It's never easy is it? I pulled my truck out of storage today and on the tail end of my 15 mile drive the power steering went out. I rebuilt the hydraulic assist actuator last year and it has been pretty much trouble free for me. The pump isn't making any noise and seems to be full of fluid.

It's getting dark and I didn't have much time to dig into it but the piece below seems to be covered in oil? Any thoughts on how I can narrow down what it is? I crawled underneath and had the girlfriend try and turn it back and forth and there wasn't any obvious places where fluid was coming out.

 

Well, it comes down to two possibilities - the ram assembly or the pump. The early rigs used a manual box and the ram provided the assist, right?

Make it three....a clogged line.

 

Could be the valve box, right? Is it possible for that to still have pressure but not be a trusting the ram?

 

Please, when asking questions, list all the pertinent details. What the hell are you working on? Your profile says 1993 F250.

Seems to me you're describing Power Assist P/S found on 1973/75 F100 4WD, 1975 F150 4WD & 1973/77 F250 4WD (High Boys).

If an F250, there are TWO different types of Power Assist, the parts do not interchange!

1973 F250, 1974 F250 before serial number T80,001: GARRISON Power Assist P/S.

1974 F250 from serial number T80,001, 1975/77 F250: BENDIX Power Assist P/S.

Garrison also used on 1973/75 F100 4WD & 1975 F150 4WD, but F250's with Garrison use different parts than F100/150's.

Power Assist: Two long P/S hoses, pressure and return, route from the pump to the control valve. Two short P/S hoses, pressure and return, route from the control valve to the hydraulic ram cylinder.

With Power Assist, the manual steering gear box is used, as it has nothing to do with the P/S.

 

Sorry about that. 1977 F-250 w/ 4wd. It has the bendix power-assist system that you describe. I rebuilt the ram last year (was lucky enough to find a kit.) The pump wasn't whirring or making any noise so I don't suspect that it has failed. Can the control valve just "go bad"? I'm going to try and clean everything up today and see if I can ID anything leaking or suspect looking. Maybe also pull a line off and see if there is fluid being pushed by the pump?

 

Ready to be stumped? I sprayed everything down with degreaser this AM..... scrubbed it a little bit. Got ready to go to the self-spray car-wash and guess what? Power steering was back?! HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN???

 

Not to sure what might cause a intermittent problem like that, at least is fixed itself.

Thanks to the mods for cleaning up the rif raf, lol.

 

O-my....a holiday and folks aren't getting along...to well

 

friggin gremlins

 

It's really just the same guy, trolling as usual.

 

...............

 

Just an observation that the Mr. Wonka got verminated. At least that's what it looks like to me. .. anyone else noticed missing posts??

 

We could get him a T-shirt

 

Thought I'd follow-up with what I found. Power steering went out again but this time made a pretty big mess -- I figured out that the pressure hose was leaking but only when the fluid got hot. Replaced it.

The next day blew out a cylinder line. Decided to go ahead and replace both cyllinder lines and the return. Seems to be working again and not leaking like crazy. Fingers crossed!

 

NumberDummy - Or anyone else who might know - I've got a 76 F250 4x4, with the Bendx system.

I'm trying to replace the parts shown as 3A533 in the diagram you've posted in this thread. Got the kit from LMC (in original Ford package). How do I disassemble that front part of the whole drag link assembly from the valve body? I've removed the three long bolts that hold the three parts (front, valve and rear) of the drag link assembly.

Do I just remove the nut number "34443-5 (m-79)" that's on the rear end? It looks like that would allow the long bolt (that this nut threads onto) to slide right out forward from within the valve body without messing with the valve seals themselves. It looks like that bolt slides through the middle of the valve piston assembly shown as "3A730" without disturbing the piston or it's seals. The unit is not leaking and I sure don't want to mess with those seals.... Am I reading the diagram correctly?

If I remove nut "3443-5" would all the spacers and washers within the valve assembly fall out of center making it impossible to put the bolt back through the valve assembly?

I'll keep hunting for another thread, but I'm not finding anything.

I tried 3 times to add the diagram here, but computers are too smart for me. You may have to scroll up in the tread to see the diagram.

Thanks