need steering help please.....(long post) can't find problem

[01maroonz71]

well, it all started about 1-1.5months ago when i was driving down the road and shazam!!! the steering got a mind of it's own(so bad it was unsafe!!!!)....jerking left and right...so i figured my frame was cracked....a day or two later i pulled the steering box off the frame in my apt complex and cleaned it all up...i found what i think is a crack but i can't be sure...it doesnt come off of a bolt hole, but where the box would meet the frame, around the edge...it's shaped like a U and is only about half of an inch. i also found two broken grade 8bolts, which i figured is what caused my problems. so then i ordered the weld in brace. got that, and a new steering box while it was off.


so, i can't find a mobile welder around here, so yesterday i put the new box on, bolted it all up with new bolts, topped the fluid off and WOAH!!!! didn't steer worth a crap....popped the cap off the pump and lots and lots of bubbles and white isht was in there....so last night i searched and found the RIGHT WAY to bleed the system....just did that. unhooked the pitman arm and worked the steering wheel back and forth for about 20-25minutes until the fluid level was stable and the bubbles were gone...threw the cap on and drove it again......well, the truck tries REAL HARD to return it self to center and feels like i have no power steering(or very little if any)

any ideas what this could be??? im trying to get it to my welder about 2miles away to weld this brace in. is it possible that i need a new pump??? oh yeah, the high pressure line is brand new also.....

thanks, and sorry for the long azz post!!!!

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

The first problem you describe is death wobble and its because something was loose in your steering system. There are tons of posts on about that but it sounds like that isn't your problem any more.

Since you no longer have much power assist steering and you think you have the system bled correctly you have to look at either the pump or steering box.

Maybe the box was rebuilt incorrectly. Maybe you don't have the system bled yet. Maybe the air in the pump finished it off.

 

[01maroonz71]

is there a surefire way to tell if the pump is bad???? it worked great before this all happened..whined a little here and there, but pumped great. also, i think the DW is just because of my 40bias tires.....i have DCUBB's track bar that im waiting to install, but after this is cured(stearing) ....i should add that i have crossover, with no assist, and axles are a shimmed/rebuit 60/14FF if it matters. im almost positive i have it bled correctly. thanks!!!

 

[BlazerBud]

Put the front axle on jack stands so that the front tires are a couple inches off the ground. Turn the wheel left to right and back about 20 times with the engine off and the steering unlocked. Then turn on the engine and turn the wheel with power steering about a hundred times. Make sure there is plenty of fluid in there.

Now lower the truck. Don't force anything untill its all welded up. If it still doesn't have power steering you need somone more knowledgeable than me.

 

[01maroonz71]

blazerbud....i did just that, but i unhooked the pitman arm first..does it matter if the axle is connected via the pitman arm??? i figured it would be the same thing.

 

[01maroonz71]

tried it again, with no avail. if the pump was pumping, would i be able to see the fuild getting sloshed around in there??? b/c it looks pretty dang level and steady to me.....just figured i'd ask..