Jack Suber Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 (edited) Well, I was lucky today and dodged a bullet. I was driving on I77 when something came loose in the sterring of our Explorer at about 70mph . I managed to get away from the median rail, across 3 lanes of traffic, and down an offramp with getting hit or hitting anyone....I had switched cars with my wife this morning. Thank God she was not in it with the kids...Now the wait to see what is wrong with it. Really weird. I could steer it one direction and it would respond properly but when I tried to steer it back, it would not respond. Almost a delay and then it would catch. By that time, it was over steered. So, I tried to correct and it would do the same thing....Damned!!! Edited October 6, 2009 by Jack Suber Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMC Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Thank god you're ok. Sounds like the relay rod or idler arm came off or loose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ima45dv8 Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Jack, be sure and get some lottery tickets on the way home! Today is definitely your lucky day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentlemanJim Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Those Guardian Angels They have saved my life untold times Glad you are safe and sound! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic_jon Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Glad you are ok! Yeah, sounds like a steering linkage somewhere along the chain went out. If it has them, have them check the A-arm bushings while they are in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigpops Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Glad no one was hurt. Now as they say..."it's Miller time" ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee King Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Good job staying out of a wreck. I imagine a lot of people would over-correct and end up crashing. Glad you're ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 yeah idler arm is most likely. either loose or broken.... I lost the tie rod out of a bug once... doing about 30... I recall doing a lot of bouncing but the car stayed straight I think yours sounds a lot scarier. glad you are ok. miranda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Lord Gomer Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 I had similar symptoms when a set screw backed out of a coupling in the steering linkage. The set screw went through the outer collar and "into"/against a splined shaft. It started by occasionally jumping a spline if I turned too hard. It eventually cut loose on the highway at 80mph when the front right tire blew out. Me and a friend were on our way north and I was asleep in the backseat. When the tire blew, it pulled right, he jerked the steering wheel left and it just spun. After fixing it, I had to drive the rest of the way to MD and back...he wouldn't touch that steering wheel again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Norman Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 about 30 years ago I was driving a 1963 Chevy panel van, the steering wheel shaft snapped. the wheel spun freely, no longer connected to anything. Had it happened a couple minutes earlier... As it was, I had just pulled into the glass company to pick-up some glass, spun the wheel to back into their shop and snap. I had driven from a jobsite to get there before closing, so I was not paying particular attention to the limits, a good part of the trip was a couple winding roads along a canal and a river. You are a lucky man jack, luckier than I as at least I had arrived when my steering broke. Let us all know what it was when you find out please. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XD Niner Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 I'm happy to hear you're okay Jack. It looks like we're going to have to buy you some training wheels for your Exploder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM262 Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Glad to know you and your family are safe. Good Driving! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Whew! Say "Thank You, Lord".... Wonderful it was you and not someone with lesser driving skills...with precious cargo in the truck also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boz1911 Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Thank goodness things turned out ok. Reminds of the time we told a customer he needed ball joints in his Chevy Blazer. He declined the repairs and drive the vehicle home. He called us the next day and said we left his wheel loose and it was falling off in his garage. Since this is an accusation we take very seriously we sent someone over to check it out. Turns out one of the ball joints we recommended fell out in his garage. Fortunately it didn't happen on an Atlanta expressway at 80mph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Suber Posted October 7, 2009 Author Share Posted October 7, 2009 No word as of late this afternoon as to what broke or came loose. I have it serviced/checked regularly since it is what my wife drives. As a matter of fact, I had the brakes done and an alignment job done about a month and a half ago. So I am surprsied (as was my mechanic). Its not a new Explorer, but we take care of it. Scary thing is that I switched cars with my wife this morning because I had planned to go hunting this afternoon. I am so glad that she wasn;t driving it. the other thing that has me worried is that is the car that I was planning on letting my son drive... Might have to re-think that one. I am also glad I was not towing my 4 wheeler and trailer....that could have made it REAL interesting... I am glad I was paying attention.