Power steering question.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 869
Likes: 36
From: Ohio
Power steering question.
After the snow melted and the roads had no more slip and slide, I noticed my PS not being as easy to operate. I removed the serpentine belt
to check everything. The tensioner has plenty of spring to it and most of idler pulleys seem fine. There is a little wiggle in the tensioner pulley bearing and the ribbed idler pulley bearing, so I’ll probably replace them. My big question is the pump, it doesn’t seem to have any resistance. Does that seem normal? How can I tell
if it working? I know that sucker is a bear to get a couple of bolts out, so I’m not really anxious to have to replace it. The belt doesn’t make any abnormal noise, but I’ll replace it also while I’m in there.
to check everything. The tensioner has plenty of spring to it and most of idler pulleys seem fine. There is a little wiggle in the tensioner pulley bearing and the ribbed idler pulley bearing, so I’ll probably replace them. My big question is the pump, it doesn’t seem to have any resistance. Does that seem normal? How can I tell
if it working? I know that sucker is a bear to get a couple of bolts out, so I’m not really anxious to have to replace it. The belt doesn’t make any abnormal noise, but I’ll replace it also while I’m in there.
Last edited by unibody62; Mar 11, 2026 at 12:16 PM.
More Turbo
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 692
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From: Alberta Eh
Spray the steering shaft ujoints generously with rust penetrant or chain lube or whatever is handy before crawling underneath the truck. Drive it around the yard and work the steering wheel, if it loosens up your shaft ujoints are running dry
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Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 869
Likes: 36
From: Ohio
Thanks for the suggestion, easy enough to try. I don’t really think it’s the problem because the truck has only 83k miles and is always garaged. However, I do live in the rust belt. There aren’t any creaky noises either. I was going to try and use a bidirectional scanner today to check PS pressure, but either my ECU isn’t equipped to give me readings or the scanner isn’t up to the task. Maybe both. I think I’m just going to replace the pressure sensor switch since it’s cheap and easy enough to get to.
Last edited by unibody62; Mar 14, 2026 at 08:14 AM.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 869
Likes: 36
From: Ohio
Well, turns out that the pressure switch was deleted from my model year. I even verified with the dealer so that leaves the pump or that rack. The mastery continues. It still works, just doesn’t act normal.
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,595
Likes: 52
From: Lawton, Oklahoma
Sorry about that. I just checked mine, no pressure switch. Funny thing is when I checked the parts list at the online dealer it showed one for that year, included in the PS line. I have that line in my garage and sure enough, no switch on it either.
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More Turbo
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 692
Likes: 81
From: Alberta Eh
I wonder why Ford got rid of the pressure switch, just not needed? My 09 has, my 10 doesn’t.
You have to remember the age of the truck, the ujoints can just slowly dry up without any noise. Some report the shaft binding, others don’t. My brothers 06 had stiff steering and the pump was whining. I sprayed the shaft up and could feel it loosen up after about 4 turns of the wheel driving around the yard.
I am by no means saying it’s your problem for sure, but it’s easy to spray both ujoints up and go for a drive. Try it before spending time and money on anything else in the system.
I put a reman BBB rack in my 2010 because the steering was stiff, after a shaft replacement. It’s still stiff. Better but not how it should be. I also see Ford discontinued pumps and racks for these 09-10 trucks, that’s why I had to go aftermarket. I scored a used Ford low mileage rack but I think I still have warranty. I’m curious to see what your stiff steering cause turns out to be.
You have to remember the age of the truck, the ujoints can just slowly dry up without any noise. Some report the shaft binding, others don’t. My brothers 06 had stiff steering and the pump was whining. I sprayed the shaft up and could feel it loosen up after about 4 turns of the wheel driving around the yard.
I am by no means saying it’s your problem for sure, but it’s easy to spray both ujoints up and go for a drive. Try it before spending time and money on anything else in the system.
I put a reman BBB rack in my 2010 because the steering was stiff, after a shaft replacement. It’s still stiff. Better but not how it should be. I also see Ford discontinued pumps and racks for these 09-10 trucks, that’s why I had to go aftermarket. I scored a used Ford low mileage rack but I think I still have warranty. I’m curious to see what your stiff steering cause turns out to be.
Last edited by 90Ford73; Mar 16, 2026 at 04:37 PM.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 869
Likes: 36
From: Ohio
I wonder why Ford got rid of the pressure switch, just not needed? My 09 has, my 10 doesn’t.
You have to remember the age of the truck, the ujoints can just slowly dry up without any noise. Some report the shaft binding, others don’t. My brothers 06 had stiff steering and the pump was whining. I sprayed the shaft up and could feel it loosen up after about 4 turns of the wheel driving around the yard.
I am by no means saying it’s your problem for sure, but it’s easy to spray both ujoints up and go for a drive. Try it before spending time and money on anything else in the system.
I put a reman BBB rack in my 2010 because the steering was stiff, after a shaft replacement. It’s still stiff. Better but not how it should be. I also see Ford discontinued pumps and racks for these 09-10 trucks, that’s why I had to go aftermarket. I scored a used Ford low mileage rack but I think I still have warranty. I’m curious to see what your stiff steering cause turns out to be.
You have to remember the age of the truck, the ujoints can just slowly dry up without any noise. Some report the shaft binding, others don’t. My brothers 06 had stiff steering and the pump was whining. I sprayed the shaft up and could feel it loosen up after about 4 turns of the wheel driving around the yard.
I am by no means saying it’s your problem for sure, but it’s easy to spray both ujoints up and go for a drive. Try it before spending time and money on anything else in the system.
I put a reman BBB rack in my 2010 because the steering was stiff, after a shaft replacement. It’s still stiff. Better but not how it should be. I also see Ford discontinued pumps and racks for these 09-10 trucks, that’s why I had to go aftermarket. I scored a used Ford low mileage rack but I think I still have warranty. I’m curious to see what your stiff steering cause turns out to be.
More Turbo
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 692
Likes: 81
From: Alberta Eh
You can lube it just to get by until you replace it lol. My bro just kept his lubed every so often until he had time to change it.
It’s a pretty immediate difference after you lube them and work the wheel, if you didn’t notice any big change something else must be the issue
It’s a pretty immediate difference after you lube them and work the wheel, if you didn’t notice any big change something else must be the issue
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 869
Likes: 36
From: Ohio
Scanner results were not helpful, it seems the pump pressure data is not part of the ECU. I could try to hook up an in-line pressure gauge, but that’s a lot of trouble. I am still leaning towards the steering shaft, but my left is tied up with another vehicle. I’ve been working on. Once the lift is free up I put the truck up and see if I can lube this shaft real good. If that helps, I’ll probably replace the shaft down the road.
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