• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

How often should we change power steering fluid?


Mike Tonon

Guest
There isn't a manufacturer recommendation, so I change out what is in the reservoir every three years along with the brake fluid. As long as you are changing some of it out every once in a while, I think you will be good.
Well heck, my dad had an 87 Ranger that he really only changed the motor oil on.

It blew the water pump around 100,000 miles. The coolant was the old green, which I think was 2 or 3 year coolant. It was nasty. The power steering was nasty too. The hoses started to leak just a little after maybe 120,000 miles. I pulled slot of the fluid out of the reservoir and replaced it with something with stop leak in it. It stopped it. Seemed a tad quieter, too. Brake fluid was never changed. But a line blew out around 120,000 miles. Never had another problem with though. But those systems didn’t have ABS, so no really expensive stuff to go bad. So I guess my point is maybe thorough maintenance isn’t all that worth it.
 


Dirtman

Former Middleweight Moss Fighting Champion
Joined
May 28, 2018
Messages
19,304
Reaction score
13,326
Points
113
Location
41N 75W
Vehicle Year
2009
Engine Type
2.3 (4 Cylinder)
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
It's up there.
Total Drop
It's down there.
Tire Size
Round.
My credo
I poop in the furnace.
Wow... alot to absorb there.
 

sgtsandman

Aircraft Fuel Tank Diver
TRS Forum Moderator
U.S. Military - Active
TRS 20th Anniversary
TRS Event Participant
Ham Radio Operator
GMRS Radio License
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Messages
12,695
Reaction score
12,381
Points
113
Location
Aliquippa, PA
Vehicle Year
2011/2019
Make / Model
Ranger XLT/FX4
Engine Size
4.0 SOHC/2.3 Ecoboost
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
Pre-2008 lift/Stock
Tire Size
31X10.5R15/265/65R17
Not much you can so with the water pump. Changing brake fluid helps prevent internal corrosion and parts failure. Preventative maintenance and fixing problems when they are small makes a huge difference in the long term when it comes to longevity, reliability, and maintenance bills.

Especially when it comes to the axles and transmissions. Any honest transmission shop will tell you they would be out of business if people changed their transmission fluid every 30,000 miles.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Mike Tonon

Guest
Not much you can so with the water pump. Changing brake fluid helps prevent internal corrosion and parts failure. Preventative maintenance and fixing problems when they are small makes a huge difference in the long term when it comes to longevity, reliability, and maintenance bills.

Especially when it comes to the axles and transmissions. Any honest transmission shop will tell you they would be out of business if people changed their transmission fluid every 30,000 miles.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Of course if I total this bastard within a few years, I did all that maintenance for naught!

Even a manual transmission, taking gear oil and using full synthetic? That should be changed every 30k?
 

sgtsandman

Aircraft Fuel Tank Diver
TRS Forum Moderator
U.S. Military - Active
TRS 20th Anniversary
TRS Event Participant
Ham Radio Operator
GMRS Radio License
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Messages
12,695
Reaction score
12,381
Points
113
Location
Aliquippa, PA
Vehicle Year
2011/2019
Make / Model
Ranger XLT/FX4
Engine Size
4.0 SOHC/2.3 Ecoboost
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
Pre-2008 lift/Stock
Tire Size
31X10.5R15/265/65R17
Of course if I total this bastard within a few years, I did all that maintenance for naught!



Even a manual transmission, taking gear oil and using full synthetic? That should be changed every 30k?


Yep on the transmission. I do notice the shifting is smoother with synthetic.

One thing to keep in mind. With a vehicle that has used petroleum products for a long time, there may be hidden leaks that will rear their head if you switch to synthetic because of their cleaning properties. So don’t be surprised if you start getting a bunch of leaks if you decide to switch.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Dirtman

Former Middleweight Moss Fighting Champion
Joined
May 28, 2018
Messages
19,304
Reaction score
13,326
Points
113
Location
41N 75W
Vehicle Year
2009
Engine Type
2.3 (4 Cylinder)
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
It's up there.
Total Drop
It's down there.
Tire Size
Round.
My credo
I poop in the furnace.