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee King Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 (edited) I'm glad Elizabeth wasn't driving. I'm REALLY glad John wasn't. I imagine he wouldn't have the experience yet to deal. Again, good job keeping it on the road. Edited October 7, 2009 by Lee King Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j1b Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Jack Great to hear all is ok. An incredible story. I would like to acknowledge the capabilities of a human being. Being able to instantaneously adapt to an entirely new environment, recognizing the speed, the new "parameters" of driving . . . amazing. And then working to insure no collisions happened. That the safest exit was achieved . . . amazing. I believe in a higher being. That is to say, I believe in God. And in that light I am incredibly happy that you were looked upon favorably in this situation. I also am one that believes there are no coincidences. I can't help but think that your experience in shooting, adapting to situations at high speeds, only helped your ability to adapt and overcome in an extremely stressful circumstance. Thank Goodness for the game we play. It prepares us for those situations that aren't ordinary in life. I am both glad you are okay, and humbly bow my head to what you accomplished. Thanks for the story! Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joecichlid Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Jack, be sure and get some lottery tickets on the way home!Today is definitely your lucky day. Add some new drawers to that list if you are anything like me. Jack, glad to hear you are ok. Joe W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dajarrel Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Those Guardian Angels They have saved my life untold times Glad you are safe and sound! Jim I'm not much of a +1 kinda poster but GentlemanJim's post expresses my feelings very well. Glad it all worked out dj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L-10_shooter Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 JackGreat to hear all is ok. An incredible story. I would like to acknowledge the capabilities of a human being. Being able to instantaneously adapt to an entirely new environment, recognizing the speed, the new "parameters" of driving . . . amazing. And then working to insure no collisions happened. That the safest exit was achieved . . . amazing. I believe in a higher being. That is to say, I believe in God. And in that light I am incredibly happy that you were looked upon favorably in this situation. I also am one that believes there are no coincidences. I can't help but think that your experience in shooting, adapting to situations at high speeds, only helped your ability to adapt and overcome in an extremely stressful circumstance. Thank Goodness for the game we play. It prepares us for those situations that aren't ordinary in life. I am both glad you are okay, and humbly bow my head to what you accomplished. Thanks for the story! Jack I have noticed how my shooting has changed how I see thing in regular day to day life. I observe more and definatly agree that it helped prevent a werck. The vehicle is just another man made machine and stuff breaks. There is no way of knowing what will fail, preventive maintance before it breaks. Glad to hear you saved it without damage or injury to anyone!! So many people would have plowed into the nearest car/tree/concrete wall because they dont know how to react to an unusual situation. Please let us know what broke, I think it was a tie rod on the side it would not turn to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38supPat Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 So many Ford jokes, so little time... Glad to hear you made it safely off the road, good job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L-10_shooter Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 +1 I am a chevy guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38supPat Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 +1I am a chevy guy Sorry to hear that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Suber Posted October 8, 2009 Author Share Posted October 8, 2009 Yep, God was looking out for me. No question. Well, it turns out that it was a combination of things. The rack & pinion system is shot - its slipping. The upper and lower ball joints are also shot. They did not come loose but they are hosed. I went and looked at it and I could see the ball joints were hosed just by looking at them. If I pulled the bottom of the wheel outward, there was at least an inch of play in the wheel . The tires were worn very badly on the inside. I have been driving it on dirt roads a lot lately so I guess the ball joints had just had enough. This condition manifested in the last 2 months as I checked the car over in August. There were no unusual wear signs on the tires at that time. This isn't a cheap fix - labor intensive. The upper ball joints come with the upper control arm as a unit. The vehicle has torsion bars etc. Enough to make it where I do not know if I want to try to do the work myself. The Ford Manual I have is incorrect in that the description and pictures of the ball joint assemblies do not look at all like those on my vehicle. At least it is not like an old S10 Blazer I used to have - the ball joints were rivetted into the assembly and had to be drilled out. Apparently, Fords are known to be rough on ball joints. There was a Crown Vic in the shop that had a separated a ball joint. At least that did not happen to me on the Interstate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zhunter Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 Wow, glad you are ok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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