Here's the scenario: I replaced the tires two weeks ago at Wally World, and the steering seemed to be more vague than before, but not too much. Last week, I was up in the mountains and the truck vapor locked and stalled. I tried to turn sharply to the left to try and aim it downhill; when I did this power steering fluid sprayed all over the engine. After this, the steering seemed to be looser to the left. Now when I'm driving, there is a lot of play when turning left from dead center, about 1/4 turn of the wheel to the left before the wheels start to move, and then it feels like I'm over correcting. When I tested it tonight at home I could hear the PS pump start "groaning" immediately when i turned the wheel to the right from dead center, but it took 1/4 turn left before I heard the pump noise.

Now that I've explained the situation, here's what I'm thinking: It could either be the LT outer tie rod end or the steering box itself. If it s the tie rod end I'll get one tomorrow and replace it this weekend. If its the box I'll do the same, but this time go with a manual steering box since I don't like the lack of feel of the the PS and the truck is so light that I don't really need PS. I'm also thinking that I might have blown or damaged the PS pump when I did this. This would be the easiest sine I have a 1-year warranty on it from Advance Auto, so swap time it will be!

Any other thoughts or am I on the right track?

 

sounds like one of the teflon sealing rings in the steering box broke--and thats how the steering will act--

 

Actually, I did fix the problem and forgot to update my post. The gearbox had come loose from the frame rail so all I had to do was tighten down the bolts. Steering is as good as it ever was!

 

> The gearbox had come loose from the frame rail

Don't bring your truck back to Wally world!

Consider when your problems started. I would scream like crazy about this and write a letter to Walmart headquarters.

Someone loosened your bolts to get a front end job. I have NEVER heard of the gear box bolts backing off on anyone's vehicle and my own (3) BIIs were used for plowing, off roading, and off-roading hauling firewood in the back.

This is one of the dirty tricks people use to get excessive $ on tickets that are tough for a normal person to notice.

 

Rebocardo, what's funny about this is that I'm an IT security/SOX auditor working at Wally World's home office! I told the tire guy I dealt with that I was from corporate and he kind of looked at me funny. I guess he didn't believe that a person from coporate would be drivign a BII and buying tires in Aurora, CO.

Either way, I never shop at WM any more, too many freaks work and shop there. Target and Costco for me all the way!!!