Here are two separate issues that has started after the replacement of the steering column. With slight movement of the steering wheel I have a rattle. It’s coming from behind the steering wheel and in front of that two piece plastic cover. If I hold down that two piece cover it stops. The turn signal and that whole two piece black plastic cover moves.
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I love the truck. It just needs to get fixed lol. I have pin pointed the issue for the thumping/tapping down to the rack or the lower steering shaft(which was replaced once already). Since it's heat related, I believe it's either the lower shaft heating up and binding or the rack itself is loosening up inside from the spring tension on the guide(having the whole steering gear inside thump/tap).
When the truck is cold or cooled down the shaft coming out of the rack has much less movement (hardly any) when moving the joint at the connection from the steering shaft coming out of the firewall to the lower shaft. This is all with literally two fingers and hardly any pressure.
When the truck is at operating temp. and about 5 miles in, I start feeling the thumping/tapping. I park the truck and check the shaft at that connection joint, I hear and feel the thump/tap. I sit back into the truck, hold the steering wheel and have my friend move the shaft the same way and I feel the thump/tap. Once the truck cools down it won't do it anymore. The steering shaft joint will move but won't thump or tap.
I want the tech at the dealer and the Ford field service engineer to let me explain and show them what I have diagnosed myself.
I'm going to try and record this thumping/tapping from the shaft area under the hood and post it up.