in their parts list for the lower bolt. The top bolt is the correct bolt for the lower threads. So, purchase two of the tops bolts.

You are correct about the old part number for the shaft. Ford most likely won’t put out a TSB or they would have to replace them on all the 2023s.

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