Hard turning even after replacing power steering pump

[adsm08]

ain't gonna blow anything up.

I drove my nova for a good 6 months like that, 60+ miles a day and never had anything else break from it.

How's the husband feel about your arms being bigger than his?

 

[tjs4x4]

LOL! I WISH my arms were bigger than his! Then I wouldn't need his help to break loose bolts and crap lol.

Looks like I'll be saving up for a gearbox. Guess it still could be air in the lines of the power steering pump, but I need a second person to help me with that.

 

[adsm08]

No, what you need is a vacuum pump (about $50) at sears, and about 5 ft of air tubing and a closeable gang valve from your local fish store.

Set it up so that you can close off two sides of the valve, then find an adapter in the kit that will seal around the top of the PS reservoir. Put on tube on that adapter, one on the vac pump, and one in a bottle of fluid. Close off the fluid and open the pump, suck it down, close off the pump, and then open the fluid. Do that 3 or 4 times.

 

[tjs4x4]

How much fluid should it take to fill the system?

 

[RangerSVT]

Yikes.

Is it bad to be driving with a bad gearbox?

Thats how I got my dually so cheap, the PO had drove it with the gearbox bad, before long the steering wheel broke from the tilt column from too much force being applied to the steering components...My dually is a 92, and I put on an 87 model gearbox, with no problems, you have a very good chance of finding a good used gearbox at the local junkyard for way cheaper than new, you might even find a yard that gives 30 day warranties on their parts...To properly bleed a power steering pump and lines, jack up the front tires, with the engine off and resevior filled, make several slow but steady lock to lock turns, checking fluid level regularly. After fluid level remains the same, start vehicle, and make a few lock to lock turns, when getting to lock, put slight pressure past lock and release, past lock again, then go to lock in other direction and repeat past lock pattern. Top fluid off and it is properly bled
SVT

 

[adsm08]

Thats how I got my dually so cheap, the PO had drove it with the gearbox bad, before long the steering wheel broke from the tilt column from too much force being applied to the steering components...My dually is a 92, and I put on an 87 model gearbox, with no problems, you have a very good chance of finding a good used gearbox at the local junkyard for way cheaper than new, you might even find a yard that gives 30 day warranties on their parts...To properly bleed a power steering pump and lines, jack up the front tires, with the engine off and resevior filled, make several slow but steady lock to lock turns, checking fluid level regularly. After fluid level remains the same, start vehicle, and make a few lock to lock turns, when getting to lock, put slight pressure past lock and release, past lock again, then go to lock in other direction and repeat past lock pattern. Top fluid off and it is properly bled
SVT

I would just like to point out that you have to apply a lot more force to turn the front wheels of a 250 vs an Explorer.

 

[RangerSVT]

You are correct adsm08 But it is still a safety concern I would not trust...I would drive it home as an emergency only, but not repetitively, my life and the lives of others on the road are not worth the risk...Sorry if its the lifesaving talk going on here, been saving lives for over 10 years it becomes a habit
SVT

 

[tjs4x4]

LOL. I'll call around the junkyards tomorrow. Saw a couple on ebay for sale, but I really need to get my truck running again. can't spend all my money on premium gas for my mach 1.

 

[adsm08]

You are correct adsm08 But it is still a safety concern I would not trust...I would drive it home as an emergency only, but not repetitively, my life and the lives of others on the road are not worth the risk...Sorry if its the lifesaving talk going on here, been saving lives for over 10 years it becomes a habit
SVT

Also a good point, if it would fail on the road that could be a major safety concern.

I never considered it with the Nova because it was so old that it really wasn't anything more than a manual steering system with a pump and power valve grafted on.

 

[tjs4x4]

So what all is needed to change out the steering box?

 

[RangerSVT]

the box are pretty easy...AZ has a PS pump pulley puller/installer you can rent, and you will need to rent a pitman arm puller from AZ to change the gearbox....the pitman arm, 2 hydraulic lines, the steering rod and 3 or 4 bolts is all it takes for the gearbox, pretty straight forward and relatively easy...You will need an 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 socket for the pitman arm nut, the rest is 13, 15, or 17mm wrenches IIRC...
SVT

Not very hard, weighs about 40 lbs or so, you will need both hands to handle it...
SVT

 

[adsm08]

box, ratchet/wrenches, fluid. Alignment is always good to have afterwards.

Get your wheels facing straight, center the new box, and put it in, that should get you close.

To center the new box, take a pair of vice grips and grab the knob, turn it all the way to one side, then go back the whole way to the other side and count how many rotations, then go back 1/2 that much.

 

[tjs4x4]

Ok thanks guys. Will keep updated on progress.

 

[tjs4x4]

Thats how I got my dually so cheap, the PO had drove it with the gearbox bad, before long the steering wheel broke from the tilt column from too much force being applied to the steering components...My dually is a 92, and I put on an 87 model gearbox, with no problems, you have a very good chance of finding a good used gearbox at the local junkyard for way cheaper than new, you might even find a yard that gives 30 day warranties on their parts...To properly bleed a power steering pump and lines, jack up the front tires, with the engine off and resevior filled, make several slow but steady lock to lock turns, checking fluid level regularly. After fluid level remains the same, start vehicle, and make a few lock to lock turns, when getting to lock, put slight pressure past lock and release, past lock again, then go to lock in other direction and repeat past lock pattern. Top fluid off and it is properly bled
SVT

Ok, I did the bleeding with the engine off, and a crapload of fluid spilled out from the top of the reservoir. what does that mean?

 

[RangerSVT]

Turned the wheel too fast/irratically...Slow and steady as to not make the air bubbles in the line force the fluid out of the resevior and make a mess...

SVT