1998 Ford Explorer Pulls to right 63mph shimmy

JOELMITCHELL

MEMBER
1998 FORD EXPLORER
6 CYL
4WD
AUTOMATIC
114,000 MILES

Today had lower ball joints, adjustable camber bolts in the top of A-arms, top shock bushings replaced on both sides + allignment and balancing. Car had been pulling / drifting to the right, making clunking noise in slow turns and rough roads and a very noticable out of balance shimmy at 63+ mph. Power steering groans in slow turns mostly on left turns then and now. Clunking noise is now gone. Still drifts to right more than road crown should cause, the shimmy is still there and I have to say worse. I can feel more feedback through the steering wheel in the last 2 months. Could this mean I need to replace my rack and pinion and how tight should the bolts be that bolt the rack to chassis. Power steering fluid is very dark thick redish brown. Thanks

1 Reply

2CARPRO JACK

MECHANIC
11,533 POSTS

If you are getting power steering noise only one direction it could be an indicator that the rack is going bad. If that is the case it may not be centering itself properly causing the pull. Safe to say all other suspension parts are good? (Outer tie rod ends, etc.) Also try roating the tires straight front to back and see if that changes anything. Sometimes a tire pull can do what you describe. If you do the rack, have the pump drained and flushed before the new rack is installled. The steering rack mounting bolts torque is 94-127 ft lbs