Mike Tonon

Guest
Just asked the dealer a ton of questions and got answers to some. One of which was how much fluid does the Ranger power steering system hold. They claim 2.1 pints. Seems low to me, but that’s what they had in their computer.
 

sgtsandman

Aircraft Fuel Tank Diver
TRS Forum Moderator
U.S. Military - Active
TRS 20th Anniversary
TRS Event Participant
Ham Radio Operator
GMRS Radio License
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Messages
12,695
Reaction score
12,381
Points
113
Location
Aliquippa, PA
Vehicle Year
2011/2019
Make / Model
Ranger XLT/FX4
Engine Size
4.0 SOHC/2.3 Ecoboost
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
Pre-2008 lift/Stock
Tire Size
31X10.5R15/265/65R17
Just asked the dealer a ton of questions and got answers to some. One of which was how much fluid does the Ranger power steering system hold. They claim 2.1 pints. Seems low to me, but that’s what they had in their computer.
That doesn't sound unreasonable actually. I think that is about what my '98 took when I had to replace the rusted out lines on the rack.
 

Mike Tonon

Guest
That doesn't sound unreasonable actually. I think that is about what my '98 took when I had to replace the rusted out lines on the rack.
It’s only 1.05 quarts. It seems like the reservoir would take half of that and isn’t the rack and pinion area filled with ATF, too?
 

Ranger850

Doesn't get Sarcasm . . .
TRS 20th Anniversary
Joined
Jan 24, 2018
Messages
8,421
Reaction score
4,658
Points
113
Location
Tallahassee Florida
Vehicle Year
2001
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
Born with a 3.0, looking for a donor V8
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
Stock 2"
Tire Size
Stock
My credo
Doing things wrong, until I get it right.
It’s only 1.05 quarts. It seems like the reservoir would take half of that and isn’t the rack and pinion area filled with ATF, too?
That's why they sell it by the quart.:icon_twisted:
 

sgtsandman

Aircraft Fuel Tank Diver
TRS Forum Moderator
U.S. Military - Active
TRS 20th Anniversary
TRS Event Participant
Ham Radio Operator
GMRS Radio License
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Messages
12,695
Reaction score
12,381
Points
113
Location
Aliquippa, PA
Vehicle Year
2011/2019
Make / Model
Ranger XLT/FX4
Engine Size
4.0 SOHC/2.3 Ecoboost
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
Pre-2008 lift/Stock
Tire Size
31X10.5R15/265/65R17
It’s only 1.05 quarts. It seems like the reservoir would take half of that and isn’t the rack and pinion area filled with ATF, too?
There is a quite a bit in the rack as well as the lines, cooler (if you have one), and the pump. Half being in the rack and the other half in the reservoir might be right. All I remember for sure is that I bought two quarts for the line replacement. How much I actually used, I can't remember and wasn't overly concerned since I could use the rest later for the steering system or the transmission later on.
 

adsm08

Senior Master Grease Monkey
Supporting Member
Article Contributor
Ford Technician
TRS 20th Anniversary
Joined
Sep 20, 2009
Messages
34,623
Reaction score
3,613
Points
113
Location
Dillsburg PA
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
31X10.50X15
There is a quite a bit in the rack as well as the lines, cooler (if you have one), and the pump. Half being in the rack and the other half in the reservoir might be right. All I remember for sure is that I bought two quarts for the line replacement. How much I actually used, I can't remember and wasn't overly concerned since I could use the rest later for the steering system or the transmission later on.
The rack actually doesn't hold that much. I'd guess the amount that is in the rack itself at any given time is about 1/4 to 1/3 of the system's capacity.

It's not unreasonable to think that a system with no cooler has half or more of it's total capacity in the reservoir and pump.
 

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Staff online

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Truck of The Month


Kirby N.
March Truck of The Month

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Events

25th Anniversary Sponsors

Check Out The TRS Store


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Top