I recently bought a 91 F150 2wd that has 31's on it. When I am going slow or idling, it is very hard to turn the steering wheel almost as if I have no power steering. If I increase the RPM it is fine. Checked the fluid level and it is fine. I can find no leaks and I'm not loosing any fluid. Could this mean the powersteering pump is going out?

 

Well, it could mean that, but let me tell you a story about my last saturday's shift at the garage.

I had a girl bring in a Toyota (err... now I'm forgetting, at least I think it was a Toyota Camry... could have been some other - ooh, no - it was a Chyrsler, um, Sebring or Plymouth Breeze - or some gold colored car... but anyway...)

She had her bumper pushed in by someone and wanted me to do some quick bodywork to pull out the plastic bumper. She also complained about the car steering hard ever since she got it (something like 98,000 miles on this relatively new car).

Now this is rare(r) for newer cars, so we don't often look for 'em, but this car had ball joints with grease fittings at some kind of top steering knuckle just above, and behind, each front tire. In the end I greased 'em and let her have her car after paying for repairs. Once outside she started telling me about the steering again, and I told her I really didn't think it was that far from normal when I pulled the car out of the garage and over to park it. She got in to show me, but immediately noticed the steering was improved (for her - I honestly did not know I had 'fixed' anything, I just greased what was there). I'm sure it even improved a little more after she left and got that grease moved around in the joints a little better.

So the moral of the story is, don't neglect the, um, oh, what - about 4 or 5 stock grease fittings on your steering linkages(?), plus whatever new ones arrived with higher-quality ball joints in your Ford.

It seems that either taking care of these during oil changes, or actually finding a mechanic who cares enough, and has an IQ high enough (a big problem at my garage), to find all of the grease fittings on cars and trucks is becoming very rare these days. Consensus: Go out to NAPA, buy a grease gun you like, buy a grease you like, get under the truck and get at those suckers (and get at any aftermarket U-joints you have, too).

lotsa luv,

 

Did you check to be sure the belt is not slipping? I had the same problem after installing a lift and larger tires. The longer drop pitman arm puts extra load on the steering box, the larger (33x10.5) tires also increase the load. The stock Ford pump with the plastic reservoir is not a very powerful pump. I would recommend swapping it for a "Saginaw" type pump from a late 80's E series van with the same engine. I found a 1987 E150 with a 302 like mine that I pulled the pump and bracket from. You will need the bracket also. Mine bolted up perfectly, the only difference is the pump. My local junk yard charged $50 for the "kit." The steering now works properly and I was able to return the idle speed back to normal.
Mark

 

One more thing if you go this route, take the hoses from the donor vehicle.
Mark

 

That happened to me back years ago, my pump wasn't pumping. I finally got cashed up to replace it but it seized up before I could!

So I had to get it towed to my mechanic to swap it...hurry up and change it if that is the problem.

 

That system can be bled. You might have air in the lines. do you see bubbles in your reservoir?