2023 Gen3 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.

View attachment IMG_1869.MOV

 

[MDJAK]

Teslas steering by wire sounds like a good way to go. The fact it’s variable is awesome. Doesn’t give good road feel though.

 

[BoostCreep]

Teslas steering by wire sounds like a good way to go. The fact it’s variable is awesome. Doesn’t give good road feel though.

By “good way to go” do you mean good way to die?

 

[JDMCTR00]

Teslas steering by wire sounds like a good way to go. The fact it’s variable is awesome. Doesn’t give good road feel though.

I'd rather have a thumping issue lol.

 

[MDJAK]

I'd rather have a thumping issue lol.

I hear ya. But have you seen the way the variable steering works in the Cybertruck? At slow speed, such as making a sharp turn or turning around in your driveway, half a turn of the wheel is the equivalent of full lock. That's pretty cool.

 

[OCGen3]

Did you ever get resolution to this issue? I’ve been chasing multiple issues with my 22’-35 Raptor including a clunking/thumping through the gas pedal and steering wheel, which I can hear when the suspension extends or is not under a heavy load. I thought it was something loose in the control arms or shock mounts but now I’m thinking it might be what you’re dealing with. Do you feel the vibration through the gas pedal at all? I assume that shaft goes through the fire wall some where near where the gas pedal mounts up. I don’t feel it through the brake pedal though, which is odd. I’ll check that shaft and see if I’m getting the same play and binding tonight

 

[JDMCTR00]

Did you ever get resolution to this issue? I’ve been chasing multiple issues with my 22’-35 Raptor including a clunking/thumping through the gas pedal and steering wheel, which I can hear when the suspension extends or is not under a heavy load. I thought it was something loose in the control arms or shock mounts but now I’m thinking it might be what you’re dealing with. Do you feel the vibration through the gas pedal at all? I assume that shaft goes through the fire wall some where near where the gas pedal mounts up. I don’t feel it through the brake pedal though, which is odd. I’ll check that shaft and see if I’m getting the same play and binding tonight

The shaft from the 2021 Raptor didn't fit correctly it is clocked at a different location on the lower joint. I took off my lower shaft, extended it in different lengths, put it vertically up against the edge (Mid point on the shaft) of my work bench and applied some pressure to loosen it up. I haven't felt the thump since.

It's obviously heat and tolerance related. While I had the shaft off the truck (before I applied the pressure), I took a heat gun and heated it up (as it would heat up under the hood). It would get real tight and bind with the heat while I would push it in and extend it out . Once it cooled off the shaft would slide in and out real smoothly lol.

The yellow (top shaft) one is my 2023 lower shaft and the blue (bottom shaft) is the 2021 lower shaft. You can see the top joint (right side) is identical. The lower joint (left side) is clocked differently.

 

[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 to the bottom red arrow on 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

 

[New recaros]

I thought drive lines with ujoints and slip joints were clocked 180.

 

[JDMCTR00]

I thought drive lines with ujoints and slip joints were clocked 180.

In this case I don't know. I'll try that heat wrap I posted.