Steering Stabilizer on leveled trucks?

[Vin]

Do any of the gurus have experience with steering stabilizers on a Gen 14? I have a professionally installed level kit via Eibach coilovers and SPC adjustable upper control arms which raised the front 2". Stock 20" BAP wheels with 35x11.5 Recon Grapplers. The bump steer (I think this is the right term) is awful at highway speeds. It'll sometimes yank the steering wheel out of your hands if you hit a decent break in the pavement at 70+ mph. Everything is tight and alignment solid with no pulling.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Is this just "how it is" with a small lift and 35s?

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[SALEEN961]

Steering stabilizers are typically only used on solid front axle applications, but you could probably build something that would fit a modern F150.

Bump steer is caused by design flaws or broken/bent parts that cause the wheels to turn as the suspension extends and compresses. In a perfect world the wheels will not steer at all as they move from full extension to full compression. A steering stabilizer will not fix bump steer.

What pressures are your tires inflated to? Heavy load range E tires will often cause a loss of stability over rough roads when they are installed on lighter vehicles, but you shouldn't feel like the steering wheel is being yanked out of your hands.

Is it just the front of your truck that feels unstable on rough roads, or does the rear seem have issues too?

 

[Pedaldude]

Yeah, make sure that the rear is aligned too. At highway speed; it’s sometimes hard to tell which end is causing the problem.

Good luck!

 

[Vin]

Thanks Guys. I didn't even know rear alignment was really a thing. Is that part of a standard alignment?

 

[Vin]

Steering stabilizers are typically only used on solid front axle applications, but you could probably build something that would fit a modern F150.

Bump steer is caused by design flaws or broken/bent parts that cause the wheels to turn as the suspension extends and compresses. In a perfect world the wheels will not steer at all as they move from full extension to full compression. A steering stabilizer will not fix bump steer.

What pressures are your tires inflated to? Heavy load range E tires will often cause a loss of stability over rough roads when they are installed on lighter vehicles, but you shouldn't feel like the steering wheel is being yanked out of your hands.

Is it just the front of your truck that feels unstable on rough roads, or does the rear seem have issues too?

There are no broken parts and I can't see anything bent or know a reason why they would be. Tires are E Rated, inflated to 40 psi. The front feels like the wheel gets yanked on a high speed bump. The back feels jumpy and unsettled (which I would say is normal-ish in any empty pickup truck) on all bumps.

 

[Natetroknot]

What’s your caster?

 

[Natetroknot]

You cannot align the rear of our trucks.

If your caster isn’t +3 degrees or more, you will experience bump steer on a lifted truck.

There is not a place to mount a steering stabilizer on a drive by wire rack and pinion, nor would it serve a purpose.

You have a caster issue, I’ll bet a buffalo nickel.

 

[Gooner5643]

Definitely get it re aligned. You want minimum 5 degrees caster when running bigger/wider tires with these trucks. I’m running 33x12.5x18 tires with spc control arms on 2.5” level. Had it aligned and the shop set it to 4.7 degrees caster. Felt too darty on the highway especially at speed. Went back and had them set it to 5.4 degrees caster and she holds straight even over bumps at over 100mph. Just know the more caster you have the heavier the steering will be.

 

[Polo08816]

Steering stabilizers are typically only used on solid front axle applications, but you could probably build something that would fit a modern F150.

Bump steer is caused by design flaws or broken/bent parts that cause the wheels to turn as the suspension extends and compresses. In a perfect world the wheels will not steer at all as they move from full extension to full compression. A steering stabilizer will not fix bump steer.

What pressures are your tires inflated to? Heavy load range E tires will often cause a loss of stability over rough roads when they are installed on lighter vehicles, but you shouldn't feel like the steering wheel is being yanked out of your hands.

Is it just the front of your truck that feels unstable on rough roads, or does the rear seem have issues too?

LRE tires will cause loss of stability over rough roads? Are you sure about that?

 

[Bryan Simon]

I have E tires on my 98 Chev
@35 they ride nice and stable, but feel a bit heavy
@45 the pleasant ride is drifting away and it gets a little bit “darty”
I keep them @ 50. A bit harsher and darty at lower speeds but stable and firm feeling at hiway speeds, and the truck feels a bit “lighter on its feet”.
But may be apples to oranges as the Chevy has an entirely different front end than the new trucks and is not modified in any way.
Was delivered new with E tires so I have no idea how it behaves with softer ones.
Hell, this truck was delivered with no rear bumper—simpler times.

 

[SALEEN961]

LRE tires will cause loss of stability over rough roads? Are you sure about that?

Load range E tires are much stiffer and less forgiving when you hit bumps. When they are installed on heavy vehicles like a 7000lbs F250 that was designed to have Load Range E tires installed on it, they will feel fine. When you put Load Range E tires on a 5000lb F150 that has very different shock damping, it can feel like you're bouncing off bumps because the tires and suspension don't do a great job of absorbing the impact.

There are a few straight sections of rough road near me where my truck would bounce off the bumps and get thrown sideways when I had Load Range E tires installed With passenger tires installed the road still feel rough, but my truck doesn't change lanes by itself.

 

[SpaceWhiteF150]

My front end has the caster at a touch more than 4.0, it drives straight as ever! I have icon upper control arms and a leveling kit!

 

[Vin]

I scheduled an alignment next week. It's been a year and 35k miles since it was last aligned so I'll keep you guys posted on pre/post alignment caster numbers. Thanks for the advice.

 

[SALEEN961]

I scheduled an alignment next week. It's been a year and 35k miles since it was last aligned so I'll keep you guys posted on pre/post alignment caster numbers. Thanks for the advice.

Depending on where you go they may not have the specs for 2021+ F150s loaded into their alignment computer yet and they are very different from the 2015-2020 F150s. I've attached the 2021+ specs in case you need them. When possible, it's always better to set caster to the high side of the allowable range and I like to run roughly -0.8° of camber on both sides.

 

[Vin]

Depending on where you go they may not have the specs for 2021+ F150s loaded into their alignment computer yet and they are very different from the 2015-2020 F150s. I've attached the 2021+ specs in case you need them. When possible, it's always better to set caster to the high side of the allowable range and I like to run roughly -0.8° of camber on both sides.

Thanks. I go to a reputable 4x4 shop and actually asked about the Gen 14 alignment specs when they aligned it a year ago. They said they have them loaded into their computer but I don't think they set the caster near that high. Makes sense. Feels like shopping cart wheels when you hit a big bump at 70 mph.

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