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Previous Truck with AS vs New Truck without


rlp450

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Looking for observations from those whose previous SD had Adaptive Steering but there new truck does not. Can you tell a difference? If so, what kind of difference and do you miss it? My current 19 F450 has it but my ordered F350 doesn't.

 

Thanks in advance.

Randy

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I had it on a 2018 F350 dually. I now have a 2020 F350 without it. Ordered a 2022 F350 and there is no way I am willing to drop AS. To me, it made a big difference. Especial with the long bed and the steering radius of the F350. I dropped the 5th wheel prep and spray in liner. I know they will want me to drop AS next but I'm having no part of it. If that means a 2023MY, so be it.

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7 hours ago, lcseds said:

I had it on a 2018 F350 dually. I now have a 2020 F350 without it. Ordered a 2022 F350 and there is no way I am willing to drop AS. To me, it made a big difference. Especial with the long bed and the steering radius of the F350. I dropped the 5th wheel prep and spray in liner. I know they will want me to drop AS next but I'm having no part of it. If that means a 2023MY, so be it.

how does AS impact steering radius?  The turn angle is limited by hard points and I wouldn't expect assist to impact the angle.

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33 minutes ago, road turtle said:

how does AS impact steering radius?  The turn angle is limited by hard points and I wouldn't expect assist to impact the angle.


He probably meant steering wheel input,

Edited by akirby
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8 hours ago, lcseds said:

I had it on a 2018 F350 dually. I now have a 2020 F350 without it. Ordered a 2022 F350 and there is no way I am willing to drop AS. To me, it made a big difference. Especial with the long bed and the steering radius of the F350. I dropped the 5th wheel prep and spray in liner. I know they will want me to drop AS next but I'm having no part of it. If that means a 2023MY, so be it.

That says a lot about adaptive steering...if a man that already had that option once is willing to let a truck order go 3-6 months more to keep that option on the next truck.?

 

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I have AS on my current truck, and didn't order it on the new truck. To be honest I never really cared for it. Maybe it's something to do with the wide axle on the 450, but I've never really felt it made much of a difference other than making the steering feel vague.

Edited by Dr-Bear-PhD
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31 minutes ago, lcseds said:

If I were to get a F450, I might forgo it. When traveling with a fiver, I'm sure the F450 turn cut won't wear on my arms like an F350 which seems to take ten rotations (exaggeration) on a sharp back up.

I have never had AS, but several months ago when I got my truck I was asking the same question, and the replies from a couple people said they would want to have it.  I have a new XLT truck, and I was hoping the steering would be easier than on my 2006 truck, which seemed to take a lot of effort to turn tight at slow speeds.  But my new truck is about the same as my old truck was, and requires seemingly a lot of rotations and effort to get in and out of parking spaces, backing trailers...etc.  I also do a lot of snow plowing which requires a lot of steering as well, and I think if it would have been available in my XLT trim, I probably would have waited for it.  My dad has 2012 F150, and the steering in that truck is almost effortless. I'm not sure if a superduty with AS would ever steer like an F150, but if it was somewhere in between, it would be worth it for me.

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On 4/20/2022 at 8:02 AM, rlp450 said:

Looking for observations from those whose previous SD had Adaptive Steering but there new truck does not. Can you tell a difference? If so, what kind of difference and do you miss it? My current 19 F450 has it but my ordered F350 doesn't.

 

Thanks in advance.

Randy

Well, I just picked up my 2022 F350 King Ranch that took 4 months to receive.  I drove home from dealer about 25 miles and I struggled to keep my truck going straight, it was wandering all over the place and my left arm was worn out by the time I got home and not because it's loose but I think it's way too tight.  I texted my sales manager when I got home that I hate the way my new truck drove without AS compared to my 2017 F350 Platinum with AS and it was wandering like crazy.  I should be clear though, I think the tight steering is what is causing most of my issues, like if you make a minor adjustment to get back in middle of lane and then it goes too far, then you correct for that and start over until you stop.  I suspect the steering is so tight the caster is not enough to straighten the wheels back after an adjustment but just an experienced presumption.  I think AS mainly comes into play at low speeds and input turns to output response, but I'm not certain AS is not in effect at highway speeds.  Man, my 2017 Platinum drove like a dream, I could steer it and handle a big trailer at 80mph with two fingers on one hand on interstate, it was a pleasure to drive at all times and conditions and never wandered.  I hate to report that I've gone backwards with this new 2022 without AS and the tight front end just makes the whole driving experience that much more disappointing.  I dropped AS and spray in liner and 5th wheel prep to get built in 4 months vs. those that ordered in August 2021 to get their truck in March or April with the options they wanted.  When I picked up my 2017, it had like 2k miles on it, sales manager was driving it and it was a pleasure to drive for 4-1/2 years until I turned it over Monday night.  I think I'm going to have to sell this truck and order a 2023 with AS or try to find a platinum with AS with the options I want.  I love the leather on the King Ranch but the seat cushions are different than my 2017 Platinum and press against the back of my knee, the seat cushion is too long compared to platinum seats.

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On 4/20/2022 at 10:08 AM, lcseds said:

I had it on a 2018 F350 dually. I now have a 2020 F350 without it. Ordered a 2022 F350 and there is no way I am willing to drop AS. To me, it made a big difference. Especial with the long bed and the steering radius of the F350. I dropped the 5th wheel prep and spray in liner. I know they will want me to drop AS next but I'm having no part of it. If that means a 2023MY, so be it.

Did you ever receive your 2022 F350 with AS or is it still in process?  I'm going to order a 2023 with AS and sell my 2022 without AS.  If it takes 6-8 months, so be it, I'll just have to wait. I'm surprised more people have not chimed in unless others never had AS and don't realize how much it improves the steering on these lead sleds.  I told myself yesterday, now I know why they developed AS, it's really needed, but in my opinion, Ford really F'd up to not ensure they had enough of these units to keep up with demand.  If most others don't give 2 $hits about AS, I should have no problem getting all my money back on trade in 6 months.

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At high speed, AS makes the steering less responsive (more turns lock to lock).  That would explain why @787Toolman thinks the steering reacts quicker...it does.  At low speeds, it makes the steering more responsive (less turns lock to lock).  

 

I use my truck for towing our fifth wheel and our boat.  Lot's of backing, and lots of highway miles loaded.  I have it on my '17, and that's why I continue to wait for my truck with AS and will NOT remove it, even if it means getting it here 3, 4, 10 months quicker.

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Sounds crazy, but my order is only 10 weeks old. Probably have at least a dozen more to go. I did agree to not order spray in bed liner and reluctantly agreed to drop the fifth wheel prep a few weeks ago (I regret that). These can be added later (at higher cost). But AS can't (to the best of my knowledge). I will not drop AS. So we'll see if Ford can deliver.

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3 hours ago, fordmantpw said:

At high speed, AS makes the steering less responsive (more turns lock to lock).  That would explain why @787Toolman thinks the steering reacts quicker...it does.  At low speeds, it makes the steering more responsive (less turns lock to lock).  

 

I use my truck for towing our fifth wheel and our boat.  Lot's of backing, and lots of highway miles loaded.  I have it on my '17, and that's why I continue to wait for my truck with AS and will NOT remove it, even if it means getting it here 3, 4, 10 months quicker.

Just wanted to repeat the part about at high speed...  it is suppose to make the steering less responsive.   At low speed it reduces the number of steering turns needed.  My current 2018 has AS and Ive been waiting since late October for my '22 because I want it on that too (or I'll just wait for a '23 with it).

 

I tried out a friends '22 w/o AS but honestly, at low speed could not really tell the difference.  But I can hear mine doing something inside the steering wheel at low (or almost no) speed.

 

Here is a a video from Ford about it (although I don't think the "Sport" / "Normal" applies to the Super Duty)......

 

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Well I am not surprised that I didn’t get picked up for scheduling. I did reach out to my salesman to go ahead and add AS to my order since I checked and the parts are physically available to purchase from ford parts and not on back order(very very expensive as just the steering wheel assembly is $2800 plus it looks like a special steering box is also required $800). Salesman told me that cannot add AS to any super duty at this time period. I think this is bs since I am unscheduled and have not been previewed. Can anyone confirm ??

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I hate the steering on my new 2022 F350, I want my AS back.  I was much happier in my 2017 with AS than the 2022 without.  IMHO, if you drive a Super Duty with AS, I think you will agree that driving without it is less pleasurable and a good bit more work.  I think it was developed to address several issues, not just low speed parking or sharp turns at low speed but also at high speed.  See attached excerpt from 2017 service CD describing how the system is supposed to work.

 

I told my sales manager, when the 2023 order back is open, I will order a 2023 with AS, spray in liner and 5th wheel prep and just sit back and wait, it will get built, one day.  In the meantime, I will drive what I have until the new one comes in.  Sales manager said I can drive it and sell it in 9 months for more than I paid for it, well that sounds great, but we will see.  I think part of the reason I can sell it for more than I paid, is the prices have gone up several times since I ordered on 12/7/2021 so by the time the order bank opens, it will probably cost $3600 more than I paid, maybe even more the way things are going.  I would have held out and waited for the 2022 with AS, spray in liner and 5th wheel prep, I had all those options in my original order.  I needed to close the deal, it's complicated to get into but I wasn't able to wait so I deleted those 3 options to get it built in time for what I was doing financially.  Now I have plenty of time, I can wait for however long it takes.

 

1503145092_Image-1(002).jpg.0849e9e418a09da089165335c8d1d0cf.jpg

 

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I have more details to add to my truck's steering performance.  To be clear, my 2022 was ordered without adaptive steering (AS).  When I'm driving my new truck on the interstate at highway speed like 70 with cruise control set, the truck has no serious pull or bias to go one way or the other, tracks fairly strait on straight sections of highway.  However, if I'm say in the middle lane of three lanes and I take my hands off the steering wheel and touch cancel on my cruise control on LHS of steering wheel, the truck will auto steer to the right and in 2-3 seconds I'm in the right lane and heading for the ditch.  If I accelerate instead of tapping cruise cancel, it pulls to the left and in 2-3 seconds I'm in the left lane and if I don't make a correction, I'd be in the left ditch.  I can then steer back to the middle lane, set cruise and it will track fairly straight.  Dealer verified alignment is within factory specs on all four wheels, tire pressures are all correct, 60psi front and 80 psi rear.  I have about 350 miles on truck, no modifications.  Also, when I accelerate and it pulls to the left, then when I decelerate, it pulls to the right.  My 2017 F350 with AS never behaved this way, my 2022 King Ranch is basically exact same truck less trim difference but that is inconsequential.  I've checked brake caliper drag; all wheels have about same amount when lifted off ground.  Steering gearbox backlash was checked by dealer, it's within spec.  I'm going to order a 2023 with AS when order bank opens and just wait.

 

Does anyone care to comment if you've seen this behavior before?  Anyone else with a new truck without AS have any steering issues they've noticed?

Thanks...

Edited by 787Toolman
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11 hours ago, road turtle said:

No AS, and it track perfectly.  Nothing during acceleration, nothing during deceleration.  Being on one side of the crown or the other, if it's large enough, it will slightly wander, but no different than any other vehicle I've owned.

Well dang...Thanks for commenting and trying to help.  I agree all my issue can't be corrected by AS, but I drove my 2017 Platinum for 4.5 years and I really miss the response at low speed, and it never wandered.  I'm thinking my rear axle is not aligned close enough to parallel to front axle and the alignment printout stated 0.17 deg thrust angle and it's within tolerance.  I tried reducing rear tire pressure from 80psi to 68psi and front at 60psi and I'll see how that does and come back. The only adjustment in rear axle alignment is maybe in the rear leaf spring stack pin to hole clearance which is very minimal.  I'm going to measure best I can front to rear axle tube spacing on each side to see how parallel they are.  I watched a YouTube video of an older SD doing the same thing mine is doing and the guy showed the front axle U-joints were locked up and as the wheel pins, the locked u-joint is in a spot where the steering knuckle would be bound up for a split second and this was causing weird steering behavior.  To check this, he had to release the drag link, sway bar to free up the knuckle so you can pivot by hand, then he rotated the hub until the u-joint got to bad spot and the knuckle would not steer, rotate u-joint 90 deg and knuckle would steer.  Hard to believe mine being brand new has that issue but the symptoms are same as what he said that truck was doing.

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53 minutes ago, 787Toolman said:

Well dang...Thanks for commenting and trying to help.  I agree all my issue can't be corrected by AS, but I drove my 2017 Platinum for 4.5 years and I really miss the response at low speed, and it never wandered.  I'm thinking my rear axle is not aligned close enough to parallel to front axle and the alignment printout stated 0.17 deg thrust angle and it's within tolerance.  I tried reducing rear tire pressure from 80psi to 68psi and front at 60psi and I'll see how that does and come back. The only adjustment in rear axle alignment is maybe in the rear leaf spring stack pin to hole clearance which is very minimal.  I'm going to measure best I can front to rear axle tube spacing on each side to see how parallel they are.  I watched a YouTube video of an older SD doing the same thing mine is doing and the guy showed the front axle U-joints were locked up and as the wheel pins, the locked u-joint is in a spot where the steering knuckle would be bound up for a split second and this was causing weird steering behavior.  To check this, he had to release the drag link, sway bar to free up the knuckle so you can pivot by hand, then he rotated the hub until the u-joint got to bad spot and the knuckle would not steer, rotate u-joint 90 deg and knuckle would steer.  Hard to believe mine being brand new has that issue but the symptoms are same as what he said that truck was doing.


I have a 22 without AS and it tends to wander, but it isn’t impact by acceleration or deceleration.   It pretty much does it all the time so I have to pay closer attention while driving this truck. It’s a bit annoying and we have now named the truck The Wanderer.  

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Don’t have me new non-as truck but my 19’ had AS and I never knew it till I sold it and seen it on the sticker. Just from basic review the actual steering geometry isn’t changed from as to non-as that I am aware of. The change is within the steering wheel itself which based upon Ecm feedback changes the ratio of steering wheel input rotations to steering shaft rotation. This in of itself would not impact tracking(wandering). Having said this where I can see some potential is that any driver input whatsoever on a non-as truck will translate into tire movement which would affect tracking. The interesting thing is that yours tends to have tracking issues when accelerating or decelerating which leads me to believe you are into something with you previous assumptions. 
 

imho I do not think that non as is the issue

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On 5/5/2022 at 8:34 PM, 787Toolman said:

I have more details to add to my truck's steering performance.  To be clear, my 2022 was ordered without adaptive steering (AS).  When I'm driving my new truck on the interstate at highway speed like 70 with cruise control set, the truck has no serious pull or bias to go one way or the other, tracks fairly strait on straight sections of highway.  However, if I'm say in the middle lane of three lanes and I take my hands off the steering wheel and touch cancel on my cruise control on LHS of steering wheel, the truck will auto steer to the right and in 2-3 seconds I'm in the right lane and heading for the ditch.  If I accelerate instead of tapping cruise cancel, it pulls to the left and in 2-3 seconds I'm in the left lane and if I don't make a correction, I'd be in the left ditch.  I can then steer back to the middle lane, set cruise and it will track fairly straight.  Dealer verified alignment is within factory specs on all four wheels, tire pressures are all correct, 60psi front and 80 psi rear.  I have about 350 miles on truck, no modifications.  Also, when I accelerate and it pulls to the left, then when I decelerate, it pulls to the right.  My 2017 F350 with AS never behaved this way, my 2022 King Ranch is basically exact same truck less trim difference but that is inconsequential.  I've checked brake caliper drag; all wheels have about same amount when lifted off ground.  Steering gearbox backlash was checked by dealer, it's within spec.  I'm going to order a 2023 with AS when order bank opens and just wait.

 

Does anyone care to comment if you've seen this behavior before?  Anyone else with a new truck without AS have any steering issues they've noticed?

Thanks...

As other have mentioned could also be related to the duratrac’s. Many have said they need to “break in” and the wandering stops. Keep us posted.

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13 hours ago, Cglenn said:

As other have mentioned could also be related to the duratrac’s. Many have said they need to “break in” and the wandering stops. Keep us posted.

My tires are Michelin on 20" rims.  I lowered rear tire pressure from 80 to 70psi and the wandering is reduced a good bit, almost tolerable but my 2017 Platinum with same exact tires didn't wander at 80psi at all and was a dream and a pleasure to drive.

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