ever since I swapped this gear into my truck, I go through power steering pumps like crazy. It leaves a giant air pocket in the system. Redhead steering said, "that gear is very tough to bleed due to its high pressure location. Traditionally, the fitting is on the top. That gear, has it on the side, coming up from the bottom."

What is the trick to bleeding these gears?!? Only thing that finally burped it was, me driving it with extra fluid in a expansion tank (it would rise and fall 5" in an 1 1/2" pvc pipe. No foam, bubbles or anything) until it burped itself.

I tired the following to bleed before starting vehicle :

Redhead steering instructions
Howes steering instructions
Vacuum (overnight)

 

I have run into this problem a couple of times:

Absolute PITA but here is a trick that works

Disconnect pitman arm
Disconnect from frame
Rotate or try to lay steering box on frame/wire with pressure valve up (Sometimes I will even shake it a few)
Follow instructions with one exception, remove the pump cover and turn wheel slowly so as not to overflow the reservoir, constantly top off and watch for bubbles.

PS: You stated you are going "through" power steering pumps, are you sure that they are not just cavitating and also need to be bled?

 

All that work is NOT required to bleed the steering on these trucks....Do it the FORD way and it works everytime!!!

1- Hook everything up
2- Fill with fluid
3- Jack up front of truck off of ground (Both front wheels)
4- Disconnect or Disable coil (So Truck CANNOT start)
5- Turn Steering wheel lock to lock about 5 to 10 times
6- Top off Fluid
7- Repeat Step 5
8- Repeat Step 6
9- Crank engine over (Ignition Disabled) and turn steering lock to lock 5 to 10 times
10- Repeat Step 6
11- Repeat Step 9
12- Repeat Step 6
13- Enable Ignition
14- Start Truck and turn Lock to Lock 5-10 times
15- Turn off Truck
16- Repeat Step 6
17- Repeat Step 14
18- Repeat Step 15
19- Repeat Step 6
20- Let Truck Down off of Jacks or jack Stands
21- Repeat Step 14
22- Steering should work just fine, have all the air bled out and have a quiet pump to boot!!!

 

And or...https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ering-fix.html

 

+1 In my 30 years working on these trucks I have had to do that procedure maybe only 5-10 times, normally the "Ford way" will work but just like our dents... and wives, some are more difficult than others.

 

That is the only thing I didn't try. Was dreading going through this again with a new pump. Now, I'm looking forward to it and showing that gear who is boss!

Thanks a million fellas!

 

My truck originally came with manual steering. A couple or more years ago, I added a Saginaw PS gearbox to it from a '78 F150 and a C-2 PS pump/brackets to my 240 from a 300 that was in an '82 Bullnose F150.

I primed the PS system with a variable-speed angle drill motor and a 3/8" hex bit engaged into the input shaft on the pump BEFORE I ever out the belt on and BEFORE I ever fired the engine up.

With the wheels straight ahead, I slowly turned the pump over with the drill motor for about 60 seconds --keeping a close eye on the fluid level in the PS pump reservoir. I slowly turned the wheels to the right, slowly turned the pump over with the drill motor --keeping an eye on the fluid level, turned the wheels back to center, turned the PS pump over, turned the wheels all the way to the left, turned PS pump over, turned the wheels back to center, turned the pump over, put the belt on and then fired up the engine.

Whining in a hydraulic system is a sign of cavitation (air in the system). Starting up an engine with a new pump and a system that isn't purged of the air in it is usually when the pump receives damage from cavitation. The slow rotational speed of a variable-speed drill motor is far less than the RPMs of an idling engine on a PS system that isn't fully primed.

My PS pump was quite from the first time I fired the engine up and has never whined since then.