Having power steering problems
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2nd Gear
Joined: Jan 2025
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Having power steering problems
I have an 88 f150 that I’m having power steering problems. It has a new gearbox and reservoir. The truck has a 6 inch lift and is on 35s. It is extremely hard to turn in first gear but once you start driving it gets easier. I have done everything to make sure it doesn’t have air in the lines.
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 10,315
Likes: 2,580
From: Near Salt Lake City
The big tires make them harder to steer
Get rolling first
Go easy in parking lots
When those trucks were new, that was a main complaint on lifted ones with big tires
Used to throw expensive parts at them (1000 dollar control valves in the gear for instance)
Replaced a bunch of pumps and overhauled a bunch of steering gears
Basically, to no avail
Get rolling first
Go easy in parking lots
When those trucks were new, that was a main complaint on lifted ones with big tires
Used to throw expensive parts at them (1000 dollar control valves in the gear for instance)
Replaced a bunch of pumps and overhauled a bunch of steering gears
Basically, to no avail
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 10,315
Likes: 2,580
From: Near Salt Lake City
I think the pump outputs are about the same, Saginaw to C4 ford pump
Pumps do differ though (slight vane and rotor differences)
Ford made different pumps for a Town car than a truck
Pressure testing in the Ford books go over some of that, but I have never known a dealer to have all the special tools to actually pressure test one
As well as it would take all day to get the gauges hooked up, if even possible
When they show pressure testing in the steering section of the Ford manuals, they show some old boat Merc with plenty of room under the hood
Pretty sure you're never going to get the gauges hooked up to a Mustang or T bird, a truck may be possible to hook up if you pull the inner fender liner out
Pumps do differ though (slight vane and rotor differences)
Ford made different pumps for a Town car than a truck
Pressure testing in the Ford books go over some of that, but I have never known a dealer to have all the special tools to actually pressure test one
As well as it would take all day to get the gauges hooked up, if even possible
When they show pressure testing in the steering section of the Ford manuals, they show some old boat Merc with plenty of room under the hood
Pretty sure you're never going to get the gauges hooked up to a Mustang or T bird, a truck may be possible to hook up if you pull the inner fender liner out
Hotshot
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 12,781
Likes: 2,422
I’m not convinced that the new pump is good. One of the Napa pumps I warranty returned was barely putting out any pressure. The other two were louder than the pump I originally replaced because of leaking front seal but they wouldn’t replace the last one because that noise was “normal.” I have a 6” lift and 35” tires on the Bronco and the steering was not “extremely difficult” to turn unless the truck was moving. I think I ran 25-30# of air in the tires to get a good contact pattern. If I put the recommended pressure for the factory size they would have been overinflated and driving on the center of the tread. While stating that there is a test procedure to hook up pressure gauges to test the pump is 100% true - no one has those gauges so that is moot. Not that there wasn’t one somewhere but in 12 years of working at dealerships I never saw a p/s pressure tester.
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MIlo937
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
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Sep 17, 2015 12:11 AM
