2008 F350 Diesel Steering problems

[Yellow427Cobra]

Well, here is a good one. I have been driving a 2005, F 250 Diesel for about 120,000 miles now. All over the country and it has been a good truck but that little engine problem at 30,000 miles. Anyway, in Dec 2007 I ordered a 2008, F 350 Diesel, single rear, 4 door, long box.
Problem is driving down the road, the steering wheel is not going back to center. I have to work it back and it is rather difficult to keep it between the lines. In fact it is so bad that I'm not even driving it and use my old truck.
I took the new one to 2 different Ford dealer and both told me that all is normal and that is the way there driving. Perhaps so but that is wrong.
I took it to a frame shop who are highly regarded in this area and yes, all is normal but it is not driving very nice. We finally took the steering damper off and that made it a little better but not good at all. I called Ford and was told to take it to a different dealer that is all there are able to do.
If you let go of the steering wheel going down the road, you will go in a big circle. The F 250 never did and is still not doing it.
So, I went back to a Ford dealer and drove a 2008 F 250, no problem at all, the I drive a 2008 F 350 and the same problem as the one that I have. I do like the comments that the sales folks and the service folks have, like: This is a big truck you need to hold it with both hands, or it is normal that you have to force it back. Well, I do not think it is normal and some other folks do not think so either. Basically, we have now a $ 50,000 vehicle sitting in the parking lot that nobody wants to drive.
Any of you folks have experience with something like this? It think that Ford may have the Caster calculation way off but I would sure appreciate some input.
Thanks TK

[hargrove]

There is a chance that the steering box got set up too tight from the factory.I have gotten the gear box too tight on older rigs and they would not recenter until loosened some.Just a guess. Good Luck

[Scott_M]

Originally Posted by hargrove

There is a chance that the steering box got set up too tight from the factory.I have gotten the gear box too tight on older rigs and they would not recenter until loosened some.Just a guess. Good Luck

There is a very goog chance that it might have a problem with the steering box. Mine is a F350 and it went in ths shop two weeks after I bought it due to a faulty steering box. It had a crack in the casting causing an oil leak. It did not have any of the steering issues your truck has, but it still had a bad steering box. I also have a friend that works at a local Ford dealer in the service department and he said he has seen two 2008 superdutys come in for steering box replacements.

[sevenmalards]

Man if you're letting go of the wheel and it's pulling that hard then something is amiss in your front in, not the steering wheel or column, but definately maybe the steering box, but if the box was "tight" I would think it would make it hard to steer, not just start veering hard to one side.

[BJacobsKR6.4]

Well I'm glad I decided to look around on here. There are a couple of threads with this. I am having the same problem. Has anyone found a fix?

[STEVONATOR]

My o4 Ram did that same thing, and it was a bad power steering pump

[alaskan9294]

I test drove an 08 350 4x4 dually and it didn't have the problem. It could be the pump or even the gear box. I have also seen ball joints do it as well. Did you ever find out the problem?

[2005F250]

Castor cams loose maybe?

[astig00]

My 08 F250 is at my local dealer for this very problem. I am on my third steering box. I doubt the problem is there. This go round, I have the "death wobble" around 40 mph after they replaced the steering box.

Any answers for this yet??

[STEVONATOR]

I got a ford notice in the mail regarding this. All it said was to make sure the tire pressure was filled as stated on the door pillar. What a joke!