Steering difficulty
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4th Gear
Joined: Oct 2022
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Steering difficulty
My steering has been getting more and more difficult. Its at the point where it is near impossible to turn. My son replaced the pump, but the problem persists. Any thoughts on how I can determine what needs fixed or replaced?
Thank you
92 F250, 460 xlt. No mods other than a snow plow.
Thank you
92 F250, 460 xlt. No mods other than a snow plow.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 3,922
Likes: 1,192
From: Mojave, Ca
You can jack the front of the truck off the ground and turn the steering wheel with they engine off. If it's easy to turn, than it's a power steering problem, not a mechanical/binding problem.
There's only 3 parts to the power steering system; the pump, the gear box, and the hoses.
I imagine your son replaced the fluid when he changed the pump, so no need to flush the system.
The only thing left is the gear box.
There's only 3 parts to the power steering system; the pump, the gear box, and the hoses.
I imagine your son replaced the fluid when he changed the pump, so no need to flush the system.
The only thing left is the gear box.
Tuned
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 414
Likes: 42
From: State of Confusion
If it's still stiff with the engine off, while you've got the front end in the air, see if you can wiggle the front wheels by hand (steering, not rotation). If one moves, and the other does not, you could have a ball joint or U joint or something seizing up on that side. If they're both too tight to tell, you could pop the tie rod ends out and make sure both knuckles swing. If the knuckles move freely, and the tie rod ends are okay, but the steering is still hard to turn, that leaves the box or the column.
If you adjusted the box at some point to try and get rid of steering play, you may have tightened it too much. I did that on a Nissan once. It felt okay at first, then got harder and harder until I was having to really reef on it to make it turn. By then the adjuster was stuck. I replaced the whole assembly, unfortunately with a crap reman that had more slop than the old one had before I tried to make it better.
If you adjusted the box at some point to try and get rid of steering play, you may have tightened it too much. I did that on a Nissan once. It felt okay at first, then got harder and harder until I was having to really reef on it to make it turn. By then the adjuster was stuck. I replaced the whole assembly, unfortunately with a crap reman that had more slop than the old one had before I tried to make it better.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2021
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My steering has been getting more and more difficult. Its at the point where it is near impossible to turn. My son replaced the pump, but the problem persists. Any thoughts on how I can determine what needs fixed or replaced?
Thank you
92 F250, 460 xlt. No mods other than a snow plow.
Thank you
92 F250, 460 xlt. No mods other than a snow plow.
How heavy of a snow plow is this, and does your truck have any non-OEM tire size , any extra welding on such as brackets or braces. does the truck run fine?
When idling, does your steering get easier if you jab the throttle? Does your enging bog down when turning? (at idle)
in my opinion, its likely to be weight on the front end, wear or grease needed on steering pivots, larger tires, debris /blockage in the pump/fluid as well as a random part store pump having the incorrect flow control valve.
Did your trucks OE pump, did it work at all better or do you still have it by chance?
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 5,216
Likes: 803
You can jack the front of the truck off the ground and turn the steering wheel with they engine off. If it's easy to turn, than it's a power steering problem, not a mechanical/binding problem.
There's only 3 parts to the power steering system; the pump, the gear box, and the hoses.
I imagine your son replaced the fluid when he changed the pump, so no need to flush the system.
The only thing left is the gear box.
There's only 3 parts to the power steering system; the pump, the gear box, and the hoses.
I imagine your son replaced the fluid when he changed the pump, so no need to flush the system.
The only thing left is the gear box.
But i think that would also depend on if the pump replaced was the OE or not
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