So I'm new to the Crossfire world, and honestly haven't driven a car this old, with this type of steering (reciprocal ball) with low profile summer tires recently. I am definitely getting a bit a feedback felt through the steering wheel that I don't get in any of my other vehicles. And I don't mean the well known shaking at 65-75 mph, but a little "feedback", which can best best describe as very slight vibrations felt through my fingers when driving on rougher surfaces, especially on the freeway.

The car did have the more obvious steering shake earlier, but I recently installed a new steering damper, replaced the worn steering center/drag link with a new one, new tires and alignment by a very respected alignment shop done recently. They saw no issues with the suspension during the alignment.

Can I am assume this small bit of steering vibration is normal for this car?

 

Pretty normal. Also, don't put too much stock in the journalists' complaints about the recirculating ball type steering. That was basically hogwash when they complained nearly 20 years ago, and it still is, today. While there are advantages to worm gear type rack and pinions (mainly simpler, with fewer moving parts), radically increased handling is not one of them.

 

Cool, thanks for your input.

Yeah, I don't mind the steering at all, feels honestly fine to me in terms of performance feel. The very center is a little vague, but nothing I really notice, the car feels good to drive on my local canyon roads and puts a smile on my face.

 

I to haven't had a car quite like this either and I also just purchased my 2005 SRT-6 a few months ago. I have made similar changes, steering damper, new tires and alignment, I too have or feel more of the road. It has improved since I made the changes and I love the feeling. Now that I have had the car checked out and have few thousand miles of my own.

 

Good to know, thanks for posting. I think the direct link to the steering, low profile and high performance tires is going to lend itself to more feel through the steering wheel compared to modern electric steering and less sporty thicker tires, at least with my other newer vehicles. I too love the feeling, always looking forward to driving the car.

 

I drove my 2018 Maserati on a 5500 mile trip (it has electronic steering) and when I jumped into my Crossfire, I was surprised at how much road feel it had. I could feel bumps and grooves again. So, normal. Fat tires and a light car.

 

I agree with this statement 1000%. I always hear the recirculating ball steering narrative thrown towards the XF. They never mention that the E39 M5 one of the nicest driving cars I've ever driven has a recirculating ball steering system as well. I think certain car "journalists" just wanted to hate on the XF and just piled on whatever they could. Is it the greatest driving car in the world? No but it sure as hell isn't some sloshy tractor as some articles have suggested. I've driven a lot of sports cars in the high end, middle and basic groups and there are a lot of cars that good these amazing grades for steering and handling that I just don't see it myself. I guess to each their own.

 

q

 

The car has dated steering period.No way around it compared to modern vehicles. Do and say all you want, impossible to get the superior feel of a Fiat 500 Abarth

 

No argument there. The whole car is old. When it was new, it never was as bad as the journalists made it out to be. There was not an actual problem with the steering type.