Norm Peterson

Stiffer bushings in the front suspension seem to only make the Active Nibble Compensation go even nuttier.

Short of replacing the entire rack with either of the units previously mentioned, all I can think of would involve somehow making false sensor signals get sent to whatever module uses them to apply small steering corrections. That would be kind of like what people do with O2 sensor "foolers", except without the state inspection and related legal issues. Or eliminating the sensor signals entirely, giving the module nothing useful to work with.

I do not know whether this approach would be considered autocross ST*/*SP class legal (although my opinion is that it should be just as legal as turning off any traction or stability control).


Norm

Benjamin T

hi everyone.

looks like i have to join with you guys. i had recently replaced my oem front LCA's because of ball joint and bushing issues. i decided to go with steeda units with the upgraded bushings and extended ball joints. it was installed by a ford dealer, and is supplimenting the front suspension that already has a steeda bumpsteer kit and upper camber plates, along with eibach pro-plus springs/shocks/swaybars. an alignment was also done afterwards by the dealer.

soon after this i started experiencing vibration at highway speeds. it worsened with any increase in steering angle from dead center. i rotated my wheels and tires, checked balance, even went to a different set and nothing made a difference. i went to an indie shop to check the alignment and suspension and everything looked good. then the mechanic said EPAS might be at fault but because he was not a ford mechanic it would be up to me to find out and ask.

i am also experiencing some other issues no one has mentioned here. my SERVICE ADVANCETRAC warning display has been intermittently coming on. because it needs to be on at the moment of diagnosis, i don't know what it is. twice it came on while i was steering into a parking space, and once under heavy braking to catch a red light. i've had this warning display come up before for an unrelated issue (brake pedal switch), so i am not sure if this is something else or not.

furthermore, my shaking issues appear to be proportional to ambient temperatures outside of the vehicle. on cool nights or wet/cold days, it dosen't shake at all. but in hot summer weather like i am getting right now, it's brutal.

i have an appointment this afternoon after work with my dealer. i'm not hopeful for a warranty repair because of all the suspension work my car has. i was hoping to hear from someone who already done the suggestion of installing a boss 302R (or is it S?) or a gt500 rack in their GT? i know it's $1k but at this point i'm really scared to drive on the highway

FordService

Hello Benjamin T,

Please be sure to contact Ford Canada at 1-800-565-3673 for further assistance. Let me know the outcome.

Deysha

Ansibe

I feel your pain, Benjamin. This does suck. The shaking does seem to get worse with stiffer bushings, so you may have uncovered the same problem I have by changing yours. The rack you want is the Ford racing M3200-EPAS rack, I think it's from the 302s, but don't quote me. I ordered one, but it's not in yet.

your "advanceTrack" warnings might be a separate issue. There is a small ABS electrical connection at each wheel, and disconnecting any one of them completely disables all traction control/stability control/ABS functions. I know this because while trying to diagnose my steering shudder I disconnected the driver's side rear to isolate the steering rack (no input except the steering wheel). I get all the warnings you describe all the time. My point (yes I know it took me a while): check all 4 of those connections first. You could do it at home in your driveway.

FWIW, the car drives great with those systems off. I just spent a day at Mosport and had a blast even though all the "safety" systems were off. However, I have the OE bushings and my steering only shakes under hard (racetrack hard) braking.

Benjamin T

after posting here i was told by another member to go to this thread instead:

http://www.s197forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=64852

my GT is still at the dealer (day 2). it's not looking good for warranty claim. the tech had already told me after our test drive he certain that ford will deny my warranty claim after he does the diagnosis routine and determines whether the EPAS is at fault because they will most definitely use my modified LCAs and other suspension parts as a cause, despite the fact this is a known problem even with unmodified GTs.

i was all set to go to start my first autocross season this year with this car, but when faced with the cost of a $1k+ M3200 EPAS steering rack on backorder that i don't have the budget for... i don't think it's going to happen, if at all. fixing my lower control arms was the best thing i ever did because of the endless noise the bushings made (another different dealership could not warranty my arms again for the same reason: too many mods caused problem), but in fixing one issue i've created another.

Ansibe

I had had the 302s racing steering rack installed and, presto, no steering wheel shake. Fees like a new (awesome) car.

I can't believe how much the steering shimmy was affecting my driving. I'm so much more confident now, and far more willing to explore the car's limits. I'm loving my car again.

Benjamin T

ansibe,

my dealership experience was nothing short of a disaster. i won't be going back and i'm currently looking for an indie shop from now on to do work.

can i ask where you bought your rack? my autocross season this year is pretty much a total loss and i'm selling off some of my stuff in order to finance for a new rack. the dealer wanted $1400+cdn and a 1 month wait, whereas i have seen it for as low as $885 in the US.

Ansibe

Hey Ben,

I live near the Center of the Universe (T.O.), and have all my service done at DaSilva Racing in Pickering (http://www.dasilvaracing.com/). Joe DaSilva is a multi time drag racing champion, and his shop treats customers right. Their prices are competitive, and they put their customers first. I've always been happy with their work, even though road courses are a little outside their wheelhouse.

Since you don't have a preferred shop, I'd get the rack from a reputable dealer in the States, and have it installed by someone you trust. It only takes a couple hours, so you may want to drive down and have it installed there. Joe seems to know quality people all over North America from his racing days, so he may be able to recommend someone out your way. I'll ask him for you next time i'm in the shop. If you pm me with your email I'll get back to you.

Benjamin T

thanks again for the help ansibe. i look forward to hearing from you soon.

i originally wanted to go here: http://www.speedprohp.com/

but unfortunately they are currently short staffed and i don't think they can fit me in... still searching.

[edit] yay, my problems just got worse. my rack is now making a grinding noise while steering at low speeds, and actually binds after hitting full lock (ie. steering wheel won't come back to center on its own). i can only assume that all the shaking that is now happening on a daily basis is causing something to break, or is already broken, or something...

and of course i'm still short on $ to replace the rack... gotta sell the remainder of my autocross gear. good times... sigh.

FordServiceCA

Hi Benjamin_T,

I'm Bianca with Ford Service Canada and I'm here to help! I'd like to research this a little more for you; please PM me your VIN and odometer reading. This information will help me determine what step is next.

Bianca