Power Steering Part II

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Aug 5, 2006 | 02:31 PM

#16

mechmagcn

Logistics Pro

Joined: Dec 2005

Posts: 4,644

Likes: 55

From: Moro Bay, AR

I have seen trucks with ball joints sticking that were very hard to turn. If all steering parts are good, sounds to me like you need to find a shop that can test the pressure output of the pump, both while static and while turning.

Jeff

Aug 5, 2006 | 03:27 PM

#17

FordPickup460

Postmaster

Joined: Nov 2003

Posts: 4,392

Likes: 1

From: Cab of a truck

I was just going to suggest what Jeff said about the ball joints. A few months back in my Highboy my power steering would be working fine, and then I'd come to a corner and it wouldnt want to turn, it was 3 times as hard to steer than when I had my power steering unhooked. It would go away, come back, go away, etc. I jacked up the truck and found out the driver's side balljoint was shot and making it stick. I replaced the balljoints and the problem went away.

Aug 5, 2006 | 10:48 PM

#18

74fordtruck

Thread Starter

Posting Guru

Joined: May 2004

Posts: 2,297

Likes: 0

From: Spokane WA

nop, nothing's sticking. with it unhooked and in the air it turns piece of cake when i grab a wheel. It just seems like it takes a second before it gets pressure down to where it needs to be, and the delay in pump whine reinforces that speculation. I'm thinking about trying to drive it a little and seeing if it clears up at all. I dunno, what would a shop charge to test stuff like that? I'd hook up a gauge myself if I could, but I dont have a gauge, and the inlets for the box are on the underside (dumb ford engineers)

Aug 6, 2006 | 01:48 AM

#19

FordPickup460

Postmaster

Joined: Nov 2003

Posts: 4,392

Likes: 1

From: Cab of a truck

With a bad balljoint it would most likely only bind with the weight on it. Im not saying thats the problem, but with eveything else already checked I think its worth looking into.

Aug 6, 2006 | 03:21 AM

#20

74fordtruck

Thread Starter

Posting Guru

Joined: May 2004

Posts: 2,297

Likes: 0

From: Spokane WA

Well, balljoints are just over a year old. It's not like a bind, it turns pretty decent now, just makes some noise and has a delay on the power assisting (most noticeable when turning left). I do appreciate your suggestion and attention trey, dont get me wrong. I just dont feel like playing with my balljoints is the best coarse of action right now, that's all

I think i'm gonna drive it to work tomarrow, and hope i dont end up upside-down. If there's a valve stickin a little somewhere with everything being new, maybe a little use will help work it all out

Last edited by 74fordtruck; Aug 6, 2006 at 03:23 AM.

Aug 6, 2006 | 07:49 AM

#21

mark a.

Lead Driver

Joined: Mar 2004

Posts: 8,922

Likes: 153

Quote:

Originally Posted by 74fordtruck

Here's my question, how does the power steering system work? does the bypass valve in the pump do it's thing until you go to turn the wheels, or is the pump always pushing? Since I've already had problems with this bypass valve sticking, I wonder if it's delaying my system. Any takers???

The pump has no bypass in it. That is why you should never dead head it for any length of time. It bypasses through the spool valve at a idle, but not completely, you should see around 100 psi at a idle. Then as soon as you put a little pressure on the steering wheel it should pick right up to around 1000 psi. As the load increases you should get full pump psi somewhere around 1500 psi depending on the kind of pump.

Aug 6, 2006 | 10:34 AM

#22

74fordtruck

Thread Starter

Posting Guru

Joined: May 2004

Posts: 2,297

Likes: 0

From: Spokane WA

so, could it be taking a second for the spool valve to close and give full pressure? would that be a result of the box, pump, or other factor (fluid/hoses/heat/???)

Aug 6, 2006 | 10:41 AM

#23

monsterbaby

Hotshot

Joined: Dec 2003

Posts: 18,423

Likes: 9

From: iowa

Actually there is a bypass valve in the pump but it's a high preasure limit valve and should only open at max preasure, but if it's stuck open it will cause a loss of preasure and make for poor PS performance, but truefully in this situation I don't think so because it works one way but not the other indicating it does actually have the preasure. The working one way and sluggish the other way leaves only one choice it has to be in the steering box itself. First thing to check when the steering is straight ahead is the box centered IE does it turn exactly the same number of turns one was as the other from straight to lock?