Hard turning even after replacing power steering pump

[tjs4x4]

Wheels spin, but stop fairly quickly. Feels like something might b preventing complete free spin.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

do you have a grease gun give everythin a good shot of grease while you have it in the air ball joints ,tie rods and u-joints work the steering stop to stop 10 times with the engine off and check the fluid level keeping it at the cold level and see if you get any air out then start the engine and work the wheel again about 10 times and then check all the tie rods ball joints and u joints again have you pulled the hubs and repacked the spindle berings while you have it up look at the brakes basically while you have it in the air do everything you can whatever it is it will show its face if your thorough. Too bad your not in WA I could give it an eyeball. If you can pop the tie rods loose you can narrow it down to which side and if you pull the wheels you can never have too many blocks under the frame to keep it from hitting the ground safety first.

 

[tjs4x4]

I'm not gonna pull the tie rods off lol. Too risky. I am beginning to think seizing u joints might be the issue. I don't know for sure. I really do not want to take it back to the tire shop where we have an account, they don't seem to know their asses from a hole in the ground really! I might take it somewhere where I can ask them to check that stuff for free. If they say all is good, then next step is steering column, then ps pump.

 

[Shran]

Pulling the tie rods is not risky at all... you just undo a nut and pound the stud out of the steering knuckle. Although you can check them without doing that, just jack one side of the vehicle up and see if you can shake the tie rod end around. If there is side to side movement, it is bad. (Circular movement is fine because it is a ball and socket.) Although I am pretty sure your problem isn't related to the steering linkage, usually worn out joints just make the steering feel really loose and make noise.

 

[tjs4x4]

Well, right now the steering is the least of my worries. I replaced the BAD AUTOZONE alternator, and I STILL cannot get my truck to stay running. battery dies within 2 minutes tops. Can a bad starter cause this? Battery cables are brand new, new spark plugs, wires new as of late last year. I'm about to my breaking point with this crap.

 

[adsm08]

starter should only be draining the battery when its running and the engine isn't. Starter is very low on my list of suspects.

 

[tjs4x4]

Well, I don't know what to do. I have no money to take it somewhere to have it diagnosed.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

The tech library has the procedures for troubleshooting the charging system. You need a fully charged battery and a volt ohm meter.

 

[tjs4x4]

Ok so what piece do I start testing at?

 

[Shran]

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/chargingsystem.htm

So if you start with a fully charged battery, it will completely drain in 2 minutes? That is REALLY fast. Something is shorted out.

 

[tjs4x4]

All of this started right after I replaced my speedometer and tachometer with ones from a 1991 from a junkyard.

Yeah, there is something VERY wrong with my charging system and I have no clue what! We checked all fuses. Those are all good.

 

[tjs4x4]

I do believe I might have found the parasitic draw on my battery. I bought a digital voltmeter. Had to recharge the battery again, BUT, whenever I turned on my headlights, the draw was IMMEDIATE AND FAST. That must mean I have a wire shorting or something within the headlight system. I know I just replaced my stock headlight assemblies with some new ones, and got new bulbs. Guess I gotta check all the bulbs and connectors. Where else could there be draw coming from the headlights? As SOON as I pulled on the switch, the draw started.

 

[tjs4x4]

I found a brown wire on the headlight switch that has been cut into. Its not cut through, but looks like some of the wire inside has been damaged. Could that cause the serious draw on my system that I've been experiencing? I had a fully charged battery, unplugged the negative terminal, and it died again.

 

[TimV]

If you had one battery terminal unplugged and it still went dead, it is time for a new battery. With a terminal disconnected, there is nothing that could place a draw on the battery.

 

[tjs4x4]

The battery is brand new....