I have a 1997 F350 crew cab Power Stroke with larger then stock tires and here is my problem.

My steering is getting loose and the other day I felt it binding up a little bit at about 45 mph, it was like something went through the steering box. As I was traveling through town going through a slight right hand turn I had the sensation that the steering was locking up I turned a little harder and it was like it went over center and turned easy again. I took it to a front end shop to have things checked out that day, they could not find any problem. The binding has not happened again, but I am thinking I need to change the steering box. My truck has almost 176,000 miles on it.

I have also noticed something else which seems to be leading to the pump I think, I'm not sure this hasn't been happening for a while though. When in a parking lot when applying the brakes I have very little to no power steering.

Could these symptoms be caused by a wore out steering box? Is there a valve somewhere that may have got a piece a junk in it causing the the lack of power assist with the brakes on at slow speeds?

So what is the consensus on using a rebuilt pump and or steering unit?

Tim

 

Hey Tim,
Same thing happened here. Power to the left and manual to the right.

I had to get a new box. Seems that a piece of crud (presumably a piece of rubber hose ) had contaminated the box internals.

Make sure you replace hi milage hoses and add an inline filter.

Also, while working on it you might want to upgrade to the saginaw conversion pump. It works better and quiter than stock unit.
Read about it here: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...ering-fix.html

 

If 4x4 check axle wheel joints, these are the u joints in the front axle where it pivits.