Power steering repair question

[Dasfinc]

Well, I picked up my Explorer this past weekend and have found it has several more issues than my buddy had origionally told me about...

the PRIMARY of which that alarms me is the steering, it goes from being VERY firm, to assisted, to very firm, to assisted as you turn the wheel, REGARDLESS OF SPEED. So if I'm doing 65 on the highway, this behavior persists...

Is it possible its only the pump? or is it almost certainly some kind of blockage in the rack? How would I go about cleaning/clearing this?

The truck is at the trans shop getting its 5 speed fixed at the moment, so I won't have it back for a few days (1/2 Shift fork is toast).

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[byronchrisp05]

sounds to me like a froze up ball joint or tie-rod end

Is it 4x4? cause a bad cv joint can cause the issue also

 

[Dasfinc]

sounds to me like a froze up ball joint or tie-rod end

Is it 4x4? cause a bad cv joint can cause the issue also

Its a 2wd, and if you crank it lock to lock a few times it will drive fine for a little while but the power steering pump will be whining fairly loudly.

 

[RICH17]

Sounds like a ball joint to me as well. But I would do a fluid change. Could be dirty and clogging and unclogging as well. Also check the sensor wires to the rack to make it variable. Maybe they got nicked or something.

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

ive seen this alot with ford pumps that end upo having atf put into them than actual power steering fluid. the pressure relief valve is sticking open

though i have seen intermittent high effort steering from a bad spool valve in those style gearboxes or someone overtightening the sector shaft adjustment

drain out the fluid and refil with proper PS fluid to see if the issue goes away (pump noise will prob remain)

 

[Dasfinc]

The ball joints were replaced fairly recently.... How would that cause it to be super hard, then super easy though?

My buddy is known for ducttape repair, so I'll drain the fluid as well.

 

[RICH17]

anyway to flush the oil in a rack James?

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

yeah. get it warmed up (drive it around the neighboorhood for a few minutes at least to stir all the shit up into suspension) remove fluid return hose from PS resevoir, cap off port on reservoir and run engine while someone keeps fluid topped off while another cycles the steering lock to lock
make sure you can fill PS fluid as fast as possible, the goal is to minimize air getting sucked in so you dont have as much of an issue bleeding air out after flush is completed and put back together

 

[Dasfinc]

yeah. get it warmed up (drive it around the neighboorhood for a few minutes at least to stir all the shit up into suspension) remove fluid return hose from PS resevoir, cap off port on reservoir and run engine while someone keeps fluid topped off while another cycles the steering lock to lock
make sure you can fill PS fluid as fast as possible, the goal is to minimize air getting sucked in so you dont have as much of an issue bleeding air out after flush is completed and put back together

How would you bleed the air out? Where should I buy bulk power steering fluid cheapest... Lol.