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power steering *help*

smokkey1

smokkey1

1/2 ton status
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Jan 7, 2004
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Los Angeles, CA
my steering took a **** last week... I have no power steering at all.. I can't even turn the wheels at all. so before I replace the pump I wanted to check a few things... so I put the front end on jack stands, so I can see whats going on. and to beeld the system to see if it helps. so when I had it on the stands it was kinda of hard to turn the wheels lock to lock.. and I noticed the fluid was real dark almost black.. so I disconected one of the lines from the steeing box to drain the filuid.. and then I put some new fluid into the pump and started to bleed the system.. and it was no help.. so does this sound likes its the power steering pump or the steering box? and I just replaced the pump in janurary...
 
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Hey smokkey1!

Well theres two things to look at here. If the power steering fluid is black, that's bad, and it could very well be the pump, and even if it's not you should probabaly clean it out/replace it anyway. However, even with a bad power steering pump and engine running, you can still turn the wheels with more effort. ( just like if you were to break the serpentine belt while driving)

When you turn the wheels at full lock left or right, does the pump make any noises?

So if you cannot turn the wheels at all and theres no power steering, then you could have both a bad pump/ steering box. This is very rare, but my dad once had a GTO that the power steering blew up, and then send crap down the line to the steering box- ruining that to.:wink1:

So, if its just a bad steering pump, you can still turn but with more effort, if it's the steering box, that you may not even be able to turn at all. Make sure to check for binding linkage too.

Good luck!
 
no noises are made... I can only turn the wheels lock to lock while the rig is on jack stands. And from what I can tell theres no binding going on. now when the rig is on the ground it might be able to turn an inch or soo. I can barely steer the truck while it's driving. I really hope its' not the gear box..
 
on mine the ps pump was acting up, making lots of noise. so i replaced it. 5 months later it did it again. except almost no noise. it was very catchy, the fluid was black as black can be. i just flushed the system (pulled return line and turned the wheel back and forth till it stopped squirting fluid out) and drained the pump. put all new fluid in it and its been working great ever since.

when i put the new pump on i put new ps fluid in it. when i had to change it (in the truckpull parking lot) all i had was atf.
 
I've been screwing with my PS for a while now and think I finally have it right. I'm no expert like some of these guys, but I think I've developed some knowledge in this department.

If you can turn the wheels easily (with binding) while the front end is off the ground, I would surely try the pump first.

I would think any tension in turning while the front end is in the air would be the gear box. I'd pull the pitman arm from the steering box and turn the wheels by hand (front end raised) to see if there is any binding in other parts of the steering. If it's noticeable easier this way than with the pitman arm attached, I don't see why it wouldn't be the box.
 
thanks guys... another thing when the steering craped out.. it was when I was out offroadin last sunday.. the sub was running great.. I parked the truck for like 5 minutes. I went to start it up to go pull my buddy out of one the mud holes and thats when the steering went out.. I couldn't turn the damm rig... it's weird how it just went out like that. I guess I'll put it up on the stands again.. dissconect the crossover and see how the grear box acts.. and I'll flush the system again and see it that hepls.. if not I'll start pulling the pump out. and take it back to the Zone.. get a new one and some new hoses... I really hope it's not the gear box...
 
is the shaft that sticks out of the pump suppose to have play in it? meaning I have the pulley installed on the shaft but the shaft slids in and out of the pump a bit...

I drove the truck around today and it was ok.. but it still feels like I'm not getting any assist from the pump. its really hard to turn the wheels. for the first half a turn after that its ok when I'm driving but when the truck is in park its hard to turn the wheels... it turns but I have to put alittle muscle in to it.... should I take the pump back out and get another one?
 
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Yes, I took mine back off, took it to the parts store and looked at like 4 or 5 pumps and they all went in and out a little bit.
 
steering still sucks... any ideas what I should do? I try'd to bleed it again the other night. kinda helped. should I take the pump back and get another one? or should I get a new gear box or both?
 
I have a new gear box and pump and it still sucks...I have turned the wheel back and forth over 500 times, I've driven it, heck, I even stood out there and yelled at it, but it still sucks...Hydo Assist?
 
Stupid question here but you making sure the reservoir stays full after bleeding? I'm at a loss here too so grasping at straws. Have you done the mods to the pump as outlined on the westtexas website?

If you disconnect the draglink- fire it up and turn the steering wheel does it feel normal? No? OK then disconnect the hoses from the gear box and spin the steering wheel (engine off and draglink still off). Does it operate smoothly- feel normal? Yes? Then it seems the pump is at fault. No? Then I'd say your gearbox needs replacing. $50 at a junk yard. Not too bad.

Hope this helps.
 
smokkey1 said:
steering still sucks... any ideas what I should do? I try'd to bleed it again the other night. kinda helped. should I take the pump back and get another one? or should I get a new gear box or both?
Click to expand...


Put the front end on jack stands, disconnect one end of the draglink between the steering box and front axle. Once that is done see how hard it is to turn the wheels by hand. If it isn't difficult then you know the problem is gear box or pump related. If not you need to find where it is binding. I had a Jeep CJ7 come in to the shop a year or so ago with the same problem. He had put a new pump and gear box on and it was still extremely hard to steer. After I disconnected the steering box I found that it was binding somewhere. After checking it out I found that the ujoints on the axle had no grease fittings and from years of driving through mud and water without lube they started to seize. The ujoints where keeping him from being able to steer the truck. Put in new joints and it was good to go. This is not common but worth checking.
 
I thought of that but figured surely the system would still have the power to move it. Worth a looksie.
 
I thought the same thing when testing that system. I ended up disconnecting the tie rod ends as well to see what side was the problem. Ended up the passenger side couldn't be turned by hand at all and the drivers side had to be persuaded by kicking the tire to get it to budge at all.
 
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