acdii

Try this, when it feels stiff, wiggle the wheel and see how much dead play there is before a response. When mine felt like that, I could move the wheel about a 1/2" either direction with no response, and when it wasn't binding, I could wiggle the wheel and get a response. I would have said tires, but having been down that path with new tires with no change, my first suspect would be the EPAS.

Hope in your case it is a tire.

johnday in BFE

iTrader: (1)

I thought of the EPAS right when I started noticing it feeling like something binding. I'll get out there tomorrow and flip flop the tires just to be sure. If that doesn't work, I'll be calling my dealer Monday.
Can anyone cue me in as to any possible trouble with the EPAS? I'm not sure exactly how it works.

acdii

I think it has something to do with the pull drift compensation. What it does is measures the amount of input torque on the steering wheel and adjusts it's center to relieve the amount of torque needed to keep the vehicle straight. When driving with a very strong cross wind, you can actually see the results as the wheel will have a slight cant towards the side of the road the wind is blowing. On canted roads where the vehicle wants to drift to, it will compensate to keep it straight with no input.

This is what was mucked up in the Red Devil. On yours though I am thinking that if it is the EPAS, it is the sensor ring that tells the electric motor when to apply power, sounds like it has a dead spot. If this is the case, a new rack is in order. Hope it is the tires, at least an easy fix and nothing to be torn out of a new truck.

Blue2016XL

All this, makes me want to head south and find a truck without all this computer crap on it. At least if something broke, you could replace it and the cost wouldn't be so high. Plus, stuck on the side of the road, you at least had a fighting chance of fixing it at least enough to get you to where you can have it properly fixed. One key computer component failure, you're dead on the side of the road and all you can do is beat it with your wrench until the tow truck shows up.

@johnday I hope it is just the tires. Otherwise, sounds like an expensive repair (if you had to pay for it yourself) and take a lot of parts off just to replace it.

johnday in BFE

iTrader: (1)

Good info acdii, thanks. I have noticed like you say about the crosswinds and crowning, but I thought it was me doing the input. I take it that ring is part of the rack?

Thanks Wayne, I'm hoping it's the tires too in a way. My luck, my buddy would put me in a new Ranger as a loaner, and then it'll be all down hill.

johnday in BFE

iTrader: (1)

Got the tires rotated, but won't take it out today, raining on a clean truck is not what I want to do.

Blue2016XL

Just presoak your truck with your favorite car wash soap and have at it. Free rinse.

moparado

^ Been there, done that too!
I usually dedicate one of my vehicles for snowy or rainy day driving.
Right now its my F150 until i wash 'n wax it then another one takes a turn in the rain barrel, so on and so on.

Rotating the tires is the first thing i'd also try....process of elimination if nothing else.

fang2015

Tire rating might apply here. When I switched from the factory "P" series tires to a light-duty LT series - my 2013 4x4 was remarkably more stable on the highway. With little change in ride quality or mpg. The EPAS adjusted quickly to the new tires and it runs at 80 mph on not perfect interstate highway with no issue. Hated the original equipment tires from day one and wish I had replaced them earlier. Way too much flex on the sidewalls for my use.

acdii

Yep, and cannot be replaced. Nothing on the rack is user serviceable